In the wake of Laudato Si’ Week 2026, celebrated globally from 17 to 24 May, Pope Leo XIV reminded Catholics that “care for peace is care for life,” calling for renewed care for our common home.
Chem and his family are living out this spirit of Ignatian care for our common home through sustainable agriculture, resilience and hope.
Chem, 43, lives with his wife, Noun, and their son, Ean. Just a few years ago, the family faced severe hardship. Their small tin house offered little protection, and poor harvests left them struggling to survive.
Limited farming tools, lack of technical knowledge and unpredictable growing conditions meant their rice, vegetables and livestock produced very little income.
Everything began to change in 2021 when the family joined the Community Development Project and System of Rice Intensification (SRI) farmers group run by Karuna Battambang Organisation (KBO), our Jesuit partner.
Through the project, Chem received agricultural training, farming equipment and ongoing technical support focused on organic farming and sustainable livestock rearing. He also received a cow through the project’s Good Agricultural Practices program.
“Thank you for your efforts and assistance to my family during this difficult period, which included not only technical support, but also agricultural materials and food emergency support,” Chem shares.
By the end of 2025, the family’s rice production had increased significantly. They also earned income through poultry sales and organic vegetables while reducing reliance on chemical products.
Today, Chem’s family earns a stable income through sustainable farming practices that improve soil health, reduce farming costs and care for the environment through the use of compost made from animal manure and homemade organic pesticides. Their son continues his education, and they now look to the future with renewed confidence.
As Pope Francis wrote in Laudato Si’, “Living our vocation to be protectors of God’s handiwork is essential to a life of virtue.”
Thanks to the generosity of our Jesuit Mission community, families like Chem’s are building sustainable futures while caring for our common home.
Find out more about Karuna Battambang’s sustainable farming programs.
