The Kaits: Meeting the Members at the Markets

Our trip to the Kaits (Provinces) is not a tourist trip. We started out from Kampong Cham and headed toward Siem Reap. Having Chad with us gave us the opportunity of talking about Self Reliance in Cambodia. It was nice to be able to have a Self Reliance Team discussion, evaluating what we have been doing and get more perspectives on how we can improve. It was good to hear that we are doing pretty well working together as a team here in Cambodia.

Along the way we made a stop at a market (Phsaa) in Kampong Thom district to visit a member and talk to her about her shop. She has been a participant in a Self Reliance group in Kampong Cham. It was a great experience to walk through the market and see what their market are like. This market is not as big as Central Market in Phnom Penh, and it is in a poorer area of the country. We found the shop belonging to the member where she sells used clothing. Her husband is blind and sat in the background of the shop. She unrolled a mat and we were invited in to sit and visit with her. She said she has been very blessed with others looking out for her. Because her husband is blind they are charged a significantly lower rent than others in the market. There are also those who buy food for them and help them in many other ways.

As we sat in the shop and visited with her and two of her daughters, we learned that her youngest daughter is about 11 years old and is in the 3rd grade, but has not really learned how to read. Her sister is seventeen years old and is in 11th grade and helps in the shop as well. They buy huge bags of used clothing which they turn around and sort and sell. We were surprised to hear that she can sell one bag of clothing in about 3 - 5 days, earning about $75 and paying $50 for each bag. She has 5 children to support as well as her husband. We went away thinking of ways we might suggest to help her grow her business and in the process help the other family we visited yesterday in their sewing business.

In Siem Reap we were able to visit with the Self Reliance Committee. This was a great meeting with the District President, the Branch President from one branch and the counselor from the other, as well as a sister from the District Relief Society Presidency.  This was a wonderful and productive meeting.

We finished our meeting about 7:45, then went to visit the Night Market to visit another member owned shop, CJF. We actually made a purchase of a nativity and a miniature Cambodian Xylophone for display. We found other treasures to consider for another visit to the market. We finally made a stop for dinner then back to the hotel for the night. It is just a good thing we don't travel like this all the time.