Empowering Women in Siem Reap with the Women's Resource Center

As part of our efforts to support women’s leadership, we donate 10% of our income from book sales to initiatives that empower women in Cambodia. One of our grantees is the Women’s Resource Center (WRC) in Siem Reap, which aims to do so through offering emotional support, referral services, and informal education. We talked to Executive Director Vanthat Kong about WRC’s activities and how they have used our funding.

Tell us a bit about your organization.

“We were founded in 2008 with the intention to provide women and girls with access to information and knowledge, because we believe that is the most effective method of self-empowerment. There has been a climate of silence and inaction, which causes many women to be the subject of domestic violence and other problems. At our drop-in center and with our workshops, we aim to change this and give women the confidence and skills they need to change their lives for the better.”

How do you do this?

“First and foremost, we are a drop-in center where local women can safely ask questions regarding any aspect of their life and their children’s lives. Our staff are all Cambodian women who are trained in support services and counseling, and they use their skills and techniques to best assist each of these women with their unique situation. Our workshops cover themes like women’s health, women’s rights and gender, parenting, and financial empowerment. We also run outreach workshops in the community and local schools that focus on menstruation, hygiene, puberty, women's rights, domestic violence, safe relationships, trafficking and alcohol and drug abuse. Our workshops lead us to community ambassadors who continue our work in their villages by liaising with village chiefs, supporting community members and sharing information. We also run three campaigns a year focused on women's rights and ending violence against women. Finally, we host workshops and casual talking opportunities for men and boys as well. Although our main focus is on women, it is crucial that men also understand women’s rights and support the women in their life. Therefore, we talk to them about women’s rights, gender equality, women’s bodies and domestic violence. These activities often lead to huge changes in the lives of women and families’ happiness, as men start to understand more and see women as equals more.”

Why is this work so important? You mentioned a climate of silence and inaction. What does that mean in practice?

“For one example, alcohol abuse and domestic violence are unfortunately widespread in Siem Reap province, just like in the rest of Cambodia. 75% of the women we work with in counseling have been affected by domestic violence. One of the problems is that many women don’t know their rights, they don’t know where to go or who to talk to. Many of our clients are uneducated and illiterate, and society tells them that they shouldn’t talk about their domestic problems with others. With WRC’s activities and through the services at our drop-in center, we try to help women by letting them know about their rights, giving them emotional support and connecting them with other agencies that can help with their situation.

“Another example is the workshops we do on menstruation and hygiene. For many women and girls, this workshop is the first time they learn about their own body and how it works. People simply don’t talk about these things, even with their own children. As a result, many women don’t have the knowledge and skills to make the decisions that are right for them. That’s the climate of silence that WRC is trying to change.”

In collaboration with our retailers in Siem Reap, we have been donating the 10% of book sales in Siem Reap to WRC for the past year. Can you tell us how you’ve used this funding so far?

“The funds have been used for our Financial Literacy ‘Riel Change’ Workshop, which provides women with money management skills. It covers expense priorities, goal setting, tracking expenses, savings, and planning for emergencies. The workshop helps women create financial empowerment and security for themselves, their families and their businesses. It gives them confidence and skills, which improves their decision-making power. Thanks to that, they can improve their household dynamics and better support their community.

“We believe this project is a good fit with Diving Deep, Going Far, because it is a grassroots project that empowers and educates women and supports them in their goals to become entrepreneurs. Thanks to your support, we can now run the workshop more often and reach more women.”

That’s great! Apart from funding, we also provided you with a few copies of Diving Deep, Going Far, for your staff and the women you work for, in Khmer and English. What have been their reactions so far?

“I think this book is a good example for young Cambodian women to overcome the challenges and pressure that are put on them by our social norms and gender stereotypes, and to help them reach their full potential. The stories of the women in the book are real, and they inspired me and other women too. Many women and girls are facing challenges like pressure from their family and society, lack of self-confidence and a lack of decision-making for their own lives. But as Cambodian women and girls, I believe we shouldn’t follow what our family or society tells us to do, I believe we should have our own dreams and make our own dreams come true. We need to raise our voice and show the world that women can do it. So I think the women in Diving Deep, Going Far are good role models for other women, for how they can overcome those challenges, for believing in themselves and becoming who they are now. Dream big and take action step by step to get there!”

Photos courtesy of WRC.