Provide women and girls education in Cambodia

Dear WRC supporters,

It’s hard to believe September is already here. Our in-center workshops are coming to a close this month (meaning lots of workshop graduates!), and October will see us piloting a new multi-media workshop on internet safety, photography and community research in the two local high schools we work with.

Today I want to share with a wonderful story about Phanny*, who has just completed our financial literacy workshop, 'Riel Change'.

Phanny is a mother of two children, wife and small business owner. Phanny runs a small vegetable stall at her local market, selling vegetables she buys from a local farmer. Before attending our workshop, Phanny was unaware how much money she was earning – or losing  – in her business, and how much she spent on her family and business expenses, as she combined her personal and business finances.

Phanny’s vision board of her short-term goals to achieve during and shortly after the workshop firmly stated the following:

1)     To save money to buy a bicycle for my son

2)     To negotiate with my husband about his alcohol use

3)     To grow my own vegetables to sell at my market stall

We are thrilled to report that Phanny is now managing her daily income and expenses and running a personal and business budget. Phanny said to us, “learning about saving, budgeting and how to track my income is really important for me as a small market seller.” Phanny learnt how to increase the value of her product and is now growing her own vegetables to sell at her stall, which has increased her profit margins!

We recently visited Phanny at her home to follow up on the impact she sees attending Riel Change has had on her life and she excitedly announced to us, “I have achieved my goal because I have saved to buy a bicycle for my son, as I promised him.” Phanny is happy and proud as now her son can get to school on time.

Equally as exciting is that Phanny’s husband is so impressed with her new knowledge and how much her business has improved, he has reduced his drinking and in Phanny words, “he respects me more”.

Phanny’s goals were both professional and personal, which many women's are, as family is as important to women as business and profit margins. Our financial literacy workshop facilitates development in both areas, to support women to be able to improve aspects of their lives that they deem important. That is what we call empowerment!

Thank you for your continued support and enabling Phanny to improve her son’s education, her relationship with her husband and to expand her own business. We know Phanny sends a special thank you to you, too.

To support more women like Phanny to empower themselves to be able to improve their lives, please consider making a recurring donation to our project.

*Name changed to protect the anonymity of our beneficiary.