Siem Reap, KH – KLK family earns money from selling vegetables – 20 Feb 2015

The KLK family are blessed with four children. They live in a small village called Peak Sneng in the Siem Reap province of Cambodia, one of the poorest and most marginalized areas in the country. The family are one of the more vulnerable families in the community because they rely solely on a small rain irrigated rice farm to support their family throughout the year. Because of a country wide drought, the latest rice harvest was not even enough for their family’s personal use, let alone enough left over to sell. The couple worried constantly about how they could provide food and money for the education of their young children. KLK was having difficulty finding stable work and sometimes would gather wood in the jungle to sell it in the city.

After hearing about the benefits that the Peaksneng Thormacheat Garden Shop’s FAITH gardens were providing in the area, the KLK family came to meet Rey and the garden shop team at their farm. The family expressed their interest in the things the garden can provide like healthy food and income. They immediately applied for a garden and were accepted. The KLK family quickly learned the organic gardening techniques and soon started a garden of their own.

These days, the KLK home is surrounded with many varieties of vegetables including; gourds, spring onion, eggplant, Chinese cabbage, mustard, chili, morning glory and corn. They earn up to US$2 a day from selling the surplus vegetables. These daily funds go a long way in paying for their children’s school fees and everyday living expenses. Mrs. KLK is also relieved that her family eats healthy and nutritious vegetables every day without having to worry about chemically contaminated vegetables from the market. Friends in the village are encouraging the KLK’s to grow more vegetables because they really like the way that the organic vegetables taste.

The family faced some challenges in the beginning with bugs and mulch, but with guidance and mentoring from the Peaksneng Thormacheat Garden Shop they are now maintaining a green and productive garden. Although life is still difficult, the KLK family members always have something to smile about when they see that the hard work they put into their garden has paid off.

The family is very grateful for the organic gardening techniques they have learned and for the support from Peaksneng Thormacheat Garden Shop.