"Now I can earn money to support my family and I feel full of hope." An estimated 20% of Cambodians live below the poverty line. Our sewing project not only empowers our impoverished villagers with a skill, it also transforms their lives through the ability to earn an income to support their families, confidence to be positive role models in their community and the capability to lead fulfilling lives.
Many of our community members are living in poverty, as they do not possess the education or skills to gain employment, instead relying on unreliable farming and building work. Unable to afford to educate their children, the cycle of poverty continues. In addition to this, many villagers face domestic violence, illnesses due to lack of hygiene and generally uneducated minds, which results in the community being stagnant in its development.
It costs $2.50 a day to fund a student in our program. Our one-year course covers three levels and addresses a need for school uniforms, ceremony dresses, work uniforms, etc. Our weekly life skills training addresses the social issues they face. Our Khmer class ensures our illiterate students (approximately 50% of all students) can learn their native language and increase job opportunities. Our daily stipend of rice and vegetables grown in our garden ensures proper nutrition for their families.
By providing our villagers with a full set of sewing skills, they have the ability and confidence to earn a stable income, either by using a sewing machine purchased through our microfinance program, gaining employment externally using knowledge from our job skills workshops, or making products for HHA. Our students gain confidence, are able to improve their standards of living and have a much better concept of how to be good community members.
