In the Sandan district of Kampong Thom province in Cambodia lives Lai Eang, a 34-year-old farmer, wife, and mother of two boys. As a child, Lai Eang longed to become a doctor. She studied hard through twelve years of school while helping her parents and working to save money. “Every day, I balanced school with helping my parents, watering crops, feeding animals, and even working as a laborer to earn money for school,” she said.

But as the only child, her parents wished her to stay close to home, and out of love and duty, she set aside her dream of becoming a doctor. In 2012, she began working as a commune administration assistant. She recounted, “My responsibilities included preparing official notices, raising community awareness on agriculture, issuing birth certificates, and producing monthly reports.” This was her first step toward community service.

Her role expanded in 2023, when ADRA’s TOGETHER project launched in her commune. Chosen as committee secretary, Lai Eang received training in planning, budgeting, and reporting. She learned to design community action plans, write grant proposals, and manage resources with confidence.

These skills not only changed how she worked but also multiplied and diversified the ways in which her community could grow. “This transformation has made my work in the commune more effective and has helped me contribute to positive changes in my community,” Lai Eang explained.

Today, her efforts bring positive change to Kleng, raising awareness on reproductive health, rights, and violence prevention, though she knows more people must be reached. For Lai Eang, the journey is far from over. She is grateful for the tools ADRA has given her through the TOGETHER project and hopes her story will inspire others, especially women, to take part in building a healthier, safer, and more equal future.

“The skills I have gained will not only help me serve my community better,” she explained, “but also inspire others, especially women, to take part in building a safer, healthier, and more equal future.”