Pig Poo to People Power

Nget Son says: “I am a farmer. We are growing vegetables like potatoes and cucumbers.

This changing climate affects our livelihood. Some of our cucumbers have died. If the rains don’t come, we won’t have much money to support the children to go to school. I would have to go away to find work.

If I don’t have money to buy food for the children’s breakfast I am very sad.
My wife worries the children will die.

With LWD support we sold two buffalo and were able to get a water pump. The pump has helped my farming because we can drink the water, use it for plants, and clean the pig and cow sheds.

I am happy to have my own pump so I can have rice to eat for the family, and can look after the pigs.

We are breeding pigs. We buy a female pig and then when the pig is pregnant we look after the piglets. We feed them and then give some piglets to the boar owner, plus pay some to the Agricultural Committee (AC) and then sell some at the market. The sow can have 10-12 piglets!”

Phoeurn, the farmer’s wife says: “We do not have electricity. We make bio-gas. We feed the animals, then we collect the manure every day – maybe 40kg! We mix it with water in a pit and then when the cover is on it makes gas. The gas is piped up to the house. When we turn the lever we can have gas for our light and stove.”

Together this farming family are building a better future.

“We have been supported by LWD in training about how to care for the pigs and how to plant and harvest vegetables. We also have a machine to help mash food for the pigs and hull rice. We got a loan for $500 to get this machine, and I hull rice for others to help pay the loan.

Now my ability to earn money is better than before.

As long as we get the rain. We also have chickens. Some chickens are for eating and some for selling. We do not have much money but we are happy.

I dream for my children to get an education and good job. I don’t want them to live as a farmer like me because this is hard work. I want them to go to University and study English.”