Growing mushrooms helps Chanthou save money for her education
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A quarter of the total Cambodian population are internal migrants, who move from their community at least three months each year for work. According to the National Institute of Statistics, three quarters of them, about 2.5 million people, are youths between the ages of 15 and 29.
Because of economic growth and educational opportunities in the cities, youths are increasingly drawn to urban settings.
Because of economic growth and educational opportunities in the cities, youths are increasingly drawn to urban settings. Being far away from family, these young people risk exposure to threats such as abuse, exploitation, sexually transmitted diseases and human trafficking. World Vision has partnered with over 13,500 youths in 50 areas in Cambodia to mitigate these risks by raising awareness about issues of health, protection and human trafficking.
In 2014, World Vision partnered with 1,222 youth to encourage them to continue their educations and increase family income, by mobilising social participation in entrepreneurship activities and savings groups, and equipping participants with life skills and vocational skills such as rearing chickens, planting mushrooms, dessert production, dried food and growing vegetables.
Chanthou, a 19-year-old sponsored child, was raised on her family's farm in a remote area of Cambodia, surrounded by mountains and rice fields. Since a young age, she has participated in children and youth club activities initiated by World Vision in Phnom Srouch Area Programmes. There are 10 clubs in this area with nearly 600 members.
Through these clubs, World Vision provides opportunities for youths to learn new job skills. Chanthou and her friend Sokhim registered with others to learn how to grow mushrooms. Mushrooms are hard to find in the village and therefore have the potential to create a new market.
“It is hard to find the mushroom in our village. Now we can grow it and sell to our villagers. We also supplied to outside the community,” says Chanthou.
Chanthou poses with mushrooms she and her group have grown. (Photo credit: Chetra Ten / World Vision)
After finishing the five-day-training, they formed a group of three people to grow mushrooms. They started with 60,000 riels ($15 USD) per person. “We made income from the mushroom of over a million riels (over $250 USD),” says Chanthou.
“The income is very useful for our schooling, school material and decreases the pressure on my parents,” says Chanthou.
They are able to earn 7,000 riels per kilograms for retail sales and 5,000 riels per kilograms for wholesale. They got the highest yield during the first and second month with 20-30 kilograms in every a few days. Everyday, they have to spend 3,200 riels (0.8 USD) to make up for class fees.
“The income is very useful for our schooling, school material and decreases the pressure on my parents,” says Chanthou. Since seeing the benefit of learning this skill, Chanthou plans to teach her younger sisters and brothers how to grow mushrooms too.
Chanthou dreams of becoming a banker and wants to study university in the city. “Mushroom growing will help me to reach the dream,” says Chanthou.