Siem Reap, KH – Vegetable garden improves family’s health – 12 Jan 2014

Weun says that the knowledge he gained from the organic vegetable garden project has enabled him and his wife to grow their own vegetables, and improve their family’s health.  He believes that their children will now have a brighter future and will be able to be productive members of the community in the future.

He is 30 years old, and married to PSM who is 32.  They are blessed with 2 children, and live on Rey’s organic vegetable garden farm in Peak Snaing  village, Angkor Thom, as caretakers.

In July 2013 the organic vegetable garden project started in the village of Peak Snaing, and Weun participated the garden program that is designed to improve the lives of families by helping them build organic gardens.  Later the manager Rey decided to offer a job opportunity on his farm to Weun and his wife PSM.

Before they participated in the garden program, they worked as caretakers of animals on a nearby farm earning only US$65 dollar a month.  It was a hopeless situation because many times the family had a problem buying sufficient food.  Weun became an alcoholic as the only way for him to forget the poverty they were experiencing.  He could never give anything of value to his family because they were so very poor.

Since the vegetable garden program has started, his family has had better living conditions. The family garden and the family’s interest in applying agricultural techniques they learn from the  garden program has enabled them to grow vegetables, raise and care for livestock, and improve the quality of farm soil with manure.   The family now has enough food to eat.  He can now feed his children plus earn a little extra income from selling surplus vegetables.In addition, he is now in charge of the farm supervision and helps Rey mentor families about vegetable gardening techniques.  He is earning $130  per month.