INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEER INTERNS
With funding from Heifer International, Rachna Satrei recently conducted a Farmer Field School where 30-35 women from the Women’s Self Help Group in the Rosey Sanh village were invited to come share their knowledge and experiences about how to sustainably plant vegetables and raise livestock such as pigs and chickens.
One model female farmer, Ouch Saroth, presented information on how she utilized biogas in order to generate an income for her family. She also discussed how to create dry compost from her kitchen that was used to plant her vegetables. Before joining Project INCOME Ouch Saroth was unable to generate an income, but she is now able to sell her vegetables on the market, making around $10 a day.
Another two model female farmers discussed how to successfully care for piglets. They shared how the female pig only had 12 breasts, yet had 16 piglets to feed. So, the two female farmers decided to feed 8 piglets during one feeding session and then feed the remaining 8 in the following feeding session. This ensured that all the piglets received the proper nutrients they would need to grow. Another female farmer from the village shared how without this prior knowledge some of her piglets did not survive.
These Farmer Field Schools serve as excellent opportunities for women to share their personal experiences and learn about better agricultural practices. Plus, Project INCOME empowers women to become self-sustaining while generating a source of income.
Visit our gallery for more pictures of the event!
VOLUNTEER TESTIMONIALS
"An overwhelming sense of enthusiasm and pride is what I felt from the staff when I first joined Rachna Satrei. I would like to thank Maly, the director, for the opportunity she has provided me. Instead of being assigned a duty, I was assigned a problem to solve. For that, my skills have grown and I am grateful."
- Emilie Bourque
“The first time I met Maly, she explained her core values to me: respecting and improving yourself first before thinking about helping others, women's need to find inner strength to stand proud and tall and the vulnerable's need to be empowered. True to her principles, Maly is a strong figure in the local NGO community and has a never-ending drive to strengthen and help those who need and ask for it. As a result, Rachna Satrei has grown from getting women to think about the present to planning their future and participating in social and political life; it has also come to encompass other communities that struggle to get their voices heard/win against poverty. As a volunteer, I was jointly responsible for fundraising and communication in English. Despite challenges in doing the former, volunteering with Rachna Satrei was a very rewarding experience, as I participated in addressing key issues through the projects and help a dedicated team."
- Manon Carle
“Working for Rachna Satrei was an endeavours honour and a pleasure. Maly is the epitome of women's empowerment, advocating for the less fortunate through Siem Reap's local communes. I could not have asked for a better organization to help prosper in their devoted
- Melanie Horn
“Working for Rachna Satrei as an international volunteer was such an amazing experience for me. Although most of the work I also had to do was researching for funding and teaching English, what I gained from working at Rachna Satrei was a lot more than what I can ever contribute. Seeing the staff put so much effort in their work and doing what they loved really inspired me to be selfless in my community organizing efforts back home. Meeting Maly and seeing what a headstrong woman she inspires me to have her strength - and to one day also empower many others."
- Jenny Chhea
