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Livelihood improvement

Careers

Mushroom growing in Battambang province

This thriving mushroom farm is the result of the hard work and dedication of Kampong Chhnang One village’s community facilitators. In March 2012, 29 community facilitators from 6 villages attended a training held by Banteay Srei on mushroom growing in Battambang city. In addition, Banteay Srei provided them with the equipment and materials necessary to get their mushroom farms started.

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Mushroom farm

Giving rural farmers access to credit

In Cambodia, borrowing money is one of the coping mechanisms that the rural poor use to deal with the seasonal nature of their livelihoods and key lifecycle events. “Members take out loans mainly for agriculture: for rice farming, vegetable growing and to buy fertiliser. Most members then profit from their loan and are able to pay it back very easily” Cheurn explains. Loans vary from 200,000 riel to 1 million riel (from $50 to $250), and most people pay their loan back after one year.

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Chum Cheurn, community facilitator and credit scheme manager for Svay Chrom village

Improving rural livelihoods through water irrigation

Just six months ago, married couple Hut Hoeum and Pen Bun Thourn’s nearest water supply was over 100 metres away, making vegetable growing practically impossible and limiting their rice harvest to one per year. “Before we had to walk very far many times a day to collect water and we spent a lot of money on petrol,” says Hoeum.

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Married couple Hut Hoeum and Pen Bun

Sarun and Sophany

Grassroots development initiatives such as a cow bank and credit scheme provide the means for a family living with HIV/Aids to lift themselves out of poverty.

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Names have been changed to protect the identities of clients

Vann Sovath and her organic farm

“There is lots of flooding in this area, even my papaya tree was destroyed by the flood two years ago,” Vann Sovath, volunteer community facilitator for agriculture in Kok Dong village says.

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Sovath standing in her garden

Kry Chooam’s new gardening skills

59-year-old Chooam has not always had a vegetable farm. “Before I started growing vegetables two years ago I had nothing to do after rice harvesting so I would just get drunk with friends. Sometimes when I drank I was violent with my wife,” Chooam explains soberly.

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Kry sitting on his hammock in front of his garden

Kampong Thkov Commune Community Women’s Handicraft Centre

Bun Proeuth comes to the Kampong Thov Commune Community Women’s Handicraft Centre every day to make Kramas. It took her six months to learn how to make the traditional colourful loom-spun cotton scarves, and she is now able to make up to three each day.

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Ms. Bun Phuet is trimming the scarf she has woven.

Community development structures continue

Ou Heub’s vegetable garden runs down towards the bank of the local river, which flows from the Tonle Sap lake. “Before I used to carry water on my back from the river up the hill 30 to 40 times each day,” Ou Heub explains, whilst showing the scars on her shoulders which are still visible from years of this backbreaking work.

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Ou Heub is watering her vegetable garden

Livelihood improvement of a female farmer in Siem Reap

Lak Sam is a 54 year-old farmer who lives with her husband and 7 family members, including 2 children, 2 grandchildren, 1 niece and 1 nephew in Phlung village, located about 12 km from Siem Reap provincial town. She is currently a

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