Gnean Ouk has been making carpets with CfC since 2004. She has seven children and a husband. Two children are between the ages of six and 15, and five children are older. In the past, only two of the children attended school full time and the others worked sewing, fruit farming and labouring in Poi Pet town. Now, most of the children attend school full time.
Gnean Ouk’s earned $48.30 total per month before joining CfC. While making carpets, she earned $119 per month. Her husband earns $2.60 a day farming and her son sends her about $71.40 a month so that the family can create some savings. She currently has an outstanding loan she used for farming and purchasing medication for herself and her children. The current total balance is 858 baht (about $27.60).
The skills and confidence that Gnean Ouk developed after working with CfC for so long enabled her to start her own sewing business. CfC has helped her to raise a capital with its micro loan program and Gnean Ouk has now a sustainable business of her own. Her business works really well as she is a very skilled sewer: she earns around 7$ a day and has her elder daughter at home to help her.
Gnean Ouk feels 100 percent confident that her children will complete grade 12. With her increase in income, her children have the opportunity to study every day and she could finance the construction of a bigger house for them all.
