As a teenager, Pan Sreymom, needed to support her family, since both of her parents are blind. She began working in construction. “It was very difficult because it was away from my house, hard work, and low income,” she says.” In 2007, Pan was able to get a job at Rajana, where she now works as a cleaner, card maker, and a ceramicist. Now married with a baby, she is thankful for the proper income and the opportunity to learn new skills.

The Rajana Association is a nonprofit organization for income generation and skills training, producing fair trade products using traditional Cambodian skills with contemporary designs. The name “Rajana” means “design” in Khmer. Rajana Association focuses on the rural and urban poor, and small producers of handicrafts. Rajana trains young Cambodians in traditional craft–making skills, as well as in accounting, marketing, computer courses and English. Through development of traditional craft–making skills, Rajana helps maintain and rebuild Cambodia’s rich cultural traditions, damaged in the country’s wars.

Rajana Association began in 1995 as an income–generating project of the British nongovernmental organization Southeast Asian Outreach UK. Since 2000 Rajana has been owned and operated by Cambodians.

As a teenager, Pan Sreymom, needed to support her family, since both of her parents are blind. She began working in construction. “It was very difficult because it was away from my house, hard work, and low income,” she says.” In 2007, Pan was able to get a job at Rajana, where she now works as a cleaner, card maker, and a ceramicist. Now married with a baby, she is thankful for the proper income and the opportunity to learn new skills.

The Rajana Association is a nonprofit organization for income generation and skills training, producing fair trade products using traditional Cambodian skills with contemporary designs. The name “Rajana” means “design” in Khmer. Rajana Association focuses on the rural and urban poor, and small producers of handicrafts. Rajana trains young Cambodians in traditional craft–making skills, as well as in accounting, marketing, computer courses and English. Through development of traditional craft–making skills, Rajana helps maintain and rebuild Cambodia’s rich cultural traditions, damaged in the country’s wars.

Rajana Association began in 1995 as an income–generating project of the British nongovernmental organization Southeast Asian Outreach UK. Since 2000 Rajana has been owned and operated by Cambodians.