The path to a better life
Cambodia is in the midst of rebuilding its social, economic, cultural and political sectors after decades of instability. The majority of the Cambodian population lacks education, safe infrastructure and sanitary conditions. In October 2008 we established sponsorship programs with affiliate ChildFund Australia in Cambodia to not only help the country rebuild, but also to improve the quality of life.
Eighty-five percent Cambodia’s population lives in rural areas and relies on subsistence agriculture for its livelihood. With almost half the population under the age of 18, we are helping to develop this sector to help supplement their families’ household income. The Youth for Development program teaches young people leadership skills and encourages them to participate in training about income generation, business planning and life skills. This program debuted in the Svay Thum and Svay Yea areas.
The government is working toward providing greater access to safe water to rural communities. Also, to increase opportunities for employment and income generation, our Healthy Villages program supports the construction and rehabilitation of water systems (wells) and improving Cambodia’s quality of water. We will contribute toward this goal by building 262 latrines and 62 wells and educating villagers on proper hygiene and sanitation.
Rebuilding with an eye on the future
It’s critical that Cambodia rebuilds with the future in mind. That means improving the educational infrastructure. In the Svay Chrum district, less than 50 percent of pre-school children attend kindergarten. We are establishing kindergartens in each community-based school in the Svay Chrum district and the Svay Rieng province and training teachers on child-friendly teaching methodology to provide their students with a warm and active learning environment.
The best interests of the child are central to all of our development planning. We integrate child protection training into all of our initiatives, including our life skills training provided to 25 Child Clubs.
We give Cambodians new, more effective strategies to take care of and educate their children every day. Help us to help Cambodia fulfill its potential for success.
