Bamboo crafts furnish an income
Prior to 2009, Kong Channa, a rice farmer from Svay Rieng province, would leave his wife and young child for months at a time in neighbouring provinces to supplement his income in the off season.
This all changed, though, when he began working with the Cambodian Farmer Economic Development (CFED), an NGO that educates local farmers on agricultural techniques and provide off-season income through the production of hand-made bamboo furniture. …
In Svay Rieng province, other than being used for building houses, bamboo is traditionally exported in its raw form to Vietnam. …
Channa would earn $50 a month in construction before costs deducted from travel. He now earns $200 per month working for CFED, of which $40 is made through his handy work with bamboo furniture and $160 working with farmers on educational programs.
CFED established itself in Svay Rieng in 1996 and has since created eight workshops throughout the province. …
These products have mostly been sold to restaurants and NGOs in Takeo, Phnom Penh, Preah Sihanouk, Kampong cham and Prey Veng. …
