Background
Cambodian NTFP Development Organization (CANDO) is a local Cambodian non-governmental organization (NGO) established in June 2006. CANDO strives to develop sustainable livelihood and self independence of the poor, disadvantaged and vulnerable people, their communities. CANDO has been working to improve the quality of lives of forest based people in Ratanakiri and Mondulkiri provinces, poor women and disable persons in Phnom Penh through enterprise development, agricultural and craft vocational skills training, market access development, women empowerment and gender mainstreaming, savings and microcredit and sustainable natural resource management.
CANDO has been implementing its crafts enterprise development program since 2007 in Ratanakiri province. There are now 12 community based craft enterprises with 195 producers including 135 women. These community based craft enterprises now start operating their business operation with technical assistance from CANDO’s team. The current 3-year craft programs has been making positive impacts on social, economic and environmental aspects to the indigenous community people in Ratanakiri, poor women and disable persons in Phnom Penh. CANDO Craft Center, the market access and product development center, has been established and playing active roles in securing market access, increasing sales and developing products of community based enterprises. The center continuously increases its support on market access and product development to crafts producers, forest user groups and green farmers in Ratanakiri and other parts of Cambodia (www.candocraft.org). The craft program model is now being replicated to new target areas of Ratanakiri province and other provinces by CANDO and other NGOs.
Since 2008, CANDO has been implementing the integrated community development program which aims to improve the quality of lives of women and men in forest based communities in three communes of Ratanakiri province. The program has formed 12 community based savings groups with 196 members 139 of whom are women. Community Working Team/Community Based Organization has been established and strengthened. Women in Entrepreneurship: Get Ahead trainings are empowering women and men to start their small craft and agricultural enterprises. After being trained on craft and agricultural skills, trainees can access micro loan to start their business. The community development program will have increased women roles in socio-economic development, reduced domestic violence, increased incomes and food security towards improved livelihoods of the indigenous people in target areas.
Kamet Viek, an indigenous Kreung artisan from Kres village, Ratanakiri province, won the top place in textile weaving for the Excellence Award 2011 at National Museum on 05 October 2011. [...]
Help us help the poor and vulnerable women and indigenous people in Cambodia