Battambang, KH – Vegetables are growing again – 31 Dec 2020

The S family are growing vegetables again and are one of the model families during this time. Their mother keeps planting lettuce and morning glory in the eight beds of her family vegetable garden.

She is feeding the six members of her family and sharing with her neighbors. She sells the vegetables cheaply to those who can only afford a small price and even shares for free to the poorest. She says that “this is not the time for earning from each other but it is a time of sharing life by giving what we can to support our people. If everyone acts in unity and cares for each other, then we will happily survive the threat of COVID-19”.

The Healthy Life shop team are very happy to hear this message of hope, and pass it on with its good spirit to other families because they want to see every family planting and sharing to improve life together. This is what the Better Lives values encourage, and the team hopes that fellow Better Lives family members in other countries are doing the same.

Now that the area is drying out following the flooding, the team is finding it easier to visit the families they mentor. They are encouraging them to replant their gardens in order to continue their food supply. When needed, the team is contributing compost, seeds and seedlings. The families that have been making their garden beds and planting their seedlings are hoping that they will have enough food to eat soon.

COVID is still a threat, and a second phase has seen a larger spread than during the first. Even though the numbers are still very small compared to some countries, the people are generally very concerned for their own and the community’s safety. This means that they are tending to stay at home and the markets are relatively quiet. This means that despite the better weather, families are still struggling to survive due to lack of income.