Empower HIV+ Women in Cambodia to Start a Business

SCC’s Sewing Vocational Training Program is changing lives

SCC’s Vocational Training in Sewing offers professional skills and generates income for the poor. 20 women participate in the program and say that they gained new confidence and therefore experience the meaning to life again.

19 year old Khom Sreyleak lives in Samrong Takok village Norea commune in Battambang Province. She left school at grade nine in 2004, because her family could not support her going to school. Then Khom Sreyleak worked as a labor earning $ 2 a day for two years until 2006. The work was physically hard, but paid her living expenses.

Khom Sreyleak stopped this work and started working as a live-in nanny. She earned $ 40 per month, which is a little less than what she previously earned as a labor, but the new work was physically manageable for her. Khom Sreyleak worked as a nanny for two years until May 2009 until the employment contract ended. Afterwards she began selling food at Nath Market and earned $ 30 a month.

Working on the market kept Sreyleak really busy as she was dependent on people’s demands and under attendance of the stall owner. Further she felt sad, because since she made her own earnings at the age of 14 years, she faced others blaming her for different issues. This feeling made Khom Sreyleak very burnt-out and unhappy.

"Before joining this sewing training, life was difficult because my family needed food and clothes, but I didn't know how to get it," said Khom Sreyleak. “I didn't have money for housing, but now I am very happy , because I am learning how to sew at SCC-F2F Community Centre. In the future I hope I have the professional skills to earn money on my own, so I can help my parents .” Khom Sreyleak wishes to open a sewing business sell clothes that she made.want. Khom Sreyleak likes to thank all the individual donors and SCC related donating organizations, who have helped her.