We are working with 6 local women’s organizations to enhance their capacity at the financial, organizational, and technical levels, as well as support their collective action, to give them the means to be forces of change.
Since the launch of the Feminists in Action project, the six women’s led and women’s rights local partners have been making significant strides in empowering marginalized groups and promoting gender equality across Cambodia. CARE recently hosted the quarterly project reflection meeting where the partners shared their reflections and thoughts on their achievements over the past six months and their aspirations for the future of the project.
Mom Sokcha, Director of Legal Support for Children and Women
Mom Sokcha felt the proudest when witnessing the increased capacities, knowledge, and confidence of the women network (Female Protection Network) established through the project. He also expressed excitement for the upcoming months, as the project will create opportunities for members of the network to engage directly with local authorities and sustain the voice of women in the community.
Sdeung Phearong, Executive Director of Banteay Srei
Sdeung Phearong emphasized the pride she felt in reaching out to more vulnerable and poor women and their families, providing them with livelihood and vocational skills to generate income and ensure food security. She also highlighted the positive collaboration and flexibility of activity implementation she experienced through the project.
For the next six months, she expressed excitement for shared learning of best practices among FiA’s partners and capacity building provided by CARE, as well as a joint social media campaign to promote feminist principles.
Srey Sotheavy, Executive Director of Alliance for Conflict Transformation
Srey Sotheavy expressed her pride in being able to work with CARE and their policy that values people and takes a soft approach to human rights. She also mentioned her satisfaction in building the leadership of indigenous and ethnic women in the communities.
Looking ahead, she expressed excitement for having more funding to work on gender empowerment and expressed her hope for CARE’s continued support in the long term.
Chhuon Thavrith, Program Manager of Cambodian Women’s Crisis Centre:
While recognizing the importance of partnership and accountability, Mr. CHHUON Thavrith stressed the need to constantly ensure proper implementation of these principles.
Regarding the future, he expressed his organization’s eagerness for staff capacity development provided by CARE in relation to the FiA project.
Virak Bunnarath, Program Manager of Lady Saving Group
Virak Bunnarath expressed pride in empowering marginalized micro and informal women entrepreneurs, enabling them to overcome negative perceptions and access necessary education and financial resources to unleash their potential.
Looking forward, she expressed anticipation in hearing success stories and lessons learned from partners and beneficiaries as a source of inspiration and education for everyone involved in the project.
Kong Yara, Project Coordinator at Micro Rainbow Cambodia:
The MRC team prided themselves on gaining knowledge and skills in developing concrete activity plans and budget management, which strengthened their organizational structure. Their success has also led to local authorities in Battambang and Banteay Meanchey Province being aware of the Rainbow in Action Project and showing enthusiasm to collaborate and participate in its activities.
For the future, the MRC team is excited about educating and involving local authorities in fighting against gender-based violence, specifically addressing LGBTQI+ issues. They also expressed the desire for the Feminists in Action project to provide longer-term support beyond the initial 10-12 months.
We see the Feminists in Action project as an instrumental tool in empowering marginalized groups, promoting gender equality, and strengthening civil society in Cambodia. From increased leadership to collaborative efforts, the project has already achieved many milestones in the past six months. As we look ahead, the enthusiasm and anticipation expressed by CARE’s partners highlight the importance of continued support and the potential for even greater positive change in the future.
Learn more about the Feminists in Action project funded by Agence Française de Développement.
