Battambang , KH – Tradition returns to improve family’s life

Before the Pol Pot regime, planting crops around one’s house was important for family food self-reliance and also a long serving Khmer tradition. In many cities and rural areas in Cambodia, you could see all types of vegetables, fruit trees and herbs surrounding homes. During that time period, families would share their harvest with family members and neighbors rather than sell excess crops. Many vegetables used in daily meals were harvested directly from a home garden, and when they needed to supplement a meal with more vegetables, a person would just go to a neighbor for the rest. In that time, people worked very hard to plant all sort of crops, not only based on their own preferences but also to beautify their environment with fragrant flowers and fruit trees. The tradition of planting crops around their homes was being passed down from generation to generation. Sadly, few of the older generation are still living and practicing this tradition.

GDUM is one of those people still following this tradition. She is a role model to younger families who want to improve their family’s health while reducing the family food bill and beautifying their home.

GDUM is 69 years old and lives with her three grandchildren. Before requesting a Food Always In The Home (FAITH) garden from the Healthy Life Reinforcement Garden Shop, she already had a small vegetable garden full of morning glory. Now that she receives support for a FAITH garden, she happily maintains a productive and beautiful garden.

GDUM is determined to show her grandchildren the benefits of working hard and growing their own vegetables. She loves to show them how to tend the garden when they return from school and on the weekends. She says that the garden gives her a small income to support her grandchildren and helps to make her strong. GDUM and her family use the vegetables for their daily meals and can earn US$3 to US$5 when they sell their excess vegetables. Some of this money is used to support her grandchildren and some of it goes to the cost of living.

The care that GDUM puts into her garden is a source of positive energy for the Healthy Life Reinforcement Garden Shop and they love making visits to her home to give garden advice and to deliver her with seeds and organic fertilizer.

Like many people of her generation, GDUM faces many challenges in her life. All of her property, her husband, three of her children and most her relatives were taken by the Khmer Rouge. Out of her remaining two children, one is married and living far from her and the other has moved to Thailand to find work, leaving three school age grandchildren for GDUM to take care of.

GDUM is thankful for the support that the Healthy Life Reinforcement Garden Shop has provided her and hopes that they will continue to provide support to other impoverished families.