Nurturing the land

"I would like to thank the Karuna Battambang Organisation (KBO) for supporting me and the members of my community. Thank you for instructing us to become farmers that are connected with nature and helping us to reduce the use of chemical fertilisers, which is better for the health of my family and community."

These are the words of Mrs Houv Narin, a 34-year-old mother of two, who lives in a small village in a rural area of Battambang province, Cambodia.

Before attending the Community Development Program run by our local partner KBO, Mrs Narin and her husband could not make a sustainable living from their small subsistence farm. Instead, they had to travel great distances to make a livelihood from fishing.

The work was hard, after paying for travel and living expenses, the couple had little left over to support their two children. Both parents also felt very unhappy about being away from their children for extended periods of time and worried about their education.

Thanks to the support of people like you, Mrs Narin had the opportunity to change the future of her family.

She joined the Community Development Program, where farmers are empowered to form self-help cooperatives that receive training in eco-friendly farming methods. These include the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), a technique that requires fewer seeds, less water, and no chemicals.

Mrs Narin is one of the 600 rural farmers who has participated in the program and now utilises the SRI method to grow more food with reduced exposure to harmful chemicals and fertilisers. Farmers receive some income to kick-start other sustainable farming activities and establish a savings plan which in turn supports a circular economy within their villages.

These days Mrs Narin and her family are thriving, with both children attending school and being cared for by their loving parents who no longer need to travel to make a living.

Reflections Summer #634

This month's eNews stories are part of our Reflections Summer publication #634.

Click here to read the latest edition of Reflections to see how your compassion is empowering lives around the world.