Cambodia Calling: The amazing Mu Sochua

Saturday, April 18, 2009

The amazing Mu Sochua

For people who have not heard of this incredible Cambodian woman:

Left Cambodia in the early 1970s, won a scholarship to Berkeley and worked as a counselor and translator for Cambodian refugees; became a US citizen. Then organised schooling for Cambodian children and social services for women in the refugee camps set up by the UN on the border between Thailand and Cambodia.

Finally able to enter Cambodia in 1989. Founded the first women’s organization in Cambodia, Khemara. In 1998 ran for election and won a seat in parliament. She was the first woman ever to run the Women's Affairs Ministry.

In 2002, mobilised 25,000 women candidates to run for commune elections in 2002, and more than 900 women were elected. Also negotiated an agreement with Thailand allowing Cambodian women trafficked as sex workers to return to their home country instead of being jailed.

Stepped down in 2004 to join the opposition. In 2005 she was nominated for a Nobel Prize for her work against sex trafficking of women.

Read more about Mu Sochua here and here.

Update: click here for Mu Sochua's letter.

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THE BLOOM MANIFESTO

1. We believe in the right of all people to a decent life, free of poverty and with access to education

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WHAT IS A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE?

A social enterprise has as its central objective, a social or environmental purpose, and not the obsession with profits. Yes, of course we want to be profitable, but it is so we can hire even more people in unfortunate circumstances, and offer them a shot at a better life, and not because we want to "increase shareholder value" or for the sake of lining our personal pockets. In fact, the only foreign staff (and founder/funder) does not get a salary from Bloom.

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As a social enterprise in Cambodia, we are competing with many NGOs on the one hand (which get donations) and for want of a better word, capitalistic businesses (which drive down costs in an effort to maximise profits). We recognise and accept the challenges that face all business, but are committed to principles of Fair Play, and will NEVER sacrifice those principles in order to be competitive. This means, for instance, we will never sacrifice workers' pay just so our bags will be cheaper. The average pay at Bloom today is 2.13 times the market rate.

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All Bloom profits go to our Khmer staff and to growing Bloom. Ultimately the aim is for Bloom to be a workers' cooperative, where workers own, manage, grow the business and share the profits.

WHO WE ARE

Bloom is a social enterprise established in Sept 2006 with the intention of providing fair-paying jobs to abandoned, widowed and divorced Cambodian women. Bloom is not a factory. We are a small workshop of nine people who work closely as a team to produce original, quality handmade bags made from recycled rice and fish feed bags.

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