Poverty Simulation Students

MUIDS Social Studies: Economics
Cambodia Rural Poverty Simulation

Directions: As part of our unit on Microeconomics, you will learn about budgeting,
choice, opportunity cost and trade-offs by participating in a simulation as a family in
rural Cambodia. Much like in real-life, your ability to lead a successful family will
depend on a combination of good decision making and luck. Throughout the
simulation, you will have to deal with real-life problems that rural people in
developing countries must face daily. In Part 1 you will create the characters in your
family and design their personalities. You will make choices about what investments
to make in the family members including education, health-care, food, housing and
access to clean drinking water. In Part II you will lead your family through a 6-month
simulation. When problems happen, you will have to make decisions which will
affect the members of your family and cause you to make difficult choices. You will
also keep track of an ongoing budget with income, expenses and savings. In Part III
you will reflect on the successes, failures and challenges you faced throughout the
simulation.
Your Family Number: 1

Your Familys Province: Kampot
Family Housing Choice: 7
Characters:
_________________________________________________________
You will have between 6 and 9 characters.
List their type (ex. Mother, grandmother, male child 14-18, etc) on the lines
below.
Once you have made the list, you must change the order to the following:
Male (oldest youngest); Female (oldest youngest) and number your list.
1. Character: Grandfather ( 65 years old)

2. Character: Father (43 years old)
3. Character : Male Child (18 years old)
4. Character: Male Child (17 years old)
5. Character: Character: Male Child (13 years old)
6. Character: Mother (41 years old)
7. Character: Female Child (15 years old)
Character Summaries:
___________________________________________________________________
Character Summaries should include name, age, personality and interests.
Families with less characters should have more in-depth descriptions.
As you make decisions throughout, try to imagine as if these people are your
real family. In Part III, you will have to explain your decisions and how
you believe they helped improve the overall well-being of your family.
Your summary should also include:

o Does the character attend school?
o Is the character going to be working abroad?
o How many days per week does the character work?
o What kind of food and water do they consume?
o Do they have access to health check-ups and sanitary products?
You will make these decisions in the beginning and they will apply to month 1.
All of the information in this sheet must match your budget sheet!
There is an optional 5-point bonus for any group that creates a family picture.
1. Grandfather (65 years old)

His name is Keo. He is an 63-year-old grandfather who loves creating new things
from leftover rubbishes. Sometimes, he creates new inventions or machines to help his
family such as a simple water filter. Sometimes, he also makes some toys for his their
beloved grandchildren. Moreover, he loves exercising. He always wakes up early in the
morning and goes jogging. Hence, hes quite healthy as he has no congenital diseases yet.
2. Father (43 years old)
His name is Khin. He is a hardworking and diligent man as he is the head of the
family. He spends his weekdays working for money to support his family. Even though, he is
tired but he keeps fighting and working for the family. However, he doesnt forget to look
after his child. He spends his weekend resting and playing with his child. And he always
writes letters to his children who are working abroad if he has a chance.
3. Male child (18 years old)
Chin is the eldest brother and he loves his youngest brother so bad. As a result, he
gives his chance to go to school to his beloved brother. Therefore, he doesnt go to school
but he decides to work abroad to gain more income and sends it back to his family.
However, not going to school doesnt affect him that much because he always spend his free
time reading books by himself. In addition, he is a clever boy so he understands things
easily and be able to do self study.
4. Male child (17 years old)
Din takes the same route with Chin, his elder brother. He decides to work abroad
together with his brother and sister. He is interested in arts so he likes to draw and paints
picture during his spare time. He also earns some little money from selling his wonderful
drawings.
5. Male Child (13)
His name is Balin. As he is the only one in his family who has a chance to go to
school, so he tries his best to study. In his free time, he often collects water bottles nearby
and sells them. So even though, he is not working as hard as the rest of the family, but he
tries to find ways to help his family. And he hopes that one day, he will be able to improve the
well-being of his family.
6. Mother (41 years old)
Her name is Dara. Even though, she spends her whole weekdays working with her
husband. But she still has a responsibility of being a good mom, wife and daughter. She tries
to find a time to look after her youngest son, her husband and her father. In her free time,
she often makes some new garments from donated clothes for her family members and
knits some scarves for the winter.
7. Female Child (15 years old)

Mey is a cheerful girl, the only daughter in the family. So her brothers tries their best
to protect and takes good care of her. And because she grows up with his brothers and her
family consists mostly of boys, she is not that girly. She likes playing football with his
brothers and practises fighting with his father. She is also very good at martial arts,
especially Thai boxing/ Muay Thai. From this reason, her family allows her to work abroad,
with his brothers.
MONTH #1
Attending School : Only the youngest son (Balin)
Working Abroad : Chin (18 years old ) , Din (17 years old) and Mey (15 years old)
Working Day : - Father, Mother, Grandfather : 5 days a week
- Youngest child (Balin) : 1 day a week
Food and Water : Everyone is eating rice&vegetable and drinking clean water.
Health check-ups : Nobody receives the health check-up except grandfather.
Sanitary products : Everyone is having sanitary products.
MONTH #2
Working Abroad : Chin (18 years old ) , Din (17 years old) and Mey (15 years old)
Working Day : - Father, Mother : 5 days a week
- Grandfather : 5 days a week (lose 40% of his income)
Health check-ups : Everyone receives the health check-ups except Balin.
*** Emergency : Grandfather is sick.
MONTH #3
Working Abroad : Chin (18 years old ) , Din (17 years old)
Working Day : - Father, Mother, Grandfather, Mey : 5 days a week
Health check-ups : Grandfather, Father , Mother and Mey receive the health check-ups.
*** Emergency : Landmine explode

MONTH #4
Working Abroad : Chin (18 years old )
Working Day : - Father, Mother, Grandfather, Mey, Din : 5 days a week
Health check-ups : Grandfather, father, mother, Din and Mey receive the health check-ups.
MONTH #5
Health check-ups : Everyone receives the health check-ups except Balin.
*** Emergency : Din died
MONTH #6
Health check-ups : Grandfather, Father, Mother, Mey and Chin receive the health checkups.
Monthly Diary:
___________________________________________________________________
In this section you need to keep track of the following:
All major events (positive and negative) that happen to your family. You also
need to keep track of how the event affects your characters income, costs
and health.
Any choices that you make and how the choice affects your characters
income, costs and health.
All choices must include an explanation which shows that you understand the
trade-offs.
It is essential that you keep good, detailed notes.
Month 1:
They are living in the Corrugated metal house where the cost and quality are not too
high or low.Three children, including 2 brothers and 1 sister are sent abroad to work.
Therefore, only 4 people are left in the family which is easier to manage the incomes and
expenses of the family. Everyone, except the youngest son, works 5 days a week. To make
up for that, everyone is receiving all the necessary living factors, including rice&vegetable for
food, clean water, firewood, sanitary products except the health check-ups. But because
grandfather is getting older and weaker, he cares more about his health. So he is the only
one who receives the medical check-up.And the youngest brother is sent to school so he
can work for 1 day/week only.
Including the government tax payments, bribes to local mafia and other expenses,
the family is able to keep incomes over expenses and is able to keep the savings at $30.
Month 2:
As grandfather is getting older and older, hes getting sick. So he is able to work
less , loses 40% of his income and should be paying $5 for the medication. But luckily, the
family receives AID from the government which results in decrease of 30 % in food
expenses. And because father and mother are getting tired from working for the whole
weekdays, they both went for the medical check-ups. But for the rest activities in this month,
they are pretty the same comparing to the first month. Our money is not enough to bring
children back from abroad, so they are still working there.
the family is able to keep incomes over expenses and is able to keep the savings at $28.58 ,
(including the savings from last month)
Month 3:
For this month, Land mine has exploded in Kampot and Khin (father) is standing near
the land mine at that time. But his good luck has saved him, he somehow hasnt been blown
up and was able to survive from this devastating disaster. The family realised the importance
of existence/survival of each family member.Their lives would be even worse if they lose
someone in the family. From this reason,they brought Mey back from abroad, to prevent her
from being sold into sex-slavery or working in the sex trade. For Mey, health check-up is a
must because when she is working abroad, she didnt eat good food, didnt live in good
shelter and didnt receive the medical check-up. So when she came back, she needs to go
for the body check-up and will be receiving since this month.
Moreover, Keo (grandfather) is getting better and not sick anymore ,so he is able to
work normally as usual. Everything is getting better in this month and they tried to save as
much money as they can, for emergencies that might occur in the future and also for
bringing the children back from abroad.
the family is able to keep incomes over expenses and is able to keep the savings at $47.96.
(including the savings from last month).
Month 4:
This month is considered one of the best months for them. No disasters or sickness
happened during this month.And for the good news, Din finally came back from abroad.So
now, only the eldest brother(Chin), is still working abroad. Furthermore, they receive the
Micro-financing Loan, a loan from non-government organisation with interest free, for a
woman to start a small business.This is very beneficial, especially for mother. She is now
able to open a small business, selling her weaving products which is her interest. And this
amount of loan will be paid back within 5 years. So they will be paying back when they have
profit from selling. And similar to Mey, Din should have the medical check-up too.
Month 5:
Happiness doesnt last long for them. After Din went to the clinic to get the medical
check-up, he was informed that he has the Malaria.The family tried to help him as much as
they can by sending him to the hospital and paid $30 for the medication to save his life. But
this amount of money was paid for nothing. Din was severely infected so that he died, after
coming back to Cambodia for only a month. Everyone was sad and depressed after his
death.
However, in their unluckiness, there is still a good luck. They received the AID this
month, which is the government subsidies, a benefit given from the government to help the
family with children. This subsidies helps lower the price of the goods as the farmers receive
some amount of money. As a result, every single member of the family has a 20% increase
in their income.
And as soon as Chin heard the news, he decided to come back to join the funeral of
his brother. He promises himself to be the head of the family and will work his best to
support his family. He promises everybody that he will try his best to take care of everyone
and will not anyone die again. And from now on, he will be receiving the health check-up.
Month 6:
So now the children already came back from aboard. Even though, Din is not here
anymore, but lives go on. Everyone works hard to improve the quality of life of their family. At
the same time, Balin studies hard too. He hopes that one day, he will have a good career,
earn a lot of money and move his family to a better place.
And from Dins case, they realised that nothing is more important than having family
staying together. So they change their shelter, from Corrugated Metal to Concrete House.
And change the food from only rice&vegetable to rice,vegetable&meat. Therefore,
everybody will be healthier and will not get sick or disease easily.
the family is not able to keep incomes over expenses. However, including the savings from
last month, they are still able to keep the savings at $57.96.
Reflection
From the starting, the family are living in the Corrugated House and receiving all the
sanitary products. They eat rice&vegetable for food and drink clean water. But because the
money is not enough, only some members receive the medical check-ups and the access to
the education. Furthermore, some children were sent abroad to work because of the higher
wages. So they need to work hard and cant go to school. Their main goal is to save money
for the emergencies that might occur in the future and having every member living together.
There were many problems and emergencies happening in these past 6 months. In
Month 2, grandfather got sick so his income decreased and he needed to pay for the
medication. But luckily, the family received AID from the government. Therefore, the saving
for this month just slightly dropped down. In Month 3, there was a land mine explosion but
no one get injured or died. From this month, they started to bring the children back from
abroad one by one. In Month 4, they received the Micro-financing loan, which allowed
mother to open a small business. So the saving for this month went up a lot. In Month 5,
they needed to make a very important decision. Din, the male child(17), who just came back
from abroad got a serious disease (Malaria). And the family needed to decide whether to pay
$30 for his medication or not. They must pay even if they didnt know that Din will or will not
recover from disease.They paid for his medication to save his life,but he was severely
infected so that he died. The family was so depressed but they have already done
everything that they could. In this month, they got the AID from the government which results
in 20% increase of their income. So, in Month 6, all the children were now came back to
Cambodia. They changed the shelter to the Concrete house and starting eating
rice,vegetable and meat for food. These changes are to improve their health and quality of
life so that they wont easily get sick.
So what we can see from this 6-month simulation is that the family needs to make
the decisions all the time, in order to choose the best thing for their family. And in every
choice they make, there will always be a trade-off. It simply means that, in order to get
something, they might lose something in return. So, even if their lives also depends on their
luck, but making a good decision is an essential thing which can help the family in many
ways.

Poverty Simulation Students

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Poverty Simulation Students

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

MUIDS Social Studies: Economics

Cambodia Rural Poverty Simulation

Your Family Number: 1

MUIDS Social Studies: Economics

You will have between 6 and 9 characters.

1. Character: Grandfather ( 65 years old)

MUIDS Social Studies: Economics

Character Summaries should include name, age, personality and interests.

Families with less characters should have more in-depth descriptions.

Your summary should also include:

MUIDS Social Studies: Economics

1. Grandfather (65 years old)

MUIDS Social Studies: Economics

7. Female Child (15 years old)

MUIDS Social Studies: Economics

MUIDS Social Studies: Economics

*** Emergency : Landmine explode

MUIDS Social Studies: Economics

It is essential that you keep good, detailed notes.

MUIDS Social Studies: Economics

MUIDS Social Studies: Economics

MUIDS Social Studies: Economics

You might also like