After 30 years of civil war, many Cambodians were desperately poor and struggling. Our early projects within Cambodia sought to respond to that poverty. Over the years, significant economic growth has improved the economic prospects of many of the population. However, around 20% of the population still live below the poverty line. Many are trapped in generational cycles of poverty, with little or no education to help them improve their earnings and circumstances.

8-year-old *Carly’s home is built around a tomb, which her family use as both bed and table. Her dad is in prison for drugs offences and her mum supports the family by selling traditional cakes. Carly joined the pre-school run by Global Care’s partners, Bethel Mission Organisation, in 2022. She is flourishing there – she can read and write Khmer and some English.

“I love my study, my friends, my teachers,” Carly tells us. “I want to be a teacher because I want to help children like me learn to read and write. Most of all, I pray for my dad to come back home as soon as possible, so he can see me studying and be proud of me.”

What are the challenges for children in Cambodia?

As soon as you step into the community Carly lives in, the challenges of poverty are obvious. Homes made of scraps are built in amongst the graves of the cemetery in Phnom Penh. More than 150 families – including nearly 200 children – live among the tombs here in this graveyard slum, with nowhere else to go. Sanitation facilities are non-existent, as are education facilities. A proliferation of violence, drugs and gambling leave children vulnerable to abuse.

Many children are left to roam among the graveyard houses during the day. This makes them vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. Many of them face domestic abuse at home, or live in households impacted by drug abuse and other addictions. Many of them have no access to education, and even if they do join a primary school they are unable to catch up with other children their age.

How is Global Care helping children in Cambodia?

Helping children access education is vital to breaking the poverty cycle. So education takes centre stage for our work within this graveyard slum community.

Global Care works alongside our local partner Bethel Mission Organisation (BMO). Their graveyard preschool was set up at the request of community leaders, who were concerned with the lack of education provided for the children here. The school delivers lessons in Khmer and English. All school materials are provided for the children.

There are many reasons why the preschool is successful here.

Hosting the school within the community has been far more effective at getting children into education. Distance can often be a barrier to accessing school. The cost of travel and the risks children face when travelling a long way to school are significant. So a preschool among the houses of this community attracts far more children than other school settings.

Our partners have also become known within the community. This means they are able to more easily spot children facing significant problems at home and support families through difficulty. It has also provided an opportunity to serve the community in other ways. For example, our partners were able to set up a community-led water sanitation facility, bringing safe, clean drinking water into this community for the first time.

BMO have also been reaching this community with the love of Jesus. A Sunday School attracts most of the students, where they come to worship and study the Bible together.

A girl in Cambodia helps a younger classmate with his writing. She has a brightly coloured daisy clip in her hair.“My name is Dara. I am 9 years old and I live in graveyard. I love studying! I always read books at home after classes. I did not know how to write and spell in both Khmer and English, but now I can teach the small students in my class. I want to be a teacher when I grow up.

Besides studying, Bethel Mission paved the way for me to know Jesus Christ better. I know Jesus Christ teaches me and my friends to love each other and help each other.”

What can I do to help children in Cambodia?

Become a Change Maker for children like Dara. Your regular gift will secure education for Dara and her classmates for years to come. And the impact of that education will be felt for generations, opening up a future free from poverty for this graveyard community.

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