Six months on the new land, life looked very different for Ms. Chim Oeun—a widow with three children from Chor Village in Prasneub Commune, Rolea B’ier District of Kampong Chhnang Province. Ms. Oeun had long struggled with land insecurity and limited livelihood options. After her husband passed away three years ago, she was left with only a small residential plot, which she later divided among her children. The only farmland she owned—a 10-acre plot—was located far from her village, making it impossible to build a house or farm effectively.

Seeking a more stable future, Ms. Oeun applied for residential and agricultural land through the LASED III project in June 2023. Around the same time, Mr. Meach Sokha, a widower with five children living in the same village, also submitted his own application for both types of land plot. Like Ms. Oeun, Mr. Sokha faced severe land shortages. He had no rice field for cultivation and owned only a small residential plot. His wife had passed away four years earlier, leaving him to support his family alone.

When the project’s beneficiary selection process concluded at the end of 2024, the result was different from what she had hoped for. Based on the target land recipient procedure, Ms. Oeun received only a residential land, while Mr. Sokha was allocated only an agricultural land. Although neither received both types of land, an unexpected turn of events would soon change their circumstances. In October 2023—one month before the final list of priority households was announced—Ms. Oeun and Mr. Sokha married, joining their lives and resources as husband and wife.

Today, the impact of that new beginning is clearly visible. Harvesting vegetables inside her net house, Ms. Oeun proudly shares the results of her hard work. On the day of the interview, she harvested 50 kilograms of vegetables, including 20 kilograms of bok choy, 30 kilograms of mustard greens, and 5 kilograms of scallions, all sold to a local middleman. The vegetables fetched 3,000 riels per kilogram, while scallions sold for 4,000 riels per kilogram.

Ms. Oeun began growing vegetables in June 2025, shortly after receiving a net house through the project. Since then, she has harvested three times. The first harvest yielded 19 kilograms and sold for only 1,500 riels per kilogram; the second produced 29 kilograms at 2,000 riels per kilogram. Despite the modest early returns, prices have steadily improved, providing her family with a growing source of income.

“Life has improved compared to before,” Ms. Oeun says. “Here, I can grow vegetables continuously and sell them.” She explains that in her old village, traders rarely came to buy produce, limiting income opportunities. While earnings are still modest and expenses remain high, the family now has vegetables for daily consumption, reducing food costs even as they continue to buy fish, meat, and seasonings.

In addition to vegetables, Ms. Oeun has planted rice on half a hectare agricultural land, which is nearly ready for harvest. Looking ahead, she plans to expand vegetable production after the rice harvest, growing crops such as string beans, cucumbers, and gourds. With limited space on the residential plot, the agricultural land offers new possibilities for diversification and income growth.

Reflecting on her journey, Ms. Oeun’s gratitude is unmistakable. “I am truly happy—there is nothing I can compare this to,” she says. “I never imagined I would have a day like this.” She expresses heartfelt thanks to the Royal Government for providing land that has allowed her family to rebuild their lives. With hope and determination, she adds, “I believe that in three years, my family’s livelihood will be even better.”