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Cambodia: Investing in Phally's Future |
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Urgent issues -
Economic Justice
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At 24, Phally is a caring mother, a supportive daughter and a hardworking farmer. But she's also a business woman, and she's just received a UN Cambodian Microenterprise award for her efforts.
When Phally's father deserted his family in rural Cambodia, Phally, 14, saw her mother struggling to earn an income and care for her children, fields and livestock. To help, Phally began working two jobs.
Every morning she woke up at around 3.30 and rode her bicycle five kilometres to the local market. There she bought fresh produce, which she sold directly from her basket as she rode to work in the soybean fields.
The additional income from this exhausting enterprise was used to keep her three brothers in school.
At 17, Phally married, but continued her bicycle routine to help her family. Sadly, she soon found herself in the same position as her mother, left alone with her small daughter, Dalia, and no financial security.
In 2000, Phally heard about World Vision's micro-enterprise program, which lends money to women like herself to start small businesses.
Some borrowed money for livestock or vegetable seedlings, or opened noodle-making businesses and water jar factories. As well as providing a low cost loan, World Vision provided training to help make these businesses successful.
Phally took out a loan of less than $50 to open a grocery shop at her mother's home. It doesn't seem like a lot, but it's provided a greater variety of market produce in her village, as well as wonderful opportunities for her family's future.
Phally's hard work and irrepressible optimism have helped her to succeed against strong odds. She is selling much more than she used to, and now makes about $30 a month.
This is enough for her and three-year-old Dalia, and also gives her the financial security and independence to support her mother and extended family.
When she was told she'd won the UN prize of $625, Phally felt she'd come further than she could ever have expected.
The money will be spent practically, on expanding the business further. She'd like to buy a motorcycle so that her brother can work for her collecting the vegetables each morning.
Smiling broadly, Phally shares her hopes for her daughter's future.
"I want Dalia to finish school," she says. "I want her to have a different life from mine."
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