My name is Sar Savoeun, and I am a 48-year-old woman living in Kbal Spean Village, Po Hor Commune, Svay Rieng City, Cambodia. I reside with my husband and son and work as a Peer Educator for AHF Cambodia at a hospital in Svay Rieng Province.
Savoeun (white shirt) providing health education to clients in the hospital.
In 1995, I married Mr. Ma Sovann, a blacksmith in Phnom Penh. Our happiness was short-lived as my husband began to experience severe health problems soon after our marriage and passed away in late 1997. Devastated and widowed, I returned to my family home, where I faced intense stigma and discrimination from the community due to the circumstances of his illness. Despite the challenges, I drew strength from the unwavering support of my family and started a small home-based grocery business, which became a source of both income and resilience in those trying times.
In 2003, I began experiencing unexplained weight loss and persistent sickness that did not respond to routine treatments. One day, I attended a health education session organized by a local NGO called RIDA, which was raising awareness about HIV. Their information resonated with me, as it reflected my husband’s symptoms before his passing. Motivated by this realization, I underwent HIV testing at the provincial hospital in Svay Rieng. In November 2003, I received a positive diagnosis. The news was devastating, and I initially felt hopeless about my future.
Through regular counseling, home visits, and medical care provided by healthcare teams and NGOs, I gradually regained my mental and physical strength. By 2004, I was volunteering with the Chamlang Health Center under RIDA, educating others about HIV and offering support to clients seeking medical care. This role brought purpose to my life and prepared me for a full-time position in 2008.
I began working as an assistant at the “Friend Help Friend” Center within the provincial hospital in 2010. I provided support to people living with HIV/AIDS who came for medical services. I also decided to take a brave step forward in my personal life. In 2013, I married a man who is also living with HIV. Together, we had a son who was born HIV-free, thanks to the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission program and my adherence to medical advice throughout my pregnancy. This marked a turning point in my life, filling me with hope and determination to help others in similar circumstances.
I have been a Peer Educator with AHF Cambodia since late 2014, working closely with the hospital’s medical team to support clients in areas such as adherence to antiretroviral therapy, health education, opportunistic infections, and psychological well-being. Additionally, through the AHF Cambodia “Food for Health” program, I received seed funding to start snail farming and poultry raising at home. These initiatives have improved my family’s financial stability and quality of life. I am deeply grateful to AHF Cambodia for their continued support in my work journey and personal life. Their encouragement and the acceptance I received from the hospital staff have empowered me to overcome societal stigma and build a life filled with purpose and dignity.
