Health healer's garden improves Sophat's nutrition

Sophat Soarn, 25, tends to the garden of her neighbour Pho.

Photo: Nicolas Axelrod/ActionAid

Sophat Soarn, 25, used to have to make an hour and a half journey on foot to visit her nearest health centre where treatment was often unaffordable anyway.

Sophat lives in Cambodia, in the village of Kam Pong Lor, Krakor District, Pursat Province, where she runs a small community shop, making it hard to take the time out to go to the far away health centre. Many local women such as Sophat struggled with health problems because they were not getting sufficient nutritious food.

...it was hard to get treatment, the health centre is far away and motorbike taxi is expensive, when I had no money I would walk or ride a bike the 8km.

But now, through a new local health programme, Sophat tends to the garden of her neighbour Pho, who is an ActionAid trained women’s health healer. The herbs and vegetables grown in this garden are available to all women in the village to support their health and nutrition.

Now the healer gives medicinal herbs for free and I enjoy helping take care of the garden.

The women are encouraged to take pride in growing their own garden to supplement their family’s diet and improve their health and self-sufficiency. Now, many of them are able to solve their health issues independently by eating healthier fresh produce and growing medicinal herbs.

As Sophat explains, "The health programme has benefitted the community a lot; vulnerable women come for consultation and treatment and come when they have injuries. I run a small community shop so it is good for me to have a healer near my home. Now I can receive free traditional healthcare."