Cambodia

Cambodia is among the poorest countries in the world, ranking 121 of 162 countries in human development with over 4,000,000 individuals under the poverty level - living on less than $1.00 per day.  Cambodia also has some of the highest malnutrition rates in Asia, with 59% of children under five years old stunted or wasted.  In Cambodia most people depend on their own capacity to produce food to meet their needs. They grow crops including their staple food (rice) as well as other crops, raise livestock, and harvest wild foods from fisheries and forests for both food and income.

Poverty in Cambodia is characterized by low income and consumption, poor nutritional status, low educational attainment, less access to public services including school and health services, less access to economic opportunities, vulnerability to external shocks, and exclusion from economic, social and political processes.

The government placed strict new restrictions on freedom of assembly in January 2003.  Since that time, the government has denied virtually all requests for permission to demonstrate - on the ground that such gatherings would jeopardize national security and public order. Authorities have rejected requests for rallies by students, victims of domestic violence, environmentalists, opposition parties, and garment workers.  

Politicians and journalists critical of the government face violence and intimidation, and are barred from equal access to the broadcast media. In addition, the judiciary remains weak and subject to political influence. The government continues to turn a blind eye to fraudulent confiscation of farmers’ land, illegal logging, and widespread plundering of natural resources.  

Torture continues to be used with impunity in Cambodia, particularly by police officers attempting to extract confessions from suspects detained without access to lawyers. Under Cambodia’s law, suspects can be held in police detention—the period when police commonly use torture to extract confessions—for up to seventy-two hours. In June 2004 the deputy director general of the National Police publicly condoned the use of torture to obtain information from suspects during interrogation. Under pressure, he later retracted his statement.  

Despite periodic police raids and temporary closure of brothels, powerful figures running human trafficking networks, and their accomplices—many of them government officials, soldiers, or police—continue to be largely immune from prosecution. The government provides little in the way of social services, counseling, or job training to child prostitutes “rescued” in high-profile aids, resulting in many returning to the hands of brothel owners or traffickers. Cambodian men, women, and children continue to be trafficked to Malaysia and Thailand for forced labor and forced prostitution. 

Cambodia continues to have one the worst AIDS epidemic in Asia, with current AIDS awareness campaigns aimed at delivering better sexual health education to a younger generation.  Approximately 60 percent of Cambodian men, and increasing numbers of young people, visit brothels on a regular basis, where around 50 percent of sex workers are HIV positive.

Cambodia has about 200,000 HIV positive people among a population of 13 million, but the government figures could be much higher because of the country's rampant sex industry, in addition to an increase in the transmission between husband and wife and mother-to-child. 



Experts predict the disease will claim 9,000 lives next year, badly straining the resources of a health structure with only 6,000 beds.

The Phnom Penh government has placed the battle against AIDS at the top of its development agenda, and has scored some notable successes such as realizing impressive gains in condom use among direct sex workers from 16% to a little more than 91.

As for malaria, fatality rate has declined, but Cambodia remains among the 23 countries in the world with a high burden of TB.

Cambodia’s environmental issues stem from a few basic violations.  Illegal logging activities throughout the country and strip mining for gems create massive soil erosion, and with the destruction of mangrove swamps there is a great threat to natural fisheries.

The majority of the country’s protein comes from fish, and the dramatic drop in Cambodia's sea fishery catch is being blamed on Thai fishing boat's increasing use of 20 kg bombs in Cambodia water. The bombs kill all the fish in the blast area as well as damaging reefs and sea-bed habitats.

The bomb, combined with the pollution from agricultural chemicals, waste oil, and the clearing of mangrove swamps for charcoal production, has seen the annual fish catch drop from 16,000 tons in 1996 to a little over 10,000 last year in Koh Kong province alone.  A further decline in the annual fish catch could prove to be devastating to the already under-nourished population.

A recent literacy survey (UNESCO/UNDP) estimates that 36% of the population (around 2.4 million adults) is illiterate and 27% are only semi-illiterate (1.7 million adults).  On this basis, only 1/3 of the entire population is able to use their literacy skills for every day life and income generation.  In other words, around 4 million adults in Cambodia are currently in need of literacy training provision. Despite improvements, adult literacy rates are well below many of its neighbors, which have rates of around 95% in many cases.

For children, public education is compulsory, as well as free, for the first 6 years, and an increase has been seen in attendance, with many eligible children attending.  However, many children in outlying villages have no access to public schooling.

Secondary education had a little over one fourth of the eligible children enrolled, and it drops even more on the university level, with barely 1 percent of the university-age population enrolled in an institution of higher learning.

Some of the problems in education occurred during the Khmer Rouge's rule, since teachers were executed and schools were closed. 

Intellectuals, such as teachers, were oppressed due to the fear that they would be in opposition to a socialist society.  During the 80s, teachers either found better paying jobs or fled the country and Cambodia has not recovered since.  A major problem in the educational system is the lack of funds and a lack of trained personnel.

100 Friends Project - The 100 Friends Project is a small, informal grassroots project dedicated to helping people in Third World Countries facing myriad problems. 100 Friends collects the donations (a little as $1 and as much as $500) from approximately 100 people and then takes the money overseas to distribute as directly and intelligently as possible.

AFESIP - Acting for Women in Distressing Situations (AFESIP) - exists to combat trafficking in women and children for sex slavery; to care for and rehabilitate those rescued from sex slavery; to provide occupational skills and to reintegrate those rescued into the community in a sustainable and innovative manner. AFESIP also seeks to combat the causes and effects of trafficking and sex slavery through outreach work in AIDS prevention; through advocacy and campaigning; through representation and participation in women’s issues at national, regional and international forums.

Anti-Slavery International - Founded in 1839, is the world's oldest international human rights organisation and the only charity in the United Kingdom to work exclusively against slavery and related abuses. We work at local, national and international levels to eliminate the system of slavery around the world.

Cambodia Trust - Founded in 1989 in Oxford, UK, the initial aim was to provide artificial limbs for Cambodia's many thousands of landmine accident survivors. However, in response to the long-term needs of the wider disabled population, which includes an estimated 50,000 people affected by polio, our projects evolved to support all disabled people - either directly, through our projects, or indirectly, through advocacy, capacity building and lobbying.

Cambodian Street Children Organization - Cambodian Street Children Organization provides food, clothing, fresh water, health care, and educational assistance to children without hope for their future in the Third World.

CARE - CARE works with poor communities in more than 70 countries around the world to find lasting solutions to poverty. We look at the big picture of poverty, and go beyond the symptoms to confront underlying causes. With a broad range of programs based on empowerment, equity and sustainability, CARE seeks to tap human potential and leverage the power of individuals and communities to unleash a vast force for progress.

ECPAT - ECPAT stands for End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and the Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes and campaigns against this modern day form of slavery and is calling on all relevant agencies to coordinate action on child protection and prevention of trafficking, and not just focus on law enforcement measures.

Free Wheelchair Mission - ...to provide the transforming gift of mobility to the physically disabled poor in developing countries. There are over 100,000,000 disabled adults and children for whom the dream of a wheelchair is worlds beyond their expectations. They live without this basic form of mobility by crawling through life or waiting for a loved one to carry them to fulfill the simplest of needs--the disabled and the family members are thereby restricted from a full life.

Friends Without A Border - A not-for-profit organization which funds and operates Angkor Hospital for Children (AHC) in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Friends and AHC are dedicated to improving the health and future of Cambodia's children by providing pediatric medical care and medical education.

HALO TRUST - A Non-Profit organization, HALO specializes in the removal of the debris of war. We have a simple mission statement - “getting mines out of the ground, now”

International Committee of the Red Cross - the ICRC - The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is an impartial, neutral and independent organization whose exclusively humanitarian mission is to protect the lives and dignity of victims of war and internal violence and to provide them with assistance. It directs and coordinates the international relief activities conducted by the Movement in situations of conflict. It also endeavours to prevent suffering by promoting and strengthening humanitarian law and universal humanitarian principles.

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) - The Federation's mission is to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity. Vulnerable people are those who are at greatest risk from situations that threaten their survival, or their capacity to live with an acceptable level of social and economic security and human dignity. Often, these are victims of natural disasters, poverty brought about by socio-economic crises, refugees, and victims of health emergencies.

Journeys Within Our Community (JWOC) - Strives to create and support projects that will reduce poverty levels and increase educational and economic opportunities throughout Southeast Asia. JWOC provides training and education in the areas of health, education, and business development while adhering to standards of accountability.

NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children) - The NSPCC's mission is to end cruelty to children. Our vision is a society in which all children are loved, valued and able to fulfil their potential. In other words, a society that will not tolerate child abuse - whether sexual, physical, emotional, or neglect.

Oxfam - A development, relief, and campaigning organisation that works with others to find lasting solutions to poverty and suffering around the world.

People Improvement Organization - To empower the poor people of Cambodia by offering education while building the capacity and inspiring leadership among the local staff.

Relief For Oppressed People Everywhere (ROPE) - A UK based, Christian volunteer charity which alleviates the suffering of the poorest people in the world. Working in more than 85 countries we supply the basic necessities of life together with education, medical and other practical assistance. We also provide interest-free loans to encourage self-help sustainable projects.

Room to Read - Seeks to intervene early in the lives of children and help provide them with an education and the lifelong gift of literacy.

Save the Children - The leading independent organization creating real and lasting change for children in need in the United States and around the world. It is a member of the International Save the Children Alliance, comprising 27 national Save the Children organizations working in more than 100 countries to ensure the well-being of children.

Schools for Children of Cambodia (SCC) - We currently support four schools in Siem Reap province with over 1000 pupils in attendance. Our Schools provide free education for children from the ages of 4-12. We also assist the more academically inclined children in attending the Government Secondary School to extend their education beyond the age of 12 years.

SOS Children's Village - We work for children who are orphaned, abandoned or whose families are unable to care for them. We give these children the opportunity to build lasting relationships within a family. Our family approach in the SOS Children's Village is based on four principles: Each child needs a mother, and grows up most naturally with brothers and sisters, in their own house, within a supportive village environment.

UNICEF - UNICEF is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children's rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential.

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) - UNHCR is responsible for protecting over 17 million people worldwide, including refugees, internally displaced people and former refugees who are returning to their homes. As the largest international humanitarian organization, UNHCR and its 400+ partners provide food, water, shelter, medical and other types of assistance to refugees worldwide. UNHCR operates in 116 countries. When governments are unable or unwilling to protect their own citizens, UNHCR helps refugees find safety and the means to begin a normal life again.

United Nations World Food Program (WFP) - WFP is the food aid arm of the United Nations system. Food aid is one of the many instruments that can help to promote food security, which is defined as access of all people at all times to the food needed for an active and healthy life. ¹ The policies governing the use of World Food Programme food aid must be oriented towards the objective of eradicating hunger and poverty. The ultimate objective of food aid should be the elimination of the need for food aid.

United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) - WHO's objective, as set out in its Constitution, is the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health. Health is defined in WHO's Constitution as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

World Vision - A Christian relief and development organization dedicated to helping children and their communities worldwide reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty.

Doctors Without Borders - Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international independent medical humanitarian organization that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural or man-made disasters, or exclusion from health care in more than 70 countries. Each year, MSF volunteer doctors, nurses, logisticians, water-and-sanitation experts, administrators, and other medical and non-medical professionals depart on more than 3,800 aid missions. They work alongside more than 22,500 locally hired staff to provide medical care.

Globe Aware - a nonprofit organization, currently offers volunteer vacations in Peru, Costa Rica, Thailand, Cuba, Nepal, Brazil, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam.These short-term (1 to 2 weeks) adventures in service focus on cultural-awareness and sustainability, and are often compared to a "mini peace corps". All program costs, including the cost of airfare, are tax-deductible. Globe Aware is a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt charity.

The International Volunteer Programs Association - International volunteer programs offer unique hands-on learning experiences which promote cross-cultural understanding, cooperation, and solidarity among individuals and communities around the world. They encourage participating volunteers to examine how their work and daily choices back home can have an impact on economic and social conditions in other parts of the world.

Travel to Teach - An international non-profit organisation, which provides affordable volunteer opportunities in areas such as English and IT teaching, conservation, eco-tourism and community development.

United Planet - As part of our non-profit mission to unite the world and promote peace through enhancing cross-cultural understanding and friendship, United Planet (UP) has created the ultimate educational adventure — United Planet Quests. United Planet Quests are 1-52 week volunteer & learning journeys to over 50 exciting locations worldwide.