Giovanni Villafuerte is a two-time VSO Cambodia volunteer, community leader and a producer. He is working on the Improving Market Access for the Poor programme, which supports farmers to turn their enterprises into robust businesses. Here he talks about his volunteering experience, and the impact he sees.
There have been challenges working with the farmers here. Having lived through the Khmer Rouge for a long time, people are used to ‘top down’ or ‘command and control’ way of things. They haven’t been used to thinking for themselves. However I cannot tell them what to do; I can only guide them.
I’ve been working with the leader of the co-operative called Pech Boeun. Having him on side in a culture where you need a strong, authoritative person to channel activities and communicate has been very helpful
We have made an impact. We unmasked the perception that financial institutions or banks are unapproachable because they are ‘just farmers’. We invited the micro financial institutions to a meeting with the co-operative so that they could present their options. It opened a dialogue so that they could discuss what business they can do together. Now one bank has approached us to work with the farmers directly so that they can access loans.
I believe that investing in livelihoods means addressing the heart of poverty. It’s about their ability to live and survive and giving them to tools to manage the risks in life. If people have better livelihoods they will no longer ask for help. They can do it by themselves. They can think for themselves. They can act for themselves.
When you work in a country as a volunteer, you are often respected more than a well-paid consultant because you are part of the community. Volunteering has increased my ‘face value’. I know that this experience has given me new skills like being able to think outside the box.”
“Cambodia is a big producer of rice. My placement is about assisting small-holder farmers, helping them to strengthen their bargaining power, their decision-making and business skills. We’re teaching them about planning, looking at what crops have low production cost, low-risk but still give a profit.
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