Trainers Change stories

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Ethel Terry
6 years ago
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1 CAFE Cambodia F2F Training Program Significant Change stories Trainers Change stories Ms. Heng Sovannary CAFE community Trainer from Kampot Province Heng Sovannary is one of our CAFE community trainers in the Province of Kampot. She has a small canteen in her house where she sells noodles and the money she gets she sends to her only son in Phnom Penh where he is studying in university. Before I took the job of being a trainer with CAFE program, I have a noodle business. At first it was really doing good and my family gets a lot of money to spend for many things. Then I got sick and have to undergo surgery, we have to close our business and our money ran out quickly. When I became a CAFE trainer where I have to deliver the sessions in my own community & nearby villages where people know me, I realize that it is important for learners to trust in my capability as a trainer.

Sovannary supporting a learner in using the learners booklet To gain the learners trust and confidence that I can support them, I started using my learner booklet to track the money in and money out

2 Sovannary supporting a learner in using the learners booklet To gain the learners trust and confidence that I can support them, I started using my learner booklet to track the money in and money out of my household. Then every week, I used my money tracker to reflect on my household spending. I realized my money leaks and it helped me reduce spending on unnecessary things. The practical experience and the coaching that I received from CAFE F2F Training program helped me to be more confident of my own behavior in directing our household money. I am also more confident that I am now in a position to best support my learners. By applying what she have learned and have trained other learners, Sovannarys own goal is to save more for her son s university study and also to keep coaching her son about money management. She also plans to expand her clothes store business, which she has recently opened.

3 Mr. Phan No KREDIT Trainer from Prey Veng Phan No is a staff trainer of KREDIT, CAFE MFI partner. Prior to being a CAFE trainer, Phan No is a loan and savings officer assigned in Neak Loeung branch of KREDIT. The same branch where we conducted a pilot of CAFE F2F training program. When I became a CAFE Trainer, I ve changed a lot. The first is related to how I personally manage my money. One thing that made an impact in my own life is tracking money in and money out. I ve never tracked my money before. I never knew how much money I have left in a month, or how I have used it up. As A CAFE trainer, I felt obliged to track my own money - after all, I m the trainer, I have to set a good example. Then I realized how beneficial it is to me. I reduced some of my expense. The second change is related to my capability and skills in facilitation. Whatever I missed, I asked my CAFE coach so that I could deliver the session successfully to the learners. I have a deeper understanding of our clients, what their needs are and what they want in life. To make the clients track their money is very difficult. So I asked the guidance of my coach, and employed various techniques to encourage learners - then I realized, making them track is really difficult, telling technique does not work. However, sharing examples and my own experience, emphasizing the benefits motivated learners, and once learners see the benefit, it becomes easy.

I can be flexible to different types of learners.

4 After several weeks of delivering the training, I can say I have greatly improved my skills in delivering the training to my clients. I can be flexible to different types of learners. Thanks to Good Return and CMA for making me aware of CAFE from zero to what I am a trainer of CAFE today.

Mr. Nou Sarun KREDIT Trainer from Tboung Khmum Province Sarun, is one of the CAFE staff trainer from KREDIT, CAFE partner MFI. Sarun is a Loan and saving officer under Soung branch.

My salary is spent only within the day I receive it. After attending the CAFE and since I am a CAFE trainer I started to consider and track money in and money out in my family.

5 Mr. Nou Sarun KREDIT Trainer from Tboung Khmum Province Sarun, is one of the CAFE staff trainer from KREDIT, CAFE partner MFI. Sarun is a Loan and saving officer under Soung branch. He implements KREDIT loan programs in the Province of Tboung Khmum. Before I started joining the CAFE program I felt I am a person who waste money. I spent my money impulsively. My salary is spent only within the day I receive it. After attending the CAFE and since I am a CAFE trainer I started to consider and track money in and money out in my family. Before spending the money, I discussed with my wife to buy important thing. Its totally different to what I did before. Before, I go buy things I wanted, I don t respect what my wife has to say. Now, I can say we respect each other s rights in doing something especially with our money. I used to spend my money for drink or party almost every day. Not only do I spent it for the drinks, but also for medicine to stop my headache & hangover the next day.

I realized that whatever I did does not benefit my family. It s only for me to have fun with friends for a short time. Now I am more mindful of how we used our money in the family.

6 I realized that whatever I did does not benefit my family. It s only for me to have fun with friends for a short time. Now I am more mindful of how we used our money in the family. We started to set aside money for my children, for health/treatment in case of emergency. The changes I made surprised me. When I first started the training I felt I could not be a good trainer, I had no skill in managing my own money, how can I teach others? Then I thought, I am a trainer, if I am not a good model, they will not follow me. So I became a good model by starting using the learners booklets. And I gave one booklet to my wife to track the money in my family. We also have created a future plan for our family, to reach our goals within two years. Then I shared what I learned and the benefit I got from CAFE to my family, my siblings and relatives. I initiated the creation of an association called Kousa Ta Nov (Ta Nov Family Association) wherein each member of our family has to contribute riel every month. This money will be used for unexpected events, or study fee for our children when we need a lump sum amount of money. And it is working now. A huge thanks to CAFE program for offering me more than just broad knowledge, but also encouraged me to change my own behavior towards better money management.

7 Learner Change Stories Ms.Cheng Sophal Sambour Village, Prey Veng Province Cheng Sophal is a client of KREDIT, CAFE partner MFI. She found out about the CAFE training when she went to the KREDIT s branch office to do her financial transaction. Her passion for learning encouraged her to sign up to the CAFE Training program. I did not have any challenges in attending the training sessions. Only one hour of training is not a problem. The content of the session is very meaningful and applicable, like the weekly money tracker. Now, my learner booklet is filled up so I created a weekly money tracker in a sheet of paper. The most important lessons Sophal has learned from the CAFE F2F weekly sessions are to: plan for tomorrow today, to negotiate for financial products & services to meet her needs and priorities and to keep safe her code number/pin number for her savings account. I asked a provider about interest rebate in case I can pay my loan in advance. Though they did not grant my request, they have clearly explained to me the reason why and what options I have. I felt proud that I had the confidence and was able to ask. Sophal always sees to it that she completes all the take home challenges because she feels it is right and applicable. Although the trainer is young about her child s age, what the trainer delivers and shares during the session is right.

Because Sophal has used up the pages in her learner booklet, she prepared her own learner booklet to continue tracking her money in & out For example I am planning to borrow the money, so when the

8 Because Sophal has used up the pages in her learner booklet, she prepared her own learner booklet to continue tracking her money in & out For example I am planning to borrow the money, so when the trainer asked me to shop around for providers, I quickly did it-because I could see that it s practical and I can make better decision. Every day I also use the weekly money tracker and everyday I can see my money in and money out. Keeping the money tracker help argument among the family about where the money has gone since the tracker can show the transparency. I have tracked it down since the week, the trainer asked us to do, and I benefit a lot from it so I continue to use it. Now that all the pages in the booklet is used up, I created my own weekly money tracker. Every week, Sophal shares what she learned from the session with her family and her neighbors. I share because it is like doing a good thing. It can also help them avoid money arguments in the family. The training also taught me how to reduce my debts and gives me wash powder too every time I come to the sessions. Instead of spending one hour for sleeping, I go and attend the session - where I learned many things. I used to borrow money from many MFIs to build my house. It was like every day, I work hard and wait at my home for the credit officer to collect my loan. it was a very difficult situation. I was like a picture of a woman wearing many, many hats - when I was at the training, I understood what the session means. Now, I borrow the money from only one MFI to buy a track. It makes it easier for me to repay. Beside the rice field, I raise the crickets and animals, and I have a track to transport the ground. After attending another training of raising the cricket, I started a cricket raising business. Through the CAFE program, I started

9 tracking my money in and money out for my business also. All the money I spent for business I tracked. I expand my business by building more rooms for raising the cricket. I also borrow the money from only one MFI to buy a track. I plan to build more rooms to expand the cricket raising business too.

10 Mean Savan Vihear village, Kandal province Ms.Chantha, community trainer said now the people borrow the money either individually or group without thinking carefully, and sometimes this lead some people to become overindebted. I also have time and I am interested to learn, so I decided to register. I think it could be useful for me to think more carefully and I will not take risk any more. The most important things I learned are: to think carefully and read the contract before making the decision to borrow the money or sign. Have a What if plan to be well prepared for unexpected event. In cases that money collector from the service provider collected the money then comes to collect the money again and did not provide official receipt, we need to make complaint. The topic I m still confused about is how we can build our relationship with the service provider. It would be great for the trainers to share examples so we can understand easily. Savan said she completed all the take home challenges because all of it is useful and beneficial for her. She also track down her money in and money out, everyday. Knowing exactly about what happens to my money is very beneficial. If we track all the money, it helps avoid domestic violence and misunderstanding within the family, she shares. I spend only for thing that I can afford. I reduced many of my expenses. I shared with my neighbours to stop borrowing money from the moneylender because we now understand that the interest is higher. Previously there are many credit officers from every institution who come to this village to collect the money, now I feel it reduced by 50 percent because the people stop borrowing from some institutions. My life changed a lot in spending the money for food or to buy other things. Before, if I goto the market and I had only 5000 Riel, I would buy Riel, some of the goods bought on credit. I was not mindful. Now, I stopped borrowing money from the moneylender and other

11 MFIs, I also stopped guaranteeing for someone. Even if still owe some money to my MFI, I think next year, I can repay all. I now, understand about fraud and scams and I know how to shop around and build a better relationship with the service providers. Soy Chanthy Toul Sala Village, Kandal Province To improve her knowledge and have a broader understanding about money management, are the reasons why Soy Chanthy was encouraged to sign up for the CAFE F2F program. For her, being able to learn something new is good and useful for her life. Going forward step by step, and wearing the appropriate money hats, not borrowing more than my capacity, ask questions before choosing or deciding, saving money, and asking questions to my provider are among the many things I learned from participating in the CAFE training. I did all the take home challenges like discussing with my family and asking questions to the providers. I did it because I thought it was reasonable to do and I also wanted to find out about it as it is useful for me. I also track down my money in and money out every day. My husband supports what I am doing. He is happy to see my weekly money tracker and know all the money in and money out in our family.

12 Some learner did not do the take home challenges because they didn t have time. They were busy to take care of the cows and work in the fields. Some of them were lazy to do it, because they thought it was useless, or maybe because they did not understand. It did not discourage me from completing my take home challenges. I benefited a lot from it, as it I m happy to know that I can do it and it s not so hard, after all. To me, I think I understood mostly what we discussed and do during the training. For other learners to understand better, it would help to have the training in a quieter place that allows all learners concentrate. The place where we did the training was near the road, which is distracting and noisy for us. Some people also brought the clothes to work on at the training. Some learners didn t respect the time and always comes in late so our trainer has to repeat again for them to catch up. I suggest, have some rules or internal regulations for the training. It would also be good to have some activities to draw learners attention, but should be simple & easy enough even for older learners. In my free time, I help teaching illiterate children. I spend time to make Mrum powder-a natural powder made of Mrum leaf. I grow rice, make Mrum powder and raise some animals too. I always discuss with my husband about weekly money tracker. At the beginning he reacted to me but I always share with him every week. He said: are you monitoring me?, and I said No I just track down to know what we spent our money on. Then he started to understand and is now very supportive of what I do. He is happy to see me having the weekly money tracker. He trusts me because he knows exactly where the money goes.

Horn Sarin Koh Takov Village, Kampot Province When the CAFE training started, Mr. Chive Sochum, the trainer and the village chief asked me to come to learn.

13 Horn Sarin Koh Takov Village, Kampot Province When the CAFE training started, Mr. Chive Sochum, the trainer and the village chief asked me to come to learn. I wanted to understand about how I can avoid being tricked or scammed, so I signed up. I liked the training, it s near my home and it runs during my free time so always attended and never missed any session. The important things I learned is for me to know clearly that when I borrow money, can I afford to pay it back? I also realized the importance of saving and to think or be mindful in spending my money. Now, before buying something I think carefully, I started saving. I am more confident, and so I started a business raising pigs. I set aside money for unexpected event, such as when the pigs get sick. Then, 4 of my pigs got sick, I was able to save 2 pigs because I have saved some money to buy some medicines. All of them would have died if I did not have any savings to afford their medication.

Do you know how to look after your money?

Do you know how to look after your money? We all want a better life. And a better life is possible. A good place to begin is learning to love and care for the things we have. Then you have a lot, my friend. And all of those are very valuable.