Tag: design research
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A shophouse in the alley
Srey, determined to support her parents, made the courageous decision to leave her rural Cambodian village and move to the city. She joined her older brother, his wife, and their son, who had moved to the city much earlier. All 4 of them live in a small room that doubles as both their private home…
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3 tips to flourish at a market
Thyda possesses remarkable expertise in distinguishing between freshwater lake fish and those raised in artificial farms. She explained that farm fish are often administered chemicals to maintain their health, and she can immediately identify the farm fish based on their distinct sliminess that hampers their ability to dry properly. Thyda’s extensive experience of over 30…
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A river of protein
A lady chills on a platform surrounded by plastic buckets of iced seafood in the humid market in Cambodia: fish, eels, stingray, water snakes, prawns, cockles– a sea of protein. The Mekong River is the largest supplier of protein in the region with over 1,100 species of fish. Mekong is second in its bio-diversity only to…
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Breakfast banter
Early one morning at the market, a few strangers huddled around a vendor who was cooking noodles called “Lot Cha” លតឆា during the bustle of breakfast. The air was thick was humidity. At one corner of the table, a lady broke the news about her friend’s newborn baby who had just died. The other women…
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Hanging by a thread
While I was browsing the Night Market, Chamroeun invited me to explore her collection of clothes. I was struck by her impeccable command of English, learning that she was not only an enterprising seller, but a Literature teacher. She balances her time by hawking good from 6:00pm to 11:00pm every night, and rises early in…
Shopkeeper Stories 