Story by Mom Samon | Project Coordinator | KWCD
Pa Phoeuk, 31, and her husband live with their two-year-old son in Cambodia’s Andoung Khmer village, Chhouk district, Kampot province. They work very hard in rice production to support their family. However, since rice is their only crop, there is rarely enough production for year-round consumption.
In October 2010, Phoeuk joined a women’s group within Heifer’s Improving Marginalized Groups Livelihood and Values-Based Holistic Community Development project, which is implemented in partnership with Khmer Women Cooperation for Development (KWCD). She actively participates in her group’s savings plan, monthly meetings and other activities. Through the project, her family received technical and non-technical trainings, as well as two piglets (one for fattening and a sow for breeding) for income generation. After participating in the project for one year, Pa Phoeuk’s family was markedly different, having improved in terms of the three levels of impact.
Phoeuk has applied the technical swine production skills she learned and after only five months of pig raising, she was able to fatten one of the piglets to 304 lbs. She sold the pig and earned 880,000 Riels, or about $220. She used the money to buy three new piglets (two for fattening and a sow for breeding) to expand her swine production.
“My experience in raising piglets has improved since I joined the project,” said Phoeuk. “Before, it took me nine to 12 months to raise piglets to reach 220 lbs, but now, because I followed the animal husbandry techniques, including giving feeds with protein, vaccinations, proper shelter, watering and cleaning, I receive good yields.”
Phoeuk’s family has passed on two piglets and other resources through Heifer's model of Passing on the Gift®, including their experience in swine production, to another needy family. One of her sows recently gave a birth to 13 piglets. She will continue to raise them for fattening pigs. “I believe that they will provide my family with income for the next four to five months,” said Phoeuk.
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