When Food for the Hungry (FH) Cambodia started working in Toul Tbeng, the community identified Hok Samnang as a good candidate for Child Sponsorship.
Samnang lives in the small village of Toul Tbeng, a community of just 270 people in the region of Anlong Veng. Hok is an only child and her parents are older - her mother, Sith, is 56 and her father, Um, is 69. Because of her parents’ advanced age, it’s difficult for them to make a living. Samnang’s mother explains, “Our livelihood is really bad. We don’t have enough food to eat. Every year, we lack food for at least 4 - 5 months.”
Um, Samnang’s father, is a farmer but, due to frequent illnesses that weaken his body, he is unable to clear much land to grow crops. “I worked so hard to grow some vegetables around my house in order to help support my family,” Um says. Despite his best efforts, however, he could not lift his family out of poverty. As a result, Samnang struggled. “When I was studying in grades 1 - 3, my studying results were really bad. I got number 20 out of 47 students because I was sick with typhoid so often; I couldn't go to school regularly. No one encouraged me to go to school.”
Mr. Chourn Saveth, the village chief and neighbour to Samnang’s family, remembers, “Um’s family was really poor. He was always sick and came to me for treatment. They worked for other people to support their family and medical needs.” Mrs. Tourn Samheoun, the sub-village chief, agreed, “The community always helped them. They were needy. They didn't have enough food to eat even though they worked so hard. They never took time to rest.”
Through Child Sponsorship, however, life began to change for Samnang and her parents. Um and Sith were able to get a helping hand. “I participated in a lot of trainings such as health, agriculture, and Savings Group, too,” Sith explains. “Through receiving training from FH Cambodia, I started growing vegetables and raising chickens using the new technique to support my family.”
Samnang’s mother has put all that training to good use! “I can earn money from selling vegetables, rice, and animals. I keep the leftover for eating. I save all the money I earned with my Savings Group regularly. That's why the livelihood of my family is becoming better and better. From FH Cambodia trainings, we learned a lot about health and agriculture - how to make organic fertilizer and how to make natural pesticides. I always encouraged my daughter, Samnang, to go to school and children’s club. I have just built a new house with a tile roof!”
Samnang’s young life has really changed, too. “When I joined the children’s club I got a lot of encouragement from brothers and sisters and teachers who urged me to study hard. And my grades began to improve! My health is also a lot better because of the general hygiene lessons I hear from FH staff on Thursdays. I’m now in Grade 7 of secondary school.”
Um proudly declares, “I want my daughter to become a leader in the family, as well as in society.”
Instead of scraping the bottom of the barrel and always coming up empty, this hard-working Cambodian family is now walking away from poverty.
SPONSOR A CHILD
Samnang lives in the small village of Toul Tbeng, a community of just 270 people in the region of Anlong Veng. Hok is an only child and her parents are older - her mother, Sith, is 56 and her father, Um, is 69. Because of her parents’ advanced age, it’s difficult for them to make a living. Samnang’s mother explains, “Our livelihood is really bad. We don’t have enough food to eat. Every year, we lack food for at least 4 - 5 months.”
Um, Samnang’s father, is a farmer but, due to frequent illnesses that weaken his body, he is unable to clear much land to grow crops. “I worked so hard to grow some vegetables around my house in order to help support my family,” Um says. Despite his best efforts, however, he could not lift his family out of poverty. As a result, Samnang struggled. “When I was studying in grades 1 - 3, my studying results were really bad. I got number 20 out of 47 students because I was sick with typhoid so often; I couldn't go to school regularly. No one encouraged me to go to school.”
Mr. Chourn Saveth, the village chief and neighbour to Samnang’s family, remembers, “Um’s family was really poor. He was always sick and came to me for treatment. They worked for other people to support their family and medical needs.” Mrs. Tourn Samheoun, the sub-village chief, agreed, “The community always helped them. They were needy. They didn't have enough food to eat even though they worked so hard. They never took time to rest.”
Through Child Sponsorship, however, life began to change for Samnang and her parents. Um and Sith were able to get a helping hand. “I participated in a lot of trainings such as health, agriculture, and Savings Group, too,” Sith explains. “Through receiving training from FH Cambodia, I started growing vegetables and raising chickens using the new technique to support my family.”
Samnang’s mother has put all that training to good use! “I can earn money from selling vegetables, rice, and animals. I keep the leftover for eating. I save all the money I earned with my Savings Group regularly. That's why the livelihood of my family is becoming better and better. From FH Cambodia trainings, we learned a lot about health and agriculture - how to make organic fertilizer and how to make natural pesticides. I always encouraged my daughter, Samnang, to go to school and children’s club. I have just built a new house with a tile roof!”
Samnang’s young life has really changed, too. “When I joined the children’s club I got a lot of encouragement from brothers and sisters and teachers who urged me to study hard. And my grades began to improve! My health is also a lot better because of the general hygiene lessons I hear from FH staff on Thursdays. I’m now in Grade 7 of secondary school.”
Um proudly declares, “I want my daughter to become a leader in the family, as well as in society.”
Instead of scraping the bottom of the barrel and always coming up empty, this hard-working Cambodian family is now walking away from poverty.
SPONSOR A CHILD
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| SAMNANG HELPS WITH HOUSEHOLD CHORES |
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| SAMNANG GIVES A DRINK TO HER COW |
