Starting small, Seang has achieved her dream now

Oodles of dried-up, pint-sized prawns and equally parched chilli sit beneath fermented fish packed in small plastic bags that hang from a makeshift shelf. Similar bags bulge with deep-fried crackers, while a wooden platter displays white radishes, fish sauce, morning glory and watermelons.

The teasing smell of barbecue smoke wafts by from the family’s second business, which is run alongside their grocery store, while customers wait for their chargrilled food on long benches at a green concrete table.

At seven, Heang is too young to help her mother, Seang, with many chores, as are her younger brother and sister, but she does take on small tasks, such as separating bags of sweets and putting them in a box.

After marrying in 2007, Seang and her new husband used the small amount left from their cash wedding gifts to start the grocery store, which was then stocked with a far less impressive range of goods.

Following a relationship with World Vision that began in 2004 when she joined a local savings group, Seang borrowed funds, in tranches of 75-100 US dollars, to expand her merchandise and buy stationery, a schoolbag, and uniform for her eldest child.

As the small business grew, Seang needed more capital, so World Vision introduced her to an agricultural cooperative based in Peam Raing, whose members taught her effective cash-flow techniques. Through the 2011-inaugerated group, World Vision promotes community leadership, skills training, cash-flow focus, and marketing.

“I learned to invest in piglets and cows,” says Seang, who also took advantage of the cooperative’s greater coffers to borrow one million riels (250 US dollars).

“I used the loan to buy piglets, cows and petrol to pump water for my paddy field, plus some seeds and fertiliser. Now, I have a dozen pigs and five cows.”

Making enough income from her grocery store and barbecue business alone, Seang can take better care of her children, preparing food for them as well as rearing her livestock at home.

Describing one impact of financial well-being, she says: “I can support my kids through school until they finish if they want.”

Seang’s story showcases the benefits of belonging to an agricultural cooperative. “I can borrow money from the group, which I pay back with interest,” she says. “But I’ll get it back when we share our dividends at the end of the year.”

To join the 200-strong group, new members buy shares at 50,000 riels (12.30 US dollars) each, after which they can take out loans to invest in small-scale farms, deposit savings to earn interest or simply ‘borrow’ fertiliser or seeds.

More importantly, the Peam Raing co-op promotes business opportunities providing safe drinking water, especially for poor families and schoolchildren.

Hoy Choeun, the leader of the cooperative, which donates a tenth of its profits to social welfare causes, says: “Our vision is for our community to be prosperous to transform people’s lives and allow them to be independent.

“Last year, we used some of our cash to help the youth club and pre-school children, renovate a road and install a sewage system.”