Cambodia
Cambodia farmers displaced by sugar plantations proceed with landmark international class action suit
The growth of the sugar industry in Southeast Asia resulted in the displacement of many small farmers. But some farmers in Cambodia are finally trying to get compensation for their losses, and, in some cases, violent harassment by sugar producers. A class action lawsuit in Thailand filed by Cambodian farmers is considered to be a major landmark for this part of the world. New documents may suggest that Coca-Cola knew about human rights violations in Cambodia.
Microfinance was meant to help the world’s poor, but in Cambodia, it’s plunging people deeper into debt
Microfinance was hailed as a way to change the lives of hundreds of millions of people without access to credit. It worked so well that Grameen Bank founder Muhammad Yunus was awarded a Nobel Prize. But then, banks jumped in to get in on the profits. To manage high debt levels, Cambodians are migrating for work, eating less and even pulling their children out of school.
Despite lack of govt loans for college in Cambodia, these students are making it work
Most Cambodians live in rural areas, with many struggling to make a living on small farms. Even with low public school tuition fees, sending a child to college is nearly impossible. Those who want a higher education must be resourceful.
Student loans can be ‘simple’ and ‘automatic.’ Other countries offer lessons to the US.
In the US, interest on student loans started accruing again on Sept. 1. Soon, more than 40 million borrowers will have to resume their payments. The US is an outlier when it comes to high tuition and the debts that students take on.