In 2006, World Vision and Society for Orphan Support in Phnom Penh donated sewing machines for the Sras Village tailoring shop project. The village selected individuals to receive these machines, and a woman named Chanry was placed in charge of teaching sewing to future seamstresses.

Although the machines were donated, an affordable value has been assessed by the Development Committee and payments will be made by each recipient into the Village Fund to help create sustainable commerce. A donation from the Jackson Wyoming Breakfast Rotary Club, made possible the purchase of initial material stock to sew and supply school uniforms for the students of Sras Primary Schools.

Sras Village Seamstress Chanry

In two short years Chanry has be able to improve her family’s economic and living conditions. They started out living in a typical Cambodian thatched hut and now live in a wooden house on stilts where the ground floor is bricked in and used for Chanry’s sewing business.

The tailoring shop is the fourth business Trailblazer has helped establish in the pilot project out at Sras Village, Svey Chek Commune. In May 2008 Trailblazer Foundation provided the seamstresses with two Serger sewing machines to complete the equipment necessary for quality products.

In cooperation with the officials of the newly constructed Women’s Development Center in Angkor Thom District Trailblazer Foundation will supply up to 100 sewing machines for the center’s sewing class.