COVID-19’s impact on  the homebased workers in 6 member countries of HomeNet Southeast Asia: Cambodia, as  of the end of March 2020

✨ HomeNet Cambodia✨
The Cambodian  government does not have any schemes  for  supporting formal and informal workers, micro-small-medium social enterprises/businesses. 
There is no loan with low interest, no regulation  of micro-finance institution-banks etc. regarding the delay of loan repayment for a certain period.This  affects many HBWs who borrowed money for increasing their production capacity.

There is an announcement  to discount 50% for  poor families  for utilizing  electricity  and will be effective this month.
When the borders closed, many of HBWs still produce the products from home and sell locally; however, there are fewer and fewer buyers. 
As for HBWs who are in Phnom Penh, they make masks from cotton Krama and  sell them either wholesale or retail through local trade fairs, but  the HNC coordinator told them not to join any new fair anymore to prevent the spread of  Covid-19. So they still make masks and sell through their Facebook. 
Many of the Artisan Association of Cambodia (AAC) members, who are the buyers of HBWs, have closed for at least for one month, and will make the decision  to operate or not after that, but they still pay  their workers. Some pay full salary, others pay  a certain percentage,   depending  on their financial situation.
Cambodian people call  on  the government to talk to the banks and micro-finance institutions to delay the repayment  but  there is no reaction from the government yet, The  HNC coordinator keeps following  up on this.
Covid-19 Testing is still limited and the  number of infections is increasing.
Fortunately, there is no HBW  or AAC artisaninfected  as of today.
Face book talk about Covid-19 is also not very open.
As a fair trade Association: AAC/NHC has actively been working on sending  information regarding Covid-19 and Personal Protective Equipment.
The Cambodian government has used hotels for Covid-19 infected patients.
The new announcement from government:  schools  are being prepared for patients if there is a high rise in  number.
There are seven  medical persons from China helping to combat Covid-19.
The Prime Minister plans to put Cambodia in emergency state, using martial law soon.