Women with disabilities face a double form of discrimination, linked to their gender and their disability. To break this cycle of exclusion, Action Education focuses on capacity building and access to vocational training. Kheng Phal's story shows the real impact of this inclusive approach.

Originally from the village of Chres, in the coastal province of Kampot, in the south of the country, Kheng Phal is visually impaired. For many years, she lived on very modest means, starting a small family farm with just a few chickens.

«When I was young, I had almost nothing. I started with five or ten chickens,» she says.

A decisive turning point came in 2022 when she took part in a business management course organised by the local council. Here she developed essential skills in financial management, business planning and entrepreneurial strategy.

Following this training, she joined the CO-SAVED project (Co-funded Coastal Communities and Youth for Sustainable and Action-oriented Development), implemented by Action Education with the support of the European Union.

This initiative helps the most marginalised people to develop income-generating activities while contributing to the preservation of coastal ecosystems. For Kheng Phal, the objective is clear: to transform a subsistence activity into a sustainable source of income.

The project encourages local economic development and the creation of resilient livelihoods. In 2024, more than 400 members of farming communities benefited from material support via the Co-Impact investment funds. Kheng Phal received several hen houses, protective equipment, 100 chicks as well as fodder and watering equipment.

 

«I received four chicken coops, wire, nets, 100 chicks, fodder and eight water containers», she explains. The results were soon visible: «I once sold chickens for 50 dollars at the market. Today, that's my main source of income,» she says proudly.

Like many small-scale farmers, Kheng Phal has to deal with unforeseen obstacles. «Last year, an epidemic made the situation very difficult», she recalls.

Predators are also a constant threat: «Sometimes the cats eat my chickens, and that makes me very angry», she explains, going so far as to sleep near the henhouse to protect her farm.
Faced with rising fodder prices, she is developing alternative solutions: «I mix bananas, water bindweed and rice to feed the chickens.»

Kheng Phal's story shows that social inclusion is also a lever for economic development.
By supporting lifelong learning and access to training, Action Education is helping to empower women and strengthen their role in their communities. Building a fairer society requires access to education for all. Like Kheng Phal, thousands of women can acquire the skills they need to make a lasting difference to their lives and the lives of those around them.