Veasna

Bona is one of CFI’s beneficiaries. We started supporting him with education in 2015 and provided rice support for three months in 2017. As agreed with the family this support was gradually reduced to lessen the risk of service dependency. Now we only provide some groceries and education support.

Bona is living in a wooden house in Ek Phnom district with his mother Sopheap, his grandmother and his younger brother. Because of his family circumstances, in March this year Bona decided to stop studying grade 11 and look for a job.

A CFI social worker and education advocate (EA) reviewed the case with a view to supporting him in gaining vocational skills. Bona was inspired to learn mechanics skills and we are now working with him to enroll him for this.

CFI social workers also visited the family and found out that they do not have electricity at home. Because they cannot afford to pay for electricity supply, they use candles instead. Luckily, CFI received a box of a dozen LUCI solar powered lights from our partners Global Ministries. We provided two of these lights to this family in May.

Bona says the lights have made a big difference to his family. “I just put the lights under the sunlight, then we can use it,” he says. “And we don’t need to spend money on batteries. It’s easy to use and it lasts for a whole evening if I put it under sunlight from 8 AM to 5 PM.”

Bona’s mother also tells us that she is very happy. “I’m very delighted that CFI provided this LUCI light to us. It’s easy to use and our house is not dark anymore,” Sopheap says.

CFI also believes that the LUCI lights will be helpful for their protection ‒ they can protect themselves better from insects and people that may try to cause them harm. Children can also use them to finish their homework at night.