Before the crisis:
Originally from Kampot province in southern Cambodia, Puon has worked at the same garment factory for the past year. Before that she worked as a cleaner for a family in their house in Phnom Penh.

How has life changed since then?
Puon’s factory lost orders and began cutting working hours and overtime. She used to earn US$70 per month, but this month is earning just $30-40. The factory had no orders and asked the workers to stop working for two weeks, cutting their salaries in half. Many of her co-workers’ income became too low to cover their living expenses, so they left her factory to look for better-paying work in other garment factories

What’s difficult about life during a financial crisis?
Puon supports her parents and four younger brothers and sisters. Before this month she would send home between US$10-15 each month. But this month she hasn’t been able to send any money. She has another younger brother who works on a fishing boat in Sihanoukville province, but he doesn’t earn enough to help the family.

What does she predict for the future?
Puon says she is somewhat worried about the future. If she loses her job at the garment factory, she will have to look for work somewhere else. And if she can’t find work, she will have to return to her hometown and work in the rice fields. However, the factory has received more orders, so there will be more work. She thinks she might earn US$50 next month.

April 2009