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Heifer's 12 Cornerstones Promote Gender Equity

Heifer project’s commitment to gender equity increases mutual respect between men and women, which leads to a stronger family harmony. The local project encourages women to be involved in the Self-Help Group (SHG), and empowers them through capacity building. Women have the same rights as men to work and access to resources for income generation. Mrs. Roeum Yieb, 40, Chuk Khut, her husband, and her two children, one son and one daughter, live in Churng Turk village, Rong Damrei commune, Baphnom district, Prey Veng province. Her husband is the village chief of Churng Turk.

Since 2010, Roeum Yieb has joined the Heifer project in partnership with Chetthor, one of Heifer's project partners in Prey Veng province. After a successful interview, she was selected as the Literacy Facilitator (LF) to provide literacy classes to the group. Her capacity and skills

have been built through Values-Based Literacy Training of Trainers provided by Heifer Cambodia and other trainings provided by Chetthor. Before joining the project, Roeum Yieb was always quiet, plummeting herself into household chores, taking care of children, and having little interaction with her community. The Cornerstones opened her eyes, motivating her to become LF to help end illiteracy in her village. Roeum Yieb works hard and tries her best to provide numeric and literacy skills to SHG members. She educates not only the SHG members, but also the villagers, about social issues including domestic violence, human and animal well-being, and strengthening unity and solidarity in the community through the practice of Heifer’s 12 Cornerstones for Just and Sustainable Development. “I can do all the activities to help the community with support from my husband who helps with household chores,” said Roeum Yieb. “Before participating in the project, my husband never cared about the family's health. He did not assist in household chores and in raising animals or earning family income, except his government work. Sometimes, when he was drunk, he accused me of not doing household works well. But he has changed his attitude after attending the Cornerstones training. Now he has become a good husband, assisting me in cooking, taking care of the children, cleaning up the house and feeding the animals. He helps explain to me the different meanings and difficult words in the 12 Cornerstones-literacy books.”

“Before I thought that household chores and feeding the animals are women’s daily job, not for men, but after attending the Cornerstones training, I understand that the job is for both women and men,” her husband Chuk Khut said. "Since I have internalized the Cornerstones, I help my wife do the works such as cleaning the house and animal pens, and feeding pigs and chicken. Women and men have equal rights in doing the work, helping each other to make a happy family.”

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