WEAVES OF CAMBODIA
weaving silk into peace and hope
VISIT THE STUDIO ~ MEET OUR ARTISANS
WEAVES OF CAMBODIA STUDIO
Chum Ka Mo
Tbeng Meanchey
Krong Preah Vihear, Kingdom of Cambodia
Tel: +855 (0) 92346 415
Send us a message. We'd be happy to hear from you.
VISITING THE WEAVES STUDIO
The Weaves of Cambodia studio is located near the Krong Preah Vihear municipality, Tbaeng Meanchey, around an hour and a half from the renouned Preah Vihear Temple and 2 hours from Angkor Wat and Siem Reap. Known locally as Chum Ka Mo, the studio is open to visitors during ordinary business hours.
The studio is in a peaceful and natural rural setting. Come see how our pure handwoven silks are made. Welcome!
Opening Hours: Monday-Saturday: 8am-5pm
My name is Toch Sor. I am the weaving manager at the Weaves of Cambodia studio in Preah Vihear. I am responsible for overseeing the quality of silk weaving products and teach the disabled staff at the studio how to weave and design the silks we make as well.
I love my job very much. As a landmine survivor, I have a very hard life that makes my life different from other people. For landmine survivors like me, it is very difficult to find work.
When I was 22 years old in August 1994, Khmer Rouge soldiers torched my home. At that time I fled away into the forests for one week then I came back and saw that my home and properties were destroyed by the Khmer Rouge.
I stepped on a landmine at the border of Preah Vihear and Stung Treng Provinces as I was coming back from school. Soldiers ran after me and my family in order to kill us. My left leg was lost immediately and the other leg was stained with blood and seriously wounded.
I had a hurting feeling and a lot of pain all over my body and started to feel hopeless about my life. I was thinking that I might not be able to work and make a happy life on my own any more. The villagers then brought me to the provincial hospital about 150 km from the scene. I was left alone in a bed at the hospital without anyone taking care about me.
STUDIO MANAGER TOCH SAR
In His Own Words
Within just one week, I almost lost my life. Later on, my uncles and aunts got a guarantee for cutting my leg that was painful.
My birth place is Tmey village, Tarsous Commune, Chey Sen District. I left my home village since I was at the provincial hospital for treatment. Now I am located in Srah Chhhook village, Kompongpranak Commune, Tbeng Meanchey Disrict, Preah Vihear Province.
In 1995 a friend told me about Veterans International (VI) that came to Preah Vihear to provide artificial legs for the disabled and launch a sewing project for the disabled as well. I was very happy because I am also a disabled person among them. So I prepared my application form and gave it to VI and then I became a sewer. The first year, I did not know English, have computer or any other skills or even know how to weave. I did not know how to design the model of silk scarves or sarongs.
Later on, VI now Weaves of Cambodia sent me to study silk weaving skills in Lao and Vietnam. Now I have got a good experience producing high quality silk weaving.
Not only that. I have become a good weaving manager for Weaves of Cambodia in Preah Vihear and I am very happy. With nothing compare and also can make my life getting far better than before. I also help the disabled by training them so that they can have the good opportunity to work like me.
I would like to say thanks for Weaves of Cambodia that help those disabled. It is an important thing to help the disabled who are victimized by landmines and other categories of the disabled that can provide them a better life in helping themselves. I like to see more organizations like Weaves of Cambodia take operation throughout Cambodia. It would be definitely a good thing.
