Cambodia - Women's Empowerment and Holistic Community Development Update

Project Overview:

Heifer International is working in Cambodia to provide pigs, poultry and fish to a total of 700 families in four communities in Prey Veng, Svay Rieng, Takeo, and Battambang provinces. Thirty-two self-help groups (SHGs), comprised entirely of women, are being formed in the targeted communities. Country staff is training the women on Heifer's 12 Cornerstones, SHG management and leadership, finance and accounting systems, improved animal management, gender and domestic violence, home gardening and organic farming and advocacy.

Additionally, 1,056 women project participants will receive Values-Based Literacy Education over the course of the project, which also aims to train 80 Community Animal Health Workers (CAHWs) in Cambodia, with women accounting for at least 50 of those selected. Along with livestock, each family will receive agricultural support such as forage seeds, saplings and vegetable seeds for home gardening. We expect that another 1,400 families will benefit from Passing on the Gift.

Key Updates:

• 75 families have received physical inputs.
• SHG members are actively saving together. Group savings increased from $16,383 to $22,948 within six months.
• 85 percent of project participants repaired their home gardens after suffering flood damage.
• 120 families increased their income from $35 to $60 per month by selling extra vegetables and selling raised eels and crickets.
• 80 percent of women leaders significantly improved their capacity in leadership and earned greater respect and credibility from the community and local authorities.
• One out of four project management committees can mobilize communities to form farmer associations and is in the process of doing so.