KAMPONG SPEU, Cambodia, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Phann Leakhena, a mother of two children, has seen a significant change in her livelihood after she got a steady job at a Chinese-invested mango processing factory here in western Cambodia's Phnom Sruoch district four years ago.

Leakhena said prior to the establishment of Zhong Bao (Cambodia) Food Science & Technology Co, Ltd., she was jobless and life was in hardship because she depended her entire livelihood on helping pick mangoes and spray pesticides for other mango orchard owners in exchange for little money and the income was just occasional.

But her life has changed when she was offered a job as a mango slicer at the factory, where she has earned a monthly salary, ranging from more than 300 to 500 U.S. dollars. Moreover, as the factory is close to her house, it's convenient for her to live together and mind her children.

"I like job here because I can make money, and the job is stable," she told Xinhua in a recent interview. "Since I got a job here, my livelihood has significantly improved because I can save a good amount of money.

Leakhena said she could save about 200 dollars every month after all bills and necessities.

"If I compare my previous and current livelihoods, it's far different. At this factory, we can make good income, job is easy to do, and it is adjacent to our house," she said.

Leakhena said China's purchase of Cambodian dried mangoes has not only benefited small-scale farmers and workers in this rural area, but also contributed to boosting the local economy.

"It's good that Chinese people help buy mangoes from Cambodia because it has helped create jobs for locals, so they needn't migrate for jobs far away from home," she said.

Leakhena is one of more than 800 workers employed by the factory, which produces dried mangos, and the factory has purchased thousands of tons of mangoes from local farmers annually.

Neang Sreymao, a 20-year-old mango-slicing team leader at the factory, said she likes the job because it is near her house and the salary is also decent.

"My monthly salary ranges from 500 to 800 U.S. dollars, and this has improved my livelihood better," she told Xinhua.

Sreymao said the factory has a huge impact on rural livelihoods, as it has offered opportunities for smallholder farmers to increase their income and for locals to have stable jobs with decent salaries.

"I would like to call on Chinese consumers to support made-in-Cambodia mango jam, so it will contribute further to the development of Cambodia," she said.

Sreymao added that the factory has helped revive mango farms in the region, as most of the farmers quit them in the past due to no potential market.

"Previously, mango plantations were abandoned. No one cared for them because when harvest seasons came, there were no buyers, so they abandoned them or changed to grow other agricultural crops," she said.

"Since China has purchased mangoes from Cambodia, farmers have planted mango trees (again) and reaped the fruits, so they have money to support their families," she added.

Tith Sreymean, a 19-year-old mango slice quality controller at the factory, said the dried mangoes exported to China are both high in quality and hygiene.

"I would like to thank Chinese companies very much for helping buy mango jam from Cambodia," she told Xinhua.

Sreymean added that their support has allowed rural workers to make regular salaries and farmers to get better income.

"People living near the factory are very happy after Chinese investors have established it here because it has enabled them to make a stable income, and it's easy for them to travel from their homes to work at the factory," she said. Enditem

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