Siem Reap’s Buffalo Carts Support the Elderly
Chea Sokunthea, who prepares meals for the buffalo cart community in Teuk Vil commune, said that the community, which opened in 2014, provides opportunities for elderly people and women to make a living.
- By Heng Sreylin
- March 25, 2024 2:10 PM
SIEM REAP – Chrey Buffalo Cart Community in Siem Reap province is a destination where tourists can ride buffalo carts, snap pictures of the crops and feel the flow of Cambodia’s rural lifestyle. Visitors also give the locals, especially the elderly, jobs and monthly income for their living.
Chea Sokunthea, who prepares meals for the buffalo cart community in Teuk Vil commune, said that the community, which opened in 2014, provides opportunities for elderly people and women to make a living.
The 56-year-old woman is glad to see more visitors coming since it means there will be more work for the community.
Originally from Pursat province, she said that there may not be many people who want to hire older people to work in any other kind of job. However, the Buffalo Cart Community gave her a chance and a suitable job so that she could earn money and make a living.
Sokunthea said that the Buffalo Cart Community is a good place for the elderly and herself as she can earn a living by cooking Khmer food or cakes, including Num Ansorm and fruits for tourists.
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She added that the community provides different types of food and fruits depending on the season. But she insisted that the one thing that never changes is the way she, and the other members of the community, warmly welcome both international and national tourists.
“Most of our guests are Cambodians and Koreans, with foreign visitors, said Sonkunthea. “When there are many visitors, the community receives income accordingly. If there are no guests, we have no income.”
The woman worked from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. as a cook.
The community provides employment and a monthly income for the elderly buffalo herders in the village of around ten families.
Cambodian visitors pay $4 per person to visit the community, while foreigners pay $20 per person to ride a buffalo and enjoy the natural beauty of the countryside for 25 to 30 minutes.
Originally written in Khmer for ThmeyThmey, this story was translated by Chhuon Kongieng for Cambodianess.
