Cambodia Tbong Khmum
$64,956 needed of $85,000
Implementing Organization
World Hope International (WHI)
Program Summary
This program builds upon the success of the Cambodia East program, which established mushroom production as a climate-friendly and women-centric approach to reducing harmful migration and improved family incomes. This current phase of the program continued to work with mushroom farmers in Kampong Siem district in Kampong Cham province, helping them to take ownership of the sale and distribution of their mushroom production through an appropriate business model. The program has also expanded to the neighboring province of Tbong Khmum, exploring the potential for mushroom production or other livelihood activities to improve access for vulnerable families to alternative livelihood to help reduce unsafe migration, human trafficking and exploitation.
This program complements a larger initiative being implemented in the same area by local non-profit Chab Dai in partnership with World Hope International, which empowers community leaders, volunteers, faith-based leaders, village, commune and district leaders and influencers (including survivors of human trafficking and their families) as Community Heroes, through education and awareness raising about human trafficking and exploitation, so they become advocates in their communities and allies walking alongside vulnerable families in their communities to prevent exploitation and human trafficking. This project will also ensure that survivors of sexual and gender-based violence and human trafficking, are supported in a variety of ways, including the economic development of their families.
Kimsron's Story - Cambodia Tbong Khmum
Success Stories
Mushroom Sales Lead to Improved Sanitation
Mai started her first mushroom house in 2018. She decided to invest in growing mushrooms because she saw that her neighbor was earning a decent monthly income from mushroom production with instruction and support from World Hope and local partner Thera Metrey.
Mai and her husband, Heng, and their four daughters have seen their life improve because of mushroom sales. She got married at 20, and she and Heng scratched out a poor living by growing rice and cassava, and raising a few cows. Money was always tight, and sometimes they didn’t have enough to buy food to supplement what they grew. It was hard to keep the children in school and, lacking a toilet, they were at greater risk for illness. During the break time from rice farming, they often had to resort to doing day labor like harvesting cashews in the village or even migrating to another province to find work.
Growing mushrooms finally gave them a stable monthly income. They were able to get a loan to buy more land and build a toilet, which immediately improved their health. Most importantly, the children can go to school. Mai and Heng are hoping to expand their mushroom production.
As Mai points out, the mushroom program improves the entire community. The farm families have better livelihoods, and even those not involved in the program can earn a living by collecting and selling them straw for the substrate, or helping in the mushroom houses.
The Cambodia East program is continuing into a new phase programming in an expanded area and is now known as the Cambodia Kampong Cham & Tbong Khmum Program
Led by World Hope International