The Family Economic Development Association (FEDA) is one of DPA’s Community Based Organization (CBO) partners in in Svay Rieng province. FEDA works mostly on improving livelihood and promoting gender equity and the cow bank is one of the FEDA activities in the livelihood project.

Ms. Yim Yark, 61 years old, is a widow who lives in Chambak Kuy village, Kampong Chamlong commune, Svay Chrum district, Svay Rieng province, with three daughters and one son. She used to         belong to one of the poorest families in the village and did not own a cow for plowing, forcing her to spend money to hire someone to plow for her. This drove up the cost of her rice farming production and caused her family to have a lack of food of the year.

After a discussion with the village cow bank committee, FEDA selected Ms. Yim Yark’s family as one of the cow bank members since she was one of the hardest working members and did her best to take care of her cows. After eight years of membership in the cow bank, she received six baby calves, three of which belong to her and the three others which are circulated among other families.

“I do not spend much money on plowing so my rice production costs are lower,” she said. “I also use cow dung as an organic fertilizer to improve the fertility of my land. My family now has enough rice to eat all year round.

“Thanks to FEDA and its donors, DPA, my family has been helped. Because of the cow bank, my family’s livelihood has improved and I am now able to repair my house by selling two of my cows.”
The cow bank is one of the projects designed not only to help poor and the poorest family improve their living conditions, but also to solve the problems which have been occurring in the village.

The Family Economic Development Association (FEDA) and cow bank management committee will continue to implement this project to promote the community’s livelihood in a sustainable manner in Kuy Chambak village.