Family Develompent through Savings

Many poor Cambodian families have no house and virtually no possessions. Despite this poverty ,most families generate a meagre weekly income, which may be earned by collecting and selling plastic bottles or cutting grass to sell to a farmer.

Tabitha family development workers help these families to develop a vision of a better life and encourage them to join the savings program.

Each savings "cycle" lasts 10 weeks. The savings are collected weekly by Tabitha workers and returned with 10% interest at the end of the cycle. Before starting to save , each family decides what they are saving for (their" dream") and is encouraged to purchase that item at the end of the cycle.

Saving the equivalent of 25 cents a week soon allows the purchase of life transforming items such as a water pot, a set of crockery, or clothes for their children. After several 'cycles", families save for income producing items such as a fishing net, piglets, chickens, a watering can or a bike to take produce to market. These changes bring the family a stable food supply and regular income- sometimes for the first time- and allow for steadily increasing weekly savings. Most families eventually save for land and a house.

It costs Tabitha $25 to support one family for a year on the Family Development Program.

Most families remain on the "Family Development through Savings Program" for about 7-8 years, at which time they have usually attained food and income security, with children at school and, some form of health care. At this point they are "graduated" from the program.