helps families improve the health of their children by building organic vegetable gardens and distributing micro-loans for income generation. Both projects have a history of effectiveness in combating malnutrition and poverty.

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Better Lives Partner Since: 2013
Vegetable Gardens Built: 52
Income Generation Loans Distributed: 7
Home Improvement Loans Distributed: 1

Programs

Organic Vegetable Garden
Healthy Life Reinforcement (HLR) works with families to build  Organic Vegetable Gardens, which are designed to provide a continuous supply of fresh, organic, vegetables throughout the year. The HLR team builds gardens with families and contributes start-up inputs like compost, foliar sprays, and seedlings. The team also makes mentor visits to family gardens to encourage adoption of best-practices. As families become self-reliant, HLR reduces their assistance and focuses on helping new families.

Income Generation Loans
Families who maintain productive gardens can qualify for micro-loans to increase family income. Pig-fattening loans have proven to be one of safest and most effective loans to distribute in Cambodia. Families buy two young piglets, fatten them at home, and sell them when they have grown. The loans are safe because, even if one piglet dies, the profit from the other is sufficient to repay the loan. The loans are effective because pig-fattening is easy to learn.  Also, if both fattened pigs are sold then the profit can be re-invested in new piglets.  This means the business is sustainable.