A story an accessible workplace: Weaves of Cambodia

December 08, 2021

A story an accessible workplace: Weaves of Cambodia

Weaves of Cambodia is a silk-weaving centre founded since 1995 to provide work and rehabilitation for landmine and polio victims, widows and orphans. The program named “Veterans International: Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation (VVAF) created a weaving handicraft through cooperation Social and Veterans of Cambodia from 1995 and ended 2003. Before phased out new organization was created by VVAF included funded support from 2004 – 2010 namely “JOOM NOON”. “Weaves of Cambodia” (Google Map) was changed name after “JOOM NOON” since 2011, which continue supervised by an executive manager (who is also disable himself) to a group of people with disability who are passionate in weaving in Preah Vihear province. Weaves of Cambodia is a local enterprise organization to help and find profits themselves with job offers to about 40 disable men and women survived from landmines during Civil War (1975-1979). The land where the center was built was donated by the former provincial governor to help these men and women earn incomes.

In 2019, Weaves of Cambodia is selected by Regional Economic Development (RED IV) to address Special Measures and Gender Promotions for improving economic condition of people with disability in the Province of Preah Vihear through support skill training on silk weaving technique.
Since February 2020 (during Covid-19), weavers earn very small income because of products orders from different countries were cancelled. Some of them are couple with disability or one husband/wife among the couples at Weaves of Cambodia. They are working hard to generate incomes for their families through silk or fabric weaving products.
With the help of Special Measures and Gender Promotions of GIZ RED IV program, land space next to the weaving center was cleared and ploughed to make a vegetable garden, through cooperation with RED IV Programme supported technical training and know how plus some materials needed for them that they can plant vegetable garden as nutrition food for their families daily consumption. They have continuedly been planting vegetable and recently they have been gradually harvesting vegetable for daily consumption individually.
With poor condition of restroom, GIZ did not only support with skills & vegetable training, they also built 6 blocks of toilet for the organization especially for handicapped men and women. The clean and standard restroom is not only for visitors but these weavers really need them.

That was made possible when I worked for the organization and I could say it is one of my proud achievement since working with local people. They are one community among others we have been helping. Besides helping with infrastructure, we also want to make them as visitor center in the provincial town of Preah Vihear.

My roles as organization technical advisor:

WVC wasn't firstly in the plan since the organization focused more on capacity building and technical assistance but after visiting the center and did needs assessment, I lobbied and pledged the program leader to consider this toilet construction, not only this center for other two community based tourism sites who really need this.
From proposal writing, to make a design, to calculate the price, to announcement, to the bidding, to making contract with the construction company, to facilitate the building : until the end. I mastered all the process. All 3 toilets were completed and I left my Job just then.

What they do

Weave silk scarves, fabrics, large & small shawls, and many other things
Handloomed silk scarves (ranges from US$30 to US$40) and sarongs (US$70-100$) with very good quality.
They sell those products in some shops in Phnom Penh and export abroad: USA and some countries in Europe. They often have order from abroad.
In average, weavers earn about 150-250$/month but in Covid time - they lost majority of their incomes

Check the photo album of the place in here.

Weavers were working on their daily work

The toilet building provided by the German organization to the center that has supported about 40 men and women with disabilities who weaves as their livelihood.

The toilet construction process