New Hope Children’s Home

After 30 years of civil war, in which more than 2 million people were executed, Cambodia was a desperately poor nation with many orphaned, street-connected children. Opening in 2004, New Hope Children’s Home provided a safe home environment for orphaned, abandoned or street-connected children to be cared for, receive an education and become independent, strong adults.

What were the challenges?

Poi Pet is a city with a huge rich-poor divide. Wealthy casinos and plush hotels cater for tourists flocking over the Thai border (as gambling is banned in Thailand) but sit in sharp contrast to a desperately poor local population. The children of these poor communities are particularly vulnerable, and sexual exploitation and abuse is rife. Children are often abandoned when desperate parents leave to seek work in Thailand, and arrangements with neighbours or relatives break down.

Our work helping orphaned children in Cambodia

Working with New Hope Children’s Home, we were able to provide a safe place for these vulnerable children for as long as they needed. Since the project started, a total of 120 children have called New Hope their home. Some stayed for a few years and then were able to return to their families. Others remained with the Home until adulthood.

All the children received loving care, clothing and medicine. They attended local schools, with books and uniform provided for them. The team supported their educational development and nurtured their plans for the future.

*Riley came to live at NHCH aged 13, and stayed until he graduated from high school at the age of 22. Previously Riley had lived with his mum, a war widow, and his older sister. Mum supported the family as a construction labourer, but found it hard to get work. The family were very poor and mum just couldn’t afford to send Riley to school.

Riley’s family met Titus at a church meeting, when they were in a bad way. Titus accepted Riley into NHCH and his mum and sister left to find better work in Thailand.

At NHCH, Riley was able to go to school as well as having extra classes in English, Thai and computing. His learning came on in leaps and bounds. He also learned to play the guitar and drums.

Riley left NHCH after finishing high school and taught at a private school, before getting a job in a bank. While working at the bank he studied for a degree at the weekends. Now in his early 30s, Riley married in 2019. He and his wife own a car, and in 2020 came to join the Christmas celebration at NHCH, to share their stories and encourage the young people at the home. Titus said: “We are so happy to see him grown up with blessing, and to have a good job. We thank God for everything.”

In 2011, Global Care helped New Hope move to a new site in the countryside near Poi Pet. For the next decade, we worked with NHCH to develop the site through various self-sufficiency initiatives. This resulted in chicken, pig and fish farming; vegetable gardens; and paddy fields. The paddy fields produce enough rice to feed the whole home each year. The addition of their own rice mill also brings income, as local farmers pay to have their rice milled.

Ending well

As New Hope’s farming projects matured, they reached a point of financial self-sufficiency. Food produced on the site not only fed the children in the home but also generated income. The opening of a preschool associated with NHCH was the final step towards full sustainability.

Thanks to our generous child sponsors, vulnerable orphaned or abandoned children in Cambodia were lifted out of unimaginable poverty and high levels of risk. They received care and education in a loving family environment. Now they are healthy, educated adults, many supporting their own families.

Our donors also helped us develop sustainable forms of income generation which secured the future of this ministry, without the need for continued UK support. Our support for New Hope Children’s Home ended in December 2021. We are delighted that the Home remains open to continue its ministry to vulnerable children in Poi Pet.