Chanthea
Creator of Handcrafted Silk Products in Cambodia

 

Dy Chanthea lives in Prek Takov Commune, Kandal Province where she grew up. She attended school until 8th grade at which time she had to curtail her studies in order to help financially support her family. Since then she has been working in low wage jobs with the dream to one day have her own business. 

She is married and has five children. Until recently, she and her family have been struggling to earn enough money to cover their monthly expenses. 

Her life changed when her youngest daughter became a student at Moms Against Poverty Cambodia (MAPC) School & Vocational Training Center. 

Making a Difference in Cambodia

MAPC School & Vocational Training Center provides free education and vocational training to impoverished children and young adults in the Kandal Province. 

Over 80% of the population in this province are impoverished, and the majority of the children are illiterate and forced into child labor. Having faced such hardship, the young adult population often fall into the vicious cycle of depression, alcohol and drug abuse.

MAPC provides a safe learning space as well as the tools they need to move beyond their circumstances. As part of the vocational training program, MAPC provides sewing, fabric weaving and jewelry making classes. 

Empowering the Artisan

MAPC has given Chanthea access to its weaving machine and for the first time in her life she was given the opportunity to start her own business and use her craft to create products for ShopatMAP.

For the time being, she is a one woman business but her dream is to grow her business and to help employ more women like herself. 

Her unique, handmade and hand-dyed silk is woven into threads and fabric that is then created into beautifully colored silk scarves, tote bags, and masks. (link to products) 

 

  

By: ShopatMAP Team

 

Products crafted by Chanthea and MAPC School & Vocational Training Center: