Cambodia
Self-Worth - Empowerment for Women at Risk
Department of State
September 2004 - September 2007
Beginning in September 2004, the US Embassy in Phnom Penh provided support to Pact Cambodia to launch its two-and-a-half year Self-WORTH Women's Empowerment Program in Cambodia. The program targets the root causes of women's trafficking in this country - poverty and lack of education - through increased literacy and empowerment, savings, and micro-enterprise for women. The program also aimed at promoting social change through a powerful network of women's empowerment groups and to contribute to the larger economic development of Cambodia by developing the capacity of women and engaging them in sustainable income-generating activities.
The objectives of the Self-WORTH program include:
- Increasing the income of more than 2000 poor Cambodian women through micro enterprise development.
- Improving the literacy and numeracy skills of more than 2000 women, these skills will be used to increase their economic and social status.
- Empowering women to initiate advocacy actions in their communities regarding domestic violence, trafficking and other issues of priority as identified by the women.
Emerging results
In Cambodia almost 3,000 women are now enrolled in 144 Self-WORTH Women's Empowerment Groups. The total collective savings reaches over $30,273 and loans totaling $24,000 have been made to over 1,300 women for small businesses. WORTH women are currently in the process of transitioning their savings groups into village banks.
