Aide et Action, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) is conducting a series of practical training workshops for disabled women in Kampot province to help them start small businesses from their homes.
Titled “Coastal Incubator Programme for Women Entrepreneurs with Disabilities’’, the programme is set to improve the socio-economic development of people living in coastal communities, especailly those who rely on fishing for their primary source of income.
The NGO said the programme is under “The Consortium for Sustainable Alternatives and Voices for Equitable Development (CO-SAVED)” and is funded by the European Union in Cambodia, Agile Development Group and Aide et Action Southeast Asia (AEA).
Together, the aid groups are cooperating to help the disabled women build businesses. The incubator values individuals with innovative ideas, yet who are unable to shape their concepts into operational businesses, typically because of insufficient resources and experience.
In Kampong Trach commune, 12 women with disabilities have participated in five workshops that happen once in every two weeks. The workshops offered ongoing coaching from March through May this year.
After completing the workshop, participants meet with stakeholders to present their new business plans and to discuss the challenges they face to start their new businesses.
Mao Ye, the director of CO-SAVED from Aide et Action Southeast Asia (AEA), said all the 12 disabled women have received short-term training.
Ye added that the women participating in the programme receive about $500 each to set up their own businesses at home.
Ye said that this is the first of its kind project coordinated by the NGO for disabled women in Kampot and Koh Kong provinces.
Sann Ratana, director of the Department of Welfare for persons with disabilities at the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation, said that the disabled people in Cambodia are limited by unemployment and they find it very difficult to get jobs.
He added that the new CO-SAVED programme is an important step to help the disabled people find jobs and help them develop small businesses at home.
He noted that they will also receive training to understand how to realise their business plans before they receive financial support to run their businesses.
Ratana said that the Ministry of Social Affairs has a policy to help people with disabilities across the country, especially by providing vocational training and job opportunities.
Ratana noted the ministry has developed a mobile app for business enterprises and employers. Enterprises announce job opportunities for disabled people through the app, and the ministry relays the information to the disabled workers.
One disabled women in Kampot province, Khang Sophal, said that she needs the startup money offered by CO-SAVED to run her small business, adding that she never had a job before and she plans to run a small business from her home.
She added that after she participated in training for making a business plan, she understands a lot more about how to run a small business. She is hopeful and expects the financial support will help her work at home and improve her family’s prospects.
(Article was published on Khmer Times / Publication date 29 May 2023)
