Cambodia
Cambodia, located in Southeast Asia, is a tropical country with diverse landscapes that include forested mountains, high plateaus, coastal areas, and rice fields. Yet Cambodia remains one of the poorest countries in Asia. Most of Cambodia’s poor don’t have indoor plumbing or electricity. Rural residents have little access to medical care, and most can’t send their kids to “free” public schools because of the cost of uniforms and supplies. Seasonal food shortages are common, and a third of kids under 5 are stunted. That’s why our global community of Child Champions is here, working in the hard places to bring help and hope to children.
CHILD RELIEF AND DEVELOPMENT IN Cambodia
CHALLENGES FOR KIDS AND HOW CHILD CHAMPIONS HELP
Lack of Access to Clean Water and Sanitation
In rural areas, most of the population does not have access to clean water, which contributes to the spread of preventable illnesses like cholera and dengue fever. Limiting the spread of such diseases is an important aspect of decreasing poverty in Cambodia.
How Child Champions Are Helping Children in Poverty in Cambodia
Kids enrolled at Hope Centers in Cambodia have access to clean water and also are taught good hygiene practices to avoid preventable illnesses. Most Hope Centers have clean, running water and make it available not only to the kids, but to the community as well. Kids also have access to health care at their centers in the event they end up sick from drinking contaminated water.
Read this inspirational story: Quenching Thirst and Restoring Hope
BE INSPIREDLack of Access to Health Care Services
Children living in rural Cambodia have the most difficulty gaining access to medical care. In remote villages away from larger hospital systems, a lack of transportation hinders their ability to access and afford health care.
How Child Champions Are Helping Children in Poverty in Cambodia
Children attending OneChild Hope Centers receive nutritious food or supplements, which helps kids stay healthy and fights child hunger. Kids also receive preventive medical checkups and immunizations to fight common diseases. Children also learn how to take care of their bodies and protect themselves from illness through simple and effective hygiene habits.
Read this inspirational story: Samini: Tribute to a Courageous Boy
BE INSPIREDFood Insecurity and Climate Change
More than half of the Cambodian population live in rural areas and rely on farming and fishing for food. A changing climate has produced more frequent floods and droughts, which threaten food systems. About 15% of Cambodians are undernourished, and a third of children under 5 are stunted due to malnourishment.
How Child Champions Are Helping Children in Poverty in Cambodia
Through OneChild’s Children’s Crisis Fund, families in Cambodia receive disaster relief including emergency food relief supplies, and families who are struggling day-to-day receive vitamins, supplies, and food baskets. At their Hope Centers, children regularly receive nutritious meals and snacks, which help them stay healthy and fights child hunger
Read this inspirational story: Better Nutrition Brings Health and Hope
BE INSPIREDPoor Educational System
In Cambodia, education is extremely important. However, the Khmer Rouge-led genocide in the 1970s decimated the country’s population; an estimated 2 million people died, including many of the country’s teachers. The educational system is still in poor shape today. Many girls and boys are falling behind in school, particularly those who live in poor rural and urban areas. By the time they are 17 years old, 55% of teens will have dropped out of school.
How Child Champions Are Helping Children in Poverty in Cambodia
Thanks to the generosity of sponsors and donors, teachers and Child Champions working in Hope Centers receive the support and teaching aids they need to keep students safe, healthy, and engaged. They provide children with the uniforms, school supplies, and nutritional supplements their caregivers would not otherwise be able to afford and give the next generation a chance to heal from the longstanding effects of war, poverty, and family dysfunction.
Read this inspirational story: Breaking the Cycle
BE INSPIREDTRAVEL TO Cambodia TO SEE ONECHILD’S WORK FIRSTHAND.
MEET A CHILD IN Cambodia
Read more stories from Cambodia
We are accountable to the children we serve AND to our donors.
Our accountability to our donors is one of our highest priorities. Our goal is to use the funds entrusted to us as wise stewards. To do this requires continued monitoring of our fund distribution. OneChild is also a member in good standing with the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA)
