Check out how fellow UHPer and SURE award recipient Allison Miller (Communications and Graphic Design, ’23) used her funding to conduct a survey among rural Cambodians to help guide the work of the non-profit organization she works for!
Over the last year, I have joined the team of Sa’akom Farms, a start-up non profit organization dedicated to the alleviation of poverty in Cambodia through the use of vertical hydroponic farming. Hydroponic farming is incredibly efficient, which allows our team to be able to pay significantly higher wages than traditional farming. These higher wages offer a transformative social and economic impact for rural Cambodian communities. I am a strong believer in partnering with local communities and listening to their experiences and input in all aid work, so that is what I set out to do with the SURE award. I used the SURE award to work with our Cambodian team member, Ratana, to survey local community members about their experiences and aspirations. The award money was critical to be able to pay Ratana to conduct the surveys, since I do not speak Khmer.
The results of our surveys showed individual goals and aspirations of Cambodians, and incomes that ranged from $1200-$7000 a year. We found that the vast majority of our participants did not have access to a bank account, nor could they take out a loan with their current salaries. In addition, many participants were interested in higher income to be able to afford transportation such as cars or trucks, regularly afford more expensive foodstuffs, and start their own businesses. We hope to conduct these surveys at a larger scale to have a representative data sample and with a rigorous plan of action. My data now is best used as context for my work with Sa’akom, and has helped me to feel better equipped in designing and implementing a sustainable development solution in partnership with these communities. I learned how to design an interview that takes into account cultural norms and sensitivities, and the logistics of development research halfway across the globe.
