By Kong Vanthat | Executive Director
WOMEN EMPOWERED WITH YOUR SUPPORT!
With only a few more days until 2018 we wanted to say THANK YOU for all you've done to support us throughout 2017! With your amazing help we have been able to empower more women and will continue to do so in 2018!
With our new center and programs to help women access work in the new year, you can help our dreams for women and girls in Cambodia happen! There are still a couple of days to pledge your support before the year comes to a close. We love sharing success stories, and at WRC there are many! We offer a safe space where women can receive drop-In counselling and emotional support.
WRC provides women with rights based information and options available to meet their needs, and if the woman voluntarily chooses to take a certain action the staff will facilitate a referral. Linda* is 27 years old, with 2 daughters. She works on the tourist boat away from home. She felt unhappy to live far away from her children but needed the income.
Linda always gave most of her salary to her husband who looked after the children at home. Every time she came home, Linda did not feel comfortable or safe because her husband would threaten and physically abuse her and the children..... One day, she was told by a friend to speak to Women's Resource Center (WRC)..... Linda decided to walk in and talked to our social worker about her concerns regarding the relationship with her husband. Our social worker discussed her rights and offered emotional support.
Linda left feeling empowered and heard. A few days later she returned back to WRC because she decided to divorce her husband. We refered her to Siem Reap City Hall and assisted her to file a complaint as part of the process to the court. Sadly, the court decided to favour her husband due to Linda's work. Even though she was allowed to see the children legally, her husband never allowed her children and was verbally abusive. "Every time I came home to visit my children, I felt very scared and he threatened my children by not allowing them to meet me, I felt too sad."
Linda returned to WRC, to get emotional support and referral guidance. After speaking with our social working and understanding her rights, Linda felt very confident to return to the court to claim back her right as a mother to look after her children. Our social worker went to the court with her to support her and help with the process.
Finally, Linda was successful and got her children back. Linda decided to quit her current job and find a new job close to her house where she has more time to look after two daughters. "I am very happy that I am able to spend time with my children, to live closer, and feel warmth... This is a mother's heart with their children." We look forward to empowering more women like Linda* in 2018. With your support, women and girls in Cambodia can access our services so that they may make more informed decisions about their lives.
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