Cambodian Journalists Alliance Association

Ngay Nai

Cambodian migrant workers prepare to board a military truck to transport them from the Thai side of the border to the Cambodian side after, August 13, 2021. Supplied Photo

Female migrant workers struggle to find jobs after returning home

At the age of 16, with her family facing severe financial difficulties, Keo Chakriya dropped out of school to join the workforce. Lured by promises of a high salary and better work conditions, Chakriya, now 22, did not hesitate to pursue work in Thailand. She got a job in a factory and stayed over five years, until August 2021, when she was forced to return to Cambodia as COVID-19 began its rapid spread.