28 Years Old
Village: Koh Snoul
Commune: Toul Pong Rou
District: Malai
Province: Banteay Meanchey
Training: Tailoring
Injury: Landmine - when she was only 17 years old, He Mom was cutting wood only 20 metres from her house and she stood on a mine. CMAC have now cleared the area of mines.
He Mom found the going tough when she began her training with Lom Orng (then known as CWARS). In particular cutting the material was quite a challenge. However, despite these challenges, she enjoyed staying at the vocational training centre and the training very much.
Prior to her stay with Lom Orng, Mom was earning very little money farming rice. Her new training now allows her to start her own business just meters from her family home. Her shop is not only used to sell her made-to-order clothing, but is now a place for locals to pick up snacks and groceries as they travel past.
He Mom is one of only two people with tailoring training in her community, allowing her business to grow rapidly. She will serve around five customers a day, earning around 25,000 Riel per day. This is an excellent business for such a young woman in her community, and this high income is allowing her to live comfortably despite the terrible luck involved with her injury. Previously she was unable to afford to buy clothing from the market, now she can make her own clothes to sell at the markets, or customers can provide her with material and she will design the clothes herself.
She is now able to start saving her money, and build a more secure future for herself and her family.
Another inspirational young person to me, He Mom showed again that you can be successful despite such terrible tragedy. Being injured so young and so close to home must have been extremely difficult to deal with. However she has recovered, completed her training, and is thriving. Showing experience beyond her years she has modified her shop into a thriving business that will support her comfortably for the rest of her life.