Sustainable lives for 375 women in rural Cambodia

November 2013 to January 2014

This report highlights the project progress, challenges, and additional needs. The report also includes the case of Ms. Vannara and her livelihood improvement by joining in a micro local enterprise of fish sauce production with her 5 neighbors.

Activities, Achievements, and Next work plan

Since November 2013, with funding support from Global Giving donors, Cambodian Rural Development Team (CRDT) started to implement this new project by working with 375 women in Sre Krasaing, Siem Bok and Koh Sralay communes in Siem Bok district to strengthen their capacities in livelihood development. The majority of the women are the members of the Livelihood Community Based Organizations (CBOs) formed and facilitated by CRDT since 2008. By working with CRDT, the groups were trained and coached on agriculture techniques for growing rice and vegetable, raising pig and chicken, and starting group saving. Then, small grants were released to support the women to start up their livelihood activities. This additional assistance from Global Giving offered these women opportunities to expand their livelihood activities after CRDT phased out its initial project ending in late 2012.

During this reporting period, CRDT focused on the Fish Sauce Women Association comprising of 5 women. Follow up meeting with the Chief of the association gave the insights into the facing needs that their enterprise lacks (1) the techniques for storing the cooked fish sauce to avoid fungi development after a desired period of 1 year, (2) the containers with proper tabs for bottling fish sauce, (3) the kitchen to maintain high level of hygiene in production, (4) packaging technique and materials, and (5) the capital to enlarge the production scale to generate more income.

So far, the project raised USD 555 from 10 global giving donors. In the next period, CRDT will try to optimize the use of this fund together with the communities’ own fund from saving to tackle the above needs of the fish sauce women association. However, more funding is really needed so that the rest of the needs could be met effectively and the group will be fully empowered to lead themselves toward a sustainable and profitable fish sauce enterprise.

Let’s hear from the Chief of the group, Ms. Vannara, aged 45, chief of the association. “Our fish sauce production is now more well know in the local markets, and in 2013 we received a satisfactory amount of order from customers from both Stung Treng province and the other parts of Cambodia because they like the smell and taste of our fish sauce and believe in the quality of natural raw materials (freshwater fish) we used in our production. Actually, we can compete in the market if we improve our production a little bit more. Unfortunately, so far we could not meet some market demands on quality which requires our fish sauce not to have fungi within a year after production. Also, they need our fish sauce to upgrade its packaging because nice package is very important to show that our product is with quality and hygiene. If we could meet all these demands, we would have a lot of market opportunities and could make a significant income from this small enterprise for our members and the other villagers.”

I hope that through this project and with support from Global Giving and CRDT, our micro-enterprise will be upgraded in the near future, and I would like to thank very much to global giving donors for providing us with the hope to strengthen and sustain our enterprise. I wish you all good lucks and success in all your work.