Sok Chanra joined the project in 2009. She has two children under the age of six, and four between six and 15. She also lives with her husband and her sister. Before joining the project, two of her children did not attend school because they worked in the Thai Market and along the Thailand border to earn money.
Sok Chanra used to earn only $60 per month, but now her average income making carpets is $96 per month. Besides this, she and her husband work as cart pushers for about $1 per day. Even with this additional income, they cannot cover all of the living costs of the family, so they purchase commodities on credit and borrow from a neighbour. Yet, they have no outstanding loans.
Most recently, her children have caught dengue fever. Sok Chanra usually seeks treatment at the free public hospital, but if this does not suffice, she takes them to a private hospital, which costs her about $47.50. Because of their health and monetary problems, Sok Chanra only expects her children to reach grade 5.
However, since joining CfC her family gets plenty to eat, can afford treatment for when the children fall ill, and overall, live with improved health. Even though she worries about the expenses of higher education, Sok Chanra wants to work harder to make sure her children are educated to their fullest potential.
