By training women to sew, teaching them basic business skills, and providing interest-free microloans, you combat the economic hardships that HIV imposes on women and their families in rural Cambodia.
In the rural province of Battambang, Cambodia, many of the poorest villagers are women who are HIV+ or whose family's provider has died of AIDS. Living on less than $1 a day, these women struggle to provide food and basic necessities for their children. Women with HIV in Cambodia have difficulty finding work to improve their situation due to the stigma attached to HIV. In addition, women who have lost a family member to AIDS are unprepared to assume the role of sole provider.
By teaching women affected by HIV sewing and business skills, and providing them with interest-free loans to start their own businesses, we provide a sustainable method for these women to lift themselves and their families out of poverty.
This program reaches hundreds of families affected by HIV, giving women practical tools and strategies to earn a living and feed their families. They become self-sufficient, respected members of their communities and take pride in their achievements.
