Garment factories are plentiful in Cambodia..they are seen to be the way out of the fields for the teenagers and adults in the rural areas. Teenagers as young as 13 quit school to join the [illegal] workforce working as long as 10 to 12 hours a day to earn $50USD a month.
While OBCR tries to stop this from happening, parents of the children insist that this practice helps lift some burden off the family. Many teenagers also succumb to peer pressure {seeing their employed friends afford some luxury} and the obsession of being able to earn a living without the need for going under the sun.
This practice is expected to continue at least for the next 10 years.
Some facts:
- The garment industry is the largest industrial employer in Cambodia
- The factories are mainly owned by Chinese and Korean companies
- Over 70% of the garments made in Cambodia gets exported to USA
- The industry employs an estimated 350,000 Cambodian teenagers and adults
- There are more than 300 [registered/ accounted for] garment factories in Cambodia
- In the first half of 2011, garment export earnings was at US$ 1.86 billion
