Village: Bantheay Chmar
Commune: Bantheay Chmar
District: Thmar Pouk
Province: Banteay Meanchey
Training: Barber
Injury: Landmine - 1986 when he was fighting as a soldier in the war against the Khmer Rouge along the Thai border.
Of the 350 families in his community, Gen is one of only two people with a landmine injury.
Gen enjoyed his training immensely, and was one of the top students in his class. He graduated with an extremely high score, and as a result is running his business very successfully. Gen is hopeful that the training will bring him a higher income, and thus a higher standard of living.
His injury made the task of travelling to search for work in the surrounding towns or cities extremely difficult for Gen. When first approached by CWARS [as Lom Orng was then named], he was quite depressed about his situation, and very unhappy about not having a job.
His new training has given him a good job to focus on, and the ability to support his family. Before training with CWARS, Gen was unable to afford any livestock, and did not have enough money to send his children to school. Now he is earning a good income, his family members can work in the rice fields to earn further money. Thus he has been able to buy livestock for his family, and send his two children to school.
With his new prosthesis, Gen is now completely mobile, and has no difficulties in getting around.
On average Gen sees between five and ten customers per day, with only two on a quiet day. For each haircut, Gen earns 1500 riel.
[Note: 4000 Cambodian riel = about one US dollar.]
Gen was a quiet man who seemed to genuinely enjoy his training. He was acutely aware of the benefits of his training. He still lacked some self-confidence, but I am sure as his business grows, his confidence in himself will grow with it.