Who we are:
My name is Grace Hermocilla, an Australian Youth Ambassador for Development in Siem Reap in Cambodia working with a small local NGO called Community Translation Organization.
Community Translation Organization (CTO) is a non-government organization located in Siem Reap, Cambodia, and commenced in 2009. CTO works with rural communities to improve their agricultural techniques, construction of water canals, and small business
skills, to improve their livelihoods.
Why we created the "Sowing Hopes" campaign:
We were inspired to create the "Sowing Hopes, The Cambodian Farmers Project" because we realise the struggle that Cambodian farmers face to earn income due to lack of agricultural technology. In fact, 80% of Cambodia's population depends on agriculture
for income. However, we witness that high intensive labor and low prices restrict farmers from generating income.
The Sowing Hopes Project hopes to sow hopes in the Cambodian farmers' lives, and raise funds for a rice grain-milling machine, and conduct training for them.
Our impact:
Impact we've made thus far
In the past decade, CTO has helped farmers shift from consumer farming to commercial farming. This is so that farmers can earn more money per month. Instead of producing rice to feed a family, commercial standards allow farmers to work together to build
a group businesses of farming activities, where they can produce surplus to sell to markets and create a stable income.
Building farmers an agro-business
Consequently, we successfully established 3 farmer cooperatives or enterprises in Samrong Yea, Keo Poar and Pouk districts. This has enabled farmers to improve their agricultural productivity, yield and quality to achieve higher levels, so that they can
enter the farming market at competitive prices.
The Challenge:
Hand-processing rice or paying middle men is costly, time-consuming, labor-intensive, lowers quality of rice, lowers selling price, effectively lowers income.
Our farmer cooperatives struggle to produce high-quality rice without the technology and training needed. They endure harsh labor to earn small money from the agricultural products they produce. When producing rice, farmers plant seeds in the field. Once
it is ready, the rice is hand-picked by the farmers, who deliver it to the shed. This is then dried out in the sun. Once dry, farmers hand-sort and pick the rice so that the quality grains remain, or they pay the middle man which costs a lot of money. This
is then sifted so that it is finally ready to bag and sell. Farmers struggle for a more efficient and effective way to improve rice yields.
What is needed?
We need your help to raise AUD$6000 to purchase a high-quality grain-milling machine for 120 farmers in our cooperatives in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
Will you join us and donate to our campaign to help "sow hopes" in the farmers in Cambodia?
Facebook: www.facebook.com/sowinghopes
Website: www.ctocambodia.org
Link to social enterprise created by CTO: www.cambodiacommunitytours.t15.org
Thanks to our generous sponsors and supporters, we have some great rewards on offer to recognise your contribution!
