Learner Spotlight: Meet Khun Vannet

Learner Spotlight: Meet Mrs. Khun Vannet

“This financial coaching program made me realise how important it is for me and for other people with disabilities to be aware of mindful spending, life goal setting, and financial management, which can positively impact on our financial well-being.”

In our latest Learner Spotlight, Arunremfa Lim, Good Return’s CAFE Asia-Pacific Program Officer, interviews Mrs. Khun Vannet, one of our outstanding CAFE (financial capability) coaches from Batheay District, Kampong Cham province.

Vannet is a 33-year-old coach under the ACCESS CAFE Phase 2 project. She has been working with people with disabilities since 2009 and is currently the leader of Women and Children with Disabilities Forum Kampong Cham (W.C.D.F.K), one of Good Return’s newest OPD partners (Organisations for People with Disabilities). With an impairment on her left leg, she is passionate about not only representing the voice of other people living with disabilities but also strives to be a supportive coach and friend in her community. Vannet is living-proof of how people with impairments can pioneer as change-makers in society.

Prior to becoming a coach, Vannet lacked financial literacy and resources, and did not think too much about tracking her daily expenses or income. Her general tendency was to overspend and this often led to family financial crises. However, her training to become a CAFE coach has changed her perspective on money management, spending habits and taught her to save for emergencies. According to Vannet, the CAFE Coaching Program has had a significant impact on her life and she is now inspired to share these learnings with her community, especially those living with disabilities.

However, Vannet also admits that her journey as a coach is not always easy. For example, her learning group is diverse and includes a range of literacy levels and different impairments. This means Vanet has to draw upon various communication techniques in order to deliver the most effective trainings. Additionally, some of her learners have low digital literacy which can pose further challenges - especially when her learners are using tablets.

Regardless, Vannet is determined to persevere because she believes that these skills are vital for her community. Consequently, when she is delivering her training she now combines both verbal explanations and uses sign language. She patiently supports her learners to use tablets and keep track of their Take-Home Challenges. To get the most out of the learners, she has also engaged the learners’ families so that the learners can continue to feel supported outside of the classroom. This familial support can range from access to regular transportation to the classroom, hand-writing support, and communication support. As a result, the impacts of the CAFE training have multiplied and both the learners and their families have explained to Vanet that the 6-week training has allowed them to keep track of their income and their spending behaviours. 

Vannet feels truly proud of her journey to become a passionate coach who can empower her community with financial management and life planning skills. She is also energised by her new role as an advocate for the inclusivity of people with disabilities to have equal access to information and public services.

At the end of her interview, she thanked Good Return and Chamreoun for their ongoing commitment to economically empowering marginalised groups through the CAFE Program.

Written by Arunremfa Lim, Good Return’s CAFE Asia-Pacific Program Officer.

Good Return’s CAFE Initiative is delivered in partnership with the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program #ANCP