Cambodia Rural Poverty Simulation

Directions: As part of our unit on Microeconomics, you will learn about budgeting, choice,
opportunity cost and trade-offs by participating in a simulation as a family in rural Cambodia.
Much like in real-life, your ability to lead a successful family will depend on a combination
of good decision making and luck. Throughout the simulation, you will have to deal with
real-life problems that rural people in developing countries must face daily. In Part 1 you
will create the characters in your family and design their personalities. You will make
choices about what investments to make in the family members including education, health-
care, food, housing and access to clean drinking water. In Part II you will lead your family
through a 6-month simulation. When problems happen, you will have to make decisions
which will affect the members of your family and cause you to make difficult choices. You
will also keep track of an ongoing budget with income, expenses and savings. In Part III
you will reflect on the successes, failures and challenges you faced throughout the simulation.

Your Family Number: 3

Your Familys Province: Kratie
Family Housing Choice:

Characters: You will have between 6 and 9 characters. List their type (ex. Mother,
grandmother, male child 14-18, etc) on the lines below:
Character: Grandfather: Black Bean
Character: Father: Christsadee
Character: Male Child (14-18) Mcdonald (Away)
Character: Male Child (14-18) Mario (Away)
Character: Male Child (14-18) Potum Jumdoo
Character: Male child (0-4) Mhee (adopt)
Character: Mother: Maria Ohyay
Character: Female child (8-13) Raijung
Character: Female child (0-4) Donale Duck

Characters: Copy and paste the following sections for each character. Descriptions should
include name, age, personality and interests. Families with less characters should have more
in-depth descriptions. As you make decisions throughout, try to imagine as if these people
are your real family.
Expenses must include Firewood, Food, Water, Shelter, Education, Health Check-ups,
Sanitary Products, Government Tax (10% I) and Bribes to Local Mafia (5% I)
Your summary of Characters Income and Expenses should describe if the character goes to
school, how many days the character works per week, what kind of food and water they
consume, if they have access to health check-ups and sanitary products. You will make these
decisions in the beginning and they will apply to month 1.
 Any Changes in the Characters Status, Income and Expense, from either a disaster or from
your own choice must be recorded, along with the month that the choice was made.
In this section, order your characters as follows: Male (oldest youngest); Female (oldest
youngest)

1.) Number, Name and Description of Character:

MOM
Name : MARIA OHYAY
Age : 45 years old
Gender : women
personality: commander
interest : health and income
Month Income Expense (IE) Health

1 $36 -$42.20 $ -6.2 35%

2 $36 -$46.70 -$10.70 50%

3 $36 -$45.10 -$9.1 50%

4 $86.40 -$48.60 $37.8 75%

5 $86.4 -$41.40 $45 75%

6 $86.4 -$41.40 $45 75%

Summary of Characters Income and Expenses (Month 1):

Maria Ohyay eats rice and vetgetable and drinks clean water for 30 days. She lives in
corrugated metal and she also have sanitary product. She go to work for seven days a week
,so she have to spend for health care to maintain her health. Her health is 35%

Changes in Characters Status, Income and Expense (Months 2 6):

month2 - Gain health (month2) change in food eat vergetable+rice+meat (month2)
month3- health stay the same, No need to pay the tax for marfia, decrease in expense
Month4 health gain (75%)Government Subsidies gain 20% income, Change shelter to
concrete,Maria double her income,5-6days wont loss health, 7days loss 10% health
Month5 health stay the same (75%) got 20% discount for food, decrease in expense,
Month6 health Everything stay the same (health,income, expense)

2.) Number, Name and Description of Character:

Male child (0-4)
Name : Mhee adopt
Age : 4 years old
Gender : male
personality: active and naughty
interest : games
Month Income Expense (IE) Health

1 - - - -

Summary of Characters Income and Expenses (Month 1):

Mhee have been adopted.

Changes in Characters Status, Income and Expense (Months 2 6):

3.) Number, Name and Description of Character:

Female child (0-4)
Name : DONALE DUCK
Age : 4 years old
Gender : female
personality: Always smiles
interest :Singer- One direction

Month Income Expense (IE) Health

1 - -$22.3 -$22.30 22%

2 - -$24.30 -$24.30 35%

3 - -$34 -$34 50%

4 - -$32.50 -$32.50 60%

5 - -$27.55 -$27.55 60%

6 - -$27.55 -$27.55 60%

Summary of Characters Income and Expenses (Month 1):

Donale Duck eats rice twenty days and rice with vetgetable ten days.He drinks clean water
every day. He lives in corrugated metal and he have sanitary product. He dont have to go to
school, so his health is 22%.

7Changes in Characters Status, Income and Expense (Months 2 6):

month2- Gain health (35%) Change of food (vegetable)
month3-Gain health (50%) Change of food(meat+vegetable+rice), increase in expense
Month 4 Gain health(60%) Government Subsidies gain 20% income, Change shelter to concrete
Month 5 health stay the same (75%) got 20% discount for food, decrease in expense,
Month6 health Everything stay the same (health,income, expense)

4.) Number, Name and Description of Character:

Male child (14-18)
Name : Macdonald (Aboard)
Age : 18 years old
Gender : male
personality: Try hard with everything , he has a dream that hell make his family life better
interest : Reading a book, math

Month Income Expense (IE) Health

1 $54 - - -

2 $54 - - -

3 $54 - - -

4 $54 - - -

5 $11.2 - $41.92 -$30.72 70%

6 $11.2 - $41.92 -$30.72 70%

Summary of Characters Income and Expenses (Month 1):

Macdonald go to work abroad.

Changes in Characters Status, Income and Expense (Months 2 6):

Month2-4 work aboard
Month 5 come back to his home land , health (70%) got 20% discount for food , send him to
school
Month6 health Everything stay the same (health,income, expense)

5.) Number, Name and Description of Character:

Male child (14-18)
Name : Mario (Aboard)
Age : 18 years old
Gender : male
personality: Never give up
interest : Girls,animal,money

Month Income Expense (IE) Health

1 $54 - - -

2 $54 - - -

3 $54 - - -

4 $54 - - -

5 $54 - - -

6 $54 - - -

Summary of Characters Income and Expenses (Month 1):

He go broad to work.

Changes in Characters Status, Income and Expense (Months 2 6):

Month 2-6 working aboard

6.) Number, Name and Description of Character:
Father
Name : Christsadee
Age : 55
Gender : Male
personality: peaceful
interest : economics

Month Income Expense (IE) Health

1 $54 -$46.4 $7.6 35%

2 $54 -$50.9 $3.1 50%

3 $54 -$48.40 $5.6 50%

4 $64.80 -$47.98 $16.82 60%

5 $64.8 -$40.33 $24.47 60%

6 $64.8 -$40.33 $24.47 60%

Summary of Characters Income and Expenses (Month 1):
Christsadee eats rice and vetgetable thirty days and drinks clean water every day. He lives in
corrugated metal and he have sanitary product. He also have to go work seven days a week
,so he spend for health care to maintain his health. His health is 18%

Changes in Characters Status, Income and Expense (Months 2 6):

Month2 Gain in health(50%), Change of food (meat+vegetable+rice)

month3 health stay the same (50%), decrease in expense, No need to pay the tax for marfia
Month4 Health gain (60%) Government Subsidies gain 20% income, Change shelter to concrete
Month5 health stay the same (60%) got 20% discount for food, decrease in expense,
Month6 health stay the same (60%)
Month6 health Everything stay the same (health,income, expense)
7.) Number, Name and Description of Character:
Female Child
Name : Raijung
Age : 13
Gender : Female
personality: funny
interest : Singing and dancing

Month Income Expense (IE) Health

1 - -$35.30 -$35.30 23%

2 - - - -

3 - - - -

4 - - - -

5 - - - -

6 - - - -

Summary of Characters Income and Expenses (Month 1):

Raijung eats rice with vetgetable thirty days and drinks clean water every day. He lives in
corrugated metal and he have sanitary product. He also have to go to school. His health is
23%.

Changes in Characters Status, Income and Expense (Months 2 6):

Died

8.) Number, Name and Description of Character:

Grand father health -30%
Name : Blackbean
Age : 75 years old
Gender : Male
personality: generous
interest : garden and econimics

Month Income Expense (IE) Health

1 $28.80 -$45.62. -$16.82 29%

2 $19.2 -$44.18 -$24.98 45%

3 $19.20 -$43.42 -$24.22 45%

4 $23.04 -$42.30 -$19.26 55%

5 $23.04 -$35.1 -$12.06 55%

6 $23.04 -$35.1 -$12.06 55%

Summary of Characters Income and Expenses (Month 1):
Blackbean eats rice,vetgetable and meat for thirty days and drinks clean water every day. He
lives in corrugated metal and he have sanitary product. He go to work six days a week ,so he
have to spend for health care. His health is 29%

Changes in Characters Status, Income and Expense (Months 2 6):

Month2: Change in health (45%), decrease in income

Month3: health stay the same(45%), No need to pay the tax for marfia , decrease in expense
Month4: health gain (55%), Government Subsidies gain 20% income, Change shelter to concrete
Month5: health stay the same (55%), got 20% discount for food, decrease in expense,
Month6 health Everything stay the same (health,income, expense)

9.) Number, Name and Description of Character:

Male Child (14-18)
Name : Potum Jumdoo
Age : 17 years old
Gender : Male
personality: high effort
interest : games and movies

Month Income Expense (IE) Health

1 $11.20 -$39.73 -$28.53 31%

2 $11.2 -$44.73 -$33.53 56%

3 $11.20 -$50.62 -$39.42 60%

4 $8.06 -$53.80 -$45.74 70%

5 $11.20 -$41.92 $-30.72 70%

6 $11.20 -$41.92 $-30.72 70%

Summary of Characters Income and Expenses (Month 1):
Donale Duck eats only rice twenty five days and rice with vetgetable and meat five days. He
drinks clean water every day. He lives in corrugated metal and he have sanitary product. He
also have to go work two days a week ,so she have to spend for health care to maintain her
health. His health is 31 %

Changes in Characters Status, Income and Expense (Months 2 6):

Month2 Gain health (56%), medical include, school

Month3 Gain health (60%), Change in food (meat+vegetable+rice), No need to pay the tax for
marfia, Increase in expense, school
Month4 Potum sick(lost 40% of income), decrease of income -$4.48 total income
$6.72,Government Subsidies gain 20% income,school
Month5: health stay the same (70%) got 20% discount for food, decrease in expense, school
Month6 health Everything stay the same (health,income, expense)
Monthly Diary: In this section you need to keep track of the important events that happen to your
family. You should also keep track of any decisions that you make. It is very important that you keep
good notes. This section does not need to be complete sentences or paragraph form.

Month 1:
- 2 children have been sent to work aboard
- send 2 child to school
- all members drink clean water
- all members recieve sanitary
- all members health are less than 40%
- total income $238.00
- total expense $231.55
- Saving $6.45

Month 2:
- No one get sick
- Disaster: Our child got serious disease and we chose not to pay $30 to buy medication
because we dont have the money. Serious Disease Raijung died (cant effort)
- Aid: Police clean up the local mafia (no longer to pay the mafia)
- all members drink clean water
- all members recieve sanitary
- all members health is higher that 30%
- total income$228.40
- total save(this month): $17.59
- Tatal save:$24.04
- Expense: $210.81

Month 3:
- No one get sick
- Disaster: Slavery and Prostitution no disaster
- No marfia tax
- Total income+last month: $252.44
- Total save(this month) $6.86
- Total save: $30.88
- Expense (this month) $221.54
- Aid: Micro-Financing Loan (month4)
Maria double her income
5-6days wont loss health, 7days loss 10% health
- Free clinic (begin in month 4)
medical check ups become free
sanitry product -1/character/month
Month 4:
- Total income + last month: $321.18
- Total save (this month): $96
- Expense: $225.18
- Change shelter to Concrete
- all members healths are higher than 55%
- Potam sick (loss of income 40%) total income $6.72 + 20%income total income
$8.06
- Relief = Government Subsidies gain 20% income
-
Month 5:
- no one get sick
- Disaster: No disaster
- Relief: Food aid -30% food cost (all month)
- Bring Mcdonal back, give him education
- Total income + last month: $346.64
- Total save (this month) $118.42
- Expense: 228.22$

Month 6:
- no one get sick
- Disaster: No disaster
- Total income + last month: $369.06
- Total save (this month) $140.84
- Expense: 228.22$

Five quote from family member

Potum Jumdoo: Nothing hurts as much as life.

Chrisadee: I work hard for my family.
Maria: I dont have a choice, sorry Mhee.
Mario: Working abord was hard but it is worthless.
Blackbean: thanks government that offer us free clinic.

quote
Despite impressive reduction in poverty, these hard won gains are fragile. Many people
who have escaped poverty are still at high risk of falling back into poverty, said Neak
Samsen, Poverty Analyst of the World Bank in Cambodia and the co-author of the
Poverty Assessment Report.
"Reducing poverty further and helping families who have just escaped poverty to stay
out of poverty is possible," said Ulrich Zachau, World Bank Country Director Manager for
Cambodia and Southeast Asia.

Straving, lack of shelter, no money or in the other word lack of basic need is a huge
problem that occur in many countries all over the world. Cambodia is one of the country that
we can see huge issue of poverty. For the average income of each person in
Cambodia(GDP per capita) is only $744.88 which it is consider as very low. Almost 4.8
million of poor people which 90 percent of them live in rural areas and those who live in rural
area, 1.6 million household face food shortage annually. And now we are here standing at
the rural Cambodia provience Kratie

Topic:
Life never easy
real life than fiction

Introduction
Decision:
Disaster:Serious disease and Slavery
Managing: Ours main source of money is properbly from Macdonal the one who work abord.
And for the rest of us are working hard.

Poverty is one of the main issue that occur in many countries all over the world. In South
east asia there are many countries trying to fix this problem. Next, we will look at this country
that is consider to be one of the poorest country which is Cambodia. Because of the
economic problem make cambodia citizen really poor straving, lack of shelter, no money or
in the other word lack of basic need is a huge problem that occur in many countries all over
the world. For the average income of each person in Cambodia(GDP per capita) is only
$1018which it is consider as very low.

Statistic : Two thirds of the country's 1.6 million rural households face seasonal food shortages
each year. Rice alone accounts for as much as 30 per cent of household expenditures. (Rural
poverty portal)
 Mhee

potum

black bean
 Donale duck

corrugated metal

Poverty is one of the main issues that occur in many countries all over the world. In
South East Asia, there are many countries trying to fix this problem. The country that
considered to be one of the poorest country in South East Asia is Cambodia
because of the economic problem, it makes Cambodia citizens poor, starving, lack of
shelter, no money or in the other word lack of basic need. This is a huge problem
that occurs in many countries all over the world. Most of the poverty in Cambodia is
in rural area which considers about 80%. For the average income of each person in
Cambodia (GDP per capita) is only $1018 which it is consider as very low.
"Reducing poverty further and helping families who have just escaped poverty to
stay out of poverty is possible," said Ulrich Zachau, World Bank Country Director
Manager for Cambodia and Southeast Asia.

April 2015, our journey began in a small village in Kratie, Cambodia. The weather was hot
and humid. We walked through the village to find Mr.Christsadee the head of the family
Chey. On the way, we saw how poor the village was, dirty water, sickness and disaster. A
lot of question came up in our mind, how can they survive in this surrounding? How about
the government, did they do something to fix some problems? As we walked and granted
around we saw shelter , was built with corrugated metal and it was the place that we were
looking for. Meeting Chey was a pleasure. They seem like a normal family, joyful and full of
smile but who know how hard life was, living under poverty. After we had a talk with this
family, we decided to record their life for 6 months. I am the head of the family, it is my
duty to keep me alive. No matter how hard I have to work, I will do my best for my family.
said Chrisadee.
This family has 9 members but two male child were sent aboard and 1
baby was adopted. Cheys family earns less than $250 per month and
most of the income come from two male child who are working aboard. In
this low income ,they have to pay for the government taxes for 10% and
local mafia for 5%. For their expenses, they spend almost $250 per month
which most of the spending is for food. A vital key to earn more income to
support their expenses is to find a better career which means they need
education. Two children are sending to school I believe that education will
provide me a better job in the future so my family will pass the poverty
line said Raijung the oldest female child of the family. Almost every
members get medical checkup and all of them get sanitary. According to
Rural poverty portal, two thirds of the country's 1.6 million rural
households face seasonal food shortages each year. Rice alone accounts
for as much as 30 per cent of household expenditures. Most of the food that
they eat is rice with vegetable and they choose to drink clean water to avoid diseases.

It is hard to make a decision, everyone make a wrong decision, so do I said Maria. The
hardest decision that Maria who is a mother makes would be adopting her youngest male
child. According to the poverty, economic problem, disaster ,etc. They have to adopt Mhee in
order to make other members survive. Bad things didnt end so soon, after loose Mhee they
also loose Raijung who is the oldest female child. She past away because of the disease. They
chose not to pay $30 to buy medication because they dont have a lot of money. The choice
that they made effect their future. We were very apologized for their loss ,but we cant help
anything. They almost lost their male child Potum from the sickness that he got. Potum was
sicked for a month and loss 20% of his income. Fortunately, he become well and is able to
work and learn again.
On June, Bad news came across the ocean, slavery and prostitution occurred in China where
two of the child were working. They all worry about both of them. I cant sleep, cant eat for
almost a week. I was worried about them. Said Potam. Many of teenagers that work aboard
were kidnaped and force to work as prostitute. For boys they were sold to become slavery.
Luckily, they didnt get kidnap to be slavery.
Everything becomes better after a few months. They received some help from the
government. Thanks god, we dont have to pay for the it anymore. I cant remember how
long we have live with fear and violence under those mafia said the grandfather Blackbean.
They also received Micro-Financing Loan which means Maria gain double income. The
medical checkup became free and the cost of sanitary product decreased. On July, there was a
government subsidy that makes all of the member income increase 20%. The family has
enough save to change some of their living. They changed their house from congruent metal
to concrete and buy better food for the family. They also bring their kid back from working
aboard. However, it is impossible to bring both of them back,but they decide to bring
Mcdonald back. We have a chance to talk about his life in other country. He said no place is
better than home. Im very happy to come back home.

Poverty in Cambodia is such a huge problem within the society. Many people suffer from
disease, disaster, and famine. The scarcity or lack of resources, goods, or abilities to
achieve thing is the main problem. Because they have such a low income
the choice that they have to make food, shelter, education or medication
has a huge effect to the family in Cambodia. For 6 months that we had
been recorded. We felt very happy to stay with them. We understand how
hard life was in Kratie. There is a huge risk staying in poverty. Even they
able to escape poverty, they can still chance of falling back. According to
Neak Samsen, Poverty Analyst of the World Bank in Cambodia and the co-
author of the Poverty Assessment Report. Despite impressive reduction
in poverty, these hard won gains are fragile. Many people who have
escaped poverty are still at high risk of falling back into poverty,