Empowering Women Through Land

How do you prepare for the future? Perhaps you save for a down payment on a house, open an investment portfolio, or give a certain amount of your paycheck to your retirement fund. If you aren't able to do those things now, you are likely planning how to get to a point where you can.

Here in Cambodia it is not quite that easy. Empowerment is not simply telling someone to get out there, make money and invest in their future. Young people bear the financial pressure of caring for the parents and, sometimes, the entire family. Girls are used by parents as financial bargaining chips to make money. And corruption within neighborhoods, families and the government can make it difficult to know what the future will hold. These are real struggles that our girls face on a regular basis.

Several months ago, director Ginny Hanson began thinking and praying -- "How can Sak Saum provide a future for the girls?" Yes, we are doing that through inner healing, education and vocational training. But we longed to do something more. Simply giving money didn't seem like the answer -- too much family pressure and temptation involved. We wanted a lasting investment that would gain in value and provide purpose, meaning and hope.

Land. 

And not just any land - a beautiful piece right along the river across from Saang (where IHSI does most of their work). It is absolutely incredible, lush and green with bananas trees and the occasional stray cow. Each girl will receive a piece that they will co-own with national director, Theavy Kong. The land is theirs to farm, build or live on. The only restriction is that they cannot sell it for the first five years to allow it to grow in value. Our hope is that they will eventually raise families there and make a difference for God's kingdom in that community. (More on that in next week's blog!) 

We are grateful to God and to you (as it is your support of Sak Saum and our work that helps make this possible) for opening doors in this way. Let us all continue to not only speak up for those who have no voice but to also act on behalf of those who have no hope.

Until next time...