In the mountains of northern Pakistan, conventional bank loans are hard to come by. Microfinance offers an avenue for poor communities to obtain credit. It is based on the principles of solidarity and empowerment. In 2004, the people banded together and started to pool their resources. They decide who will receive credit and what the interest rate will be democratically. Yasmen Akhtarhat used a small loan to expand her garden. Now she sells fruit and vegetables at the market to supplement her family's income.