Siem Reap, KH – Floods no longer make it hard to feed family – 27 Jun 2014

Mr CWC lives in Sandam Village, Peak Sneang with his wife and four children. Like many other farmers in Cambodia, he grows one rice crop per year in the rainy season for household consumption. Last year his rice crop was destroyed by a flood, so it has not been easy for him to cover daily living expenses or save money for the future.

Since Mr CWC family depend solely on rice farming to provide for his family, he fears that he will have food shortages this year as a result of the floods. He has recently joined the Garden Shop team and helps families build Food Always In The Home (FAITH) gardens in the village. He has received Faith Garden techniques training and earns $5 per day.   As a reward for his hard work and positive attitude, the Garden Shop team decided to help Mr. CWC begin his own garden where he planted several crops such as chili, morning glory, Chinese cabbage, gourds, eggplants, radish and onion leaves.

In addition to growing crops, The CWC family raise chickens and a few ducks. Through participation in the Faith Garden program, Mr CWC has been trained to use chicken, cow and buffalo manure to make compost for his garden.

A month later, they have been able to harvest early-maturing vegetables for family consumption and even had some left over to sell to other villagers. Mr. CWC and his wife are grateful for the opportunity to generate their own income using organically-grown produce. They are highly motivated to maintain the success of their garden and they clearly understand its benefits. Mr. CWC expressed his gratitude to the Faith Garden program by stating: “It’s a wonderful feeling knowing that I am able to provide healthy, organic vegetables for my family”.