Sorn Chanthy and her husband, Hak Cheveun, both studied up to Grade 9. They spent most of their days working on farms far from home, leaving their young children in the care of Chanthy’s 76-year-old mother. “Back then, I didn’t pay much attention to my children,” Chanthy recalled. “They were often sick and became very thin.”
A Turning Point
Two years ago, Chanthy became a member of the Reflect Circle (RC) group. While her husband was often away working in rice farming and construction, she began taking more responsibility at home. With support from ADRA’s BEST CHOICES project, Chanthy and her family received a latrine, a water filter, and training in nutrition, hygiene, and home gardening. They also received startup seeds to begin a kitchen garden and started raising chickens to generate income.
Healthier Children, Stronger Family
“During a regular health check, the Reflect Circle facilitator weighed my children and found that my daughter was malnourished, and my son was severely malnourished,” Chanthy said. She immediately joined the PD/Hearth NERP sessions, where she learned about nutrition, complementary feeding, hygiene, and how to prepare and serve nutritious food.
“I practiced what I learned both in the group sessions and at home for 30 days,” she shared. “By the end of the sessions, my daughter had improved to a healthy nutritional status, and my son was no longer severely malnourished. Now, both of them rarely get sick.”
A Family Transformed
Today, Chanthy confidently prepares nutritious meals for her children and practices good hygiene and sanitation using clean water from their water filter. She also sees positive changes in her husband. “He is now more aware of gender roles and supports me by sharing household chores and caring for our children more than before.”
Sharing Knowledge, Spreading Hope
Chanthy actively participates in Reflect Circle discussions and continues to share her knowledge with others in her community. “I’m proud to share what I’ve learned about childcare and nutrition,” she said. “I am truly thankful to ADRA for providing this life-changing education and support.”
The Best Community Household Opportunities through Improved Community Empowered Solutions (Best CHOICES) Project is supported by the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP).
