A Garment Worker’s Tale of Being Discriminated to Gaining Admiration

What’s New

Once seen as just another female garment worker, Phan Channy quietly defied expectations. Hoping to build a better life for her family, she took a chance and invested in a money transfer business.

Through perseverance and hard work, she eventually expanded by adding two more outlets. Her efforts brought in an income that once fell out of reach and gradually earned her the respect of her community. Today, she encourages women – especially garment workers and housewives – to start small businesses as a way to secure a stable income.

“Time doesn’t wait for you, you have to start investing in a business to generate money,” she says.

Born into poverty with no formal skills and only an eighth-grade education, Channy – one of seven siblings – saw just one path forward: factory work. In 1996, she joined a garment factory to help pay off her parents’ debts, as they struggled to make ends meet as farmers burdened by poor market conditions and repeated losses.

After 10 years of working to help her parents pay off their debts, Channy decided to leave her job at the garment factory. She also wanted to escape the discrimination she had experienced then.

After resigning in 2005, she picked up hair styling skills before getting married in 2008 and having her first child. However, she later learned that the harsh chemicals in the hair dye and spray affected her baby in her womb because of her daily inhalation. This forced Channy to stop working at the hair salon as she did not want her second child’s health to be affected in the same way.

At that point, their family-of-four had to rely entirely on her husband’s income. Despite having only one leg, he worked as a hairdresser, earning just 30,000 and 40,000 riel a day (approximately $10) to support the entire family.

Risk of loan default Vs hope of good returns

Due to financial constraints, Channy’s family could only afford to eat eggs for their daily meals behind closed doors. “I don’t want people to see that the only thing I can afford to eat is eggs,” she said.”

This left her feeling hopeless and worried about her children’s future. She desperately wanted them to pursue a higher education so that they could secure a better life than hers.

Channy and her husband decided to borrow money from a bank to open a Wing Cash Xpress agent. Although they feared defaulting on their loan repayments, the potential growth of the business gave Channy hope for good returns.

“I saw the transfer of money by Wing and the banking sector as hugely beneficial. Furthermore, Wing Cash Xpress agents were located far from each other in rural villages. Because I didn’t see anyone open a Wing Cash Xpress agent at the time, I decided to open one,” she said.

And that marked the beginning of her new journey. Since 2019, Channy has been operating a Wing outlet in her village.

As a Wing Cash Xpress agent, Channy was able to earn profits every day from money transfers and other services, including payment of electric and water bills, by villagers in her community. However, when Covid-19 hit, her income declined, but that did not stop her from expanding her business.

In late 2022, a few years after Wing transformed into a commercial bank, Channy was invited to be part of Wing Bank’s growth and became a Wing Master Agent.

As a Wing Master Agent, her services include loan referrals and financial transactions to help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) grow their businesses. She also offers money transfer services, enabling people to avoid long-distance travel.

Today, Channy has expanded from being a Wing Master Agent in her first branch in Ponhea Lueu district in Kandal province to operating the other two branches. They help locals, fishermen, factory workers, business owners, office workers, and farmers support their operations by lending money to expand their businesses with low interest rates.

“Wing Bank business is really helpful for Cambodians as they don’t have to travel far to any bank – the nearest is about eight kilometres away. If they want to deposit money, or withdraw large amounts, we can fully provide that money and other services for them,” she said, referring to Wing Bank’s large amount of readily-available capital.

She is grateful to the employees of Wing Bank for their patience and dedication in training her in new skills, products, and services. Their support helped her grow into a better version of herself and empowered her to run her business more effectively.

Given the opportunity, 45-year-old Channy is eager to continue her education. “I want to study computer skills, Microsoft Excel, and Accounting,” she said. “But it feels like an impossible wish—no school will accept an adult like me who only finished Grade 8.”

From discrimination to admiration

“People started to admire me. They said they didn’t expect me to come this far. I too want to tell them I almost didn’t expect my livelihood to get better,” Channy said. “I want to say thank you to Wing Bank for making my day. I feel so proud.”

Channy said she has two idols in her life. One is Neak Oknha Mao Chamnan, the wife of Neak Oknha Kith Meng who is Chairman of the Board of Directors of Wing Bank and CEO of the Royal Group of Companies, and another one is herself.

“My other idol is myself. If I don’t work hard, I cannot move forward. So, I am strong, but I also see her [Chamnan] as a role model,” she added.

“She [Chamnan] is a perfect woman, both in [her] personal and professional life,” she said, noting how much she appreciates and admires her.

She once met Neak Oknha Mao Chamnan and her husband in person during the official launch of Wing Bank’s commercial license in March 2022. She was amazed by how humble and friendly they were. “They are tycoons in Cambodia—yet they came and spoke to us,” she said.

Another powerful catalyst that drives Channy to push beyond her limits is her desire to be a heroine for her children. “I want to be a heroine for my children. They feel proud of me when they talk to others,” she said. Channy is determined to give her children the better lives she never had growing up.

Channy encouraged women to have their own business apart from being a housewife, looking after children and doing housework. “As a woman, you don’t have to be perfect but please help yourself, not only by working in the kitchen. Women are stronger now than they used to be.”

Channy also urged those who are stuck in the same cycle of work with little hope and uncertainties in life, such as garment workers, to start their own business as it can stabilise their finances.

“Don’t wait until you have enough money or to save more money. There is no way you can save enough money because you will only keep saving and do nothing,” she said. “To all women, please don’t wait for the time because time will not wait for us. In this digital age, try to do anything to have an income for yourself.”