Most Significant Change Story - Improved gender equity and rights for poor and vulnerable women and children through empowered planning, decision making, and care.

Mrs. Oeur Theakong 54 years old living in Aren village, Snam Peahl commune, Bakan District married her husband named Soth Polounh 48 years old. They have 4 daughters and 2 sons, the youngest one is 10 years old. Main career in family, Theakong made palm cake and sell in village and her husband made palm juice and produced palm sugar. Polounh was drunk almost every day and he often beat his wife Mrs. Theakong from jealousy with other men. The family was in debt of the neighbor.  Polounh and Theakong used to migrate to work in Thailand but did not success.

Theakong has become the woman RC member since year 2016 and she regularly joined learning topics in RC discussion such as gender equity, LTP, child protection, nutrition, breast feeding, etc. She also attended chicken raising training conducted by ADRA staff in year 2016. It`s lucky her husband Mr. Polounh has become a man RC member since the beginning of year 2017 and he learned on gender equity, LTP, child protection, nutrition and etc. in RC discussion. 

Now Soth Polounh completely stopped alcohol drinking and he stopped beating his wife. He continues participation in RC discussion. He has changed habits and behaviors in doing of house`s works such as cook foods, take water from well, find fire wood, look after children, including feed chicken and plant vegetables, etc. In the last home visit by ADRA staff, saw that Polounh has good communication and delight talking with the monitoring team.

Theakong said, Since her husband has become the man RC member he helped in house`s works and did outdoor hard works for the family. Now the family is not in loan or debt. Career of chicken raising is improving the family living. Chicken/hens do not die like in the past. She is happy with getting income in the average per month 20,000 riel from chicken sale, 15,000 riel from taking care of neighbor`s buffalo, and some income from vegetable sale. Her family plans to expand chicken raising, and make home gardening to be farming gardening. “I`m thankful to ADRA team and ADRA`s supporters for the trainings I have received as well for the development activities that have been happening in my village so far” Theakong smilingly said to us.