Ms. Nguon Veasna is from a village in Battambang province and is an amputee. She shared that she often felt lonely and experienced discrimination because of her disability and gender — not only from people in her community, but also from her own family and relatives. She added that people around her didn’t understand how she felt, and at times, it seemed like she was living alone in the world. She explained:
“Living with a disability is already difficult, but what made it even harder was the discrimination and lack of encouragement from those around me. That was the most painful part — it nearly made me give up on everything.”
Ms. Veasna joined our network in 2021. She decided to apply because she saw it as a valuable program that supports women with disabilities—without discrimination based on gender or ethnicity. At her first workshop, she was excited to meet many other women with different types of impairments.
Initially, she was concerned they might also face discrimination within the group, but to her surprise, everyone was welcoming and supportive. This motivated her greatly. She felt a sense of warmth and belonging, and she enjoyed learning alongside the others.
She now describes the group as her second home—a space where she feels safe and confident to speak openly about her challenges, as she shared:
“It’s a safe space where we can share our stories—stories that are often hidden or difficult to talk about with others. I’m truly grateful to the supporters and donors who make this possible.”