Not everything can be measured in dôngs or in euros! Number observations show that diseases and accidents are one of the major causes of poverty: the people are unprepared, and ready to pay huge amounts to save the family member. For this purpose they will not hesitate to sell their assets, like land, cattle, or to borrow at usury rates (120% or more).

Still one hear many funding agencies reply that they cannot support health care expenses, because they are not "sustainable". Mekong Plus asks them: "Do you have children?" This is not a theoretical question, but the tragedy faced everyday by many in the villages. Our teams "do not spend much time in the villages", this is where they are based and live.

Our teams pretty well that a child will, and should, always go first, before the repayment of a microcredit. If one insists on a timely repayment, the people may well manage to pay, but then there will be no seeds left, some assets will be gone... Health and education cannot be measured and have no price. Money is fungible and it is vain and harmful for the people to impose how it should be used.

Hàng, director of the Dúc Linh program: "I found out by chance that this couple was helping in the production of incense sticks to help their neighbors. They were not paid but they knew the program would be in trouble if it could not deliver Terre d'Oc, the client, in time. When I saw them the woman just said: "Last year you saved my baby, my debt is immense, I do not want to be paid by the program".