Due to Covid-19 pandemic, we had to shift our training online. Safehaven, a Cambodian organisation that provides support to families with children with handicap, contacted us to run a training for their staff on money management. Current covid restrictions made a face-to-face group training impossible, but staff were allowed to go to their office, provided they were in small groups in separate rooms. So, with the help of Bopha, the office manager, we ran a hybrid training: some training material was printed, so that participants could do our core exercises like the family budget, with their colleague using cards and banknotes. Other exercises were done online using quizzes to make them as participatory as possible.
We ran three sessions, once a week, for three half-days. Session 1 focused on managing expenses. In session 2, we talked about debt: how to get out of debt, and how to avoid debts. And session 3 was about money and family: how to support family members in a sustainable way, and how to educate children about money.
Staff also had access to our online platform to review the course, and do additional quizzes and exercises (all in Khmer). At the end, they all submitted their budget. For some, it was the first time they worked on their family budget. Even though they may be luckier than other neighbours or relatives who have lost their income due to the pandemic, balancing a budget is still a challenge, when more family members rely on their support.
The feedback was very positive. Next step: Safehaven would like to run a training with the families they support.
