Sitting near a table full of colorful traditional Khmer scarves, bags and hair bands handmade from cotton and silk at her home in Koh Dach, Ms Sor San said with smile that these are the type of products she helps women in marginalized and informal groups to sell to make some additional income.
Looking back at her experience, San reflected: “Despite my disability, I completed a bachelor’s degree in information technology at the International University of Phnom Penh. While in my free time I help marginalized individuals and people who are discriminated against—such as persons with disabilities, former sex workers, LGBTQs and poor women—to increase their income, my full-time job is at the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation as an officer at the Disability Action Council Secretariat General.
“I am happy with my life partner who uses a wheelchair but has the same passion as me to overcome disabilities,” she adds.
San said she went through an amazing 2018 and her resolution for 2019 is to expand her business by adding to the varieties of her handmade products and to continue promoting the livelihood of the poor, especially marginalized groups, through selling their products at national fairs and village events. “I will try to meet the requirements of the Ministry of Commerce so it will provide an opportunity for people with disabilities to have a booth at national fairs. And finally, I would like to buy a small car to deliver goods to customers. At the moment, I get around on my three-wheel motorbike.”
Ms Sor San and her husband preparing handmade items for sale. Photo: Oxfam
“I encourage all people with disabilities to stand up, don’t quit your dream and fight for a better future. I hope people will treat the disabled fairly and provide them opportunities to work as others”