Throughout the
past decade, marriage between young Cambodians was traditionally dependent on
financial support from the couples' families. However, a new wave of youth is
trying to make great strides in saving up to support themselves in marriage.
T Newlyweds, now, are just starting out in their financial endeavours,
according to Professor Sambo Manara, Deputy Director of the History Department
at Royal University of Phnom Penh. Previously, he explained, the trend was to
get married after reaching financial stability.
Professor Sambo said that three factors make it difficult for young
Cambodians to save up money for marriage now: the individual, society, and
environment.
The individual factor, he expanded, means that today's young generation
are used to their parents taking care of them financially. “Therefore,” he
said, “they have a mindset that they will always get something from others.”
The society factor, Professor Sambo said, is a trend inherent in
today's domestic job market. Because employers suspect that young Cambodians
are reliant on their parents for money, and therefore not hardworking, they are
reluctant to hire them for new jobs.
And as for the environment factor, he said: “This creates and leads to
the cause of why youth do not try and earn money.”
Professor Sambo said that because today's young Cambodians observe the
environment around them of others not working - or simply waiting for an
inheritance form their parents - they learn and repeat the same habits, and
make no efforts to earn money for themselves.
Thirty-year-old Tok Kimsong, who is recently married, works as an
agriculture project facilitator. Unlike many others his age, he relies on his
own earnings to support his marriage.
“I'm self-dependent,” he said. “It is difficult to save money since we
have to spend a lot, too,” adding that before marriage, he was able to send his
extra money to his siblings in his home province.
Mao Sophany is Tok Kimsong's wife. She's 25, and works as a development
facilitator at Youth for Peace. She said that she's proud of her husband, since
he can stand on his own two feet without relying on others.
“This shows that he values marriage, and he put in a lot of effort
until we got married,” she said, adding that her parents agreed on her marriage
too.
Tok Kimsong said that since the marriage, he has faced some financial
difficulties. He recommended that someone who is planning to marry should not
waste too much money on material belongings, and should spend only on
necessities. He also recommended that couples keep their savings in a bank and
collect interest.
Some couples, however, still need help from their parents to support
the marriage. Twenty-seven-year-old Sok Kong, an assistant at the International
Centre for Conciliation, was financed by his parents when he got married - and
continues to receive their monetary support.
“I feel ashamed that I still depend on them for this marriage. I also
feel ashamed with myself,” he said.
Sara Lida, a 53-year-old housewife, says that saving money for marriage
will ease the burden for the couples' parents and also maintain a sense a
pride. She supports four children without the financial help of her family.
“It is good if couples can find money and marry [without financial
support]” she said.
Sun Narin
The Phnom Penh Post
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