Children and Agriculture Cooperative Group

 12 years old Sreylin is a sponsored child. Studying in grade 7, she dreams to be a teacher.

“I love my teacher because she speaks with good words to me and my classmate,” Sreylin says, adding that she loves the books and pens offered by World Vision.  

Sreylin’s father, Lythorn Peng is a member of Agriculture Cooperative of Peam Raing commune, Leuk Daek district, Kandal province.

Peam Raing Agriculture Cooperative (AC) group members come from 154 families in four villages. New agriculture techniques have been introduced to every member. Further, the members are able to sell their crops with competitive price.

Through his membership, Lythorn is able to borrow money from AC with a very low interest rate. He has been able to increase rice and corn yield every year and use the profits to improve his family’s living condition.

“We hope that the children will be able to finish at least 12th grade. And we want to see all children are healthy,” Lythorn explains about the group’s vision.

Through AC group activities, Lythorn’s living condition is much better, which is benefit to his children. All of them are now able to go to school.

A big, tall wooden house, with debris from corn seed underneath, tells that Lythorn is a farmer and his corn yield just sold out.

"Because of World Vision’s support, I can own a big house now," he says.

World Vision also gave a big gift to Lythorn's community. It is an irrigation system that benefits to all community members who do farming.

To ensure that the group will be sustainable, World Vision provided trainings to build capacity on leadership, micro finance, accounting, facilitation skills, agriculture skills, effective use of cash and facilitating learning exchange for community leaders, enabling them form Agriculture Cooperative group.

Through the cooperative, the community is bound together to increase their income through main activities such as providing cash loans, seeds, fertilizers, pesticide with low interest.

At the end of the year, the interest will benefit all the members and be shared to all vulnerable children and poor families.

"We support children from very poor families to school. We supported them with school materials such as books, pencils, and backpack and school uniforms. We also use the Agriculture Cooperative budget to help the poorest families for medical treatment for emergency case," Lythorn says.

“Our group (AC) encourages youths to save money and become members of the group,” he adds. “Thus they can save and generate income through different small business for their schooling at university.”