Cambodia
A woman helps raise the walls of her community's new rice bank. Photo: Maureen Bathgate/OxfamAUS
Cambodia is one of the most beautiful countries in South East Asia but also one of the poorest.
More than 50% of the population is less than 25 years old – a legacy of Pol Pot’s regime. Many older adults missed out on an education which has led to a lack of productive skills across the country. High unemployment means that making a living is difficult. The effects of this are particularly pronounced in the remote countryside, which suffers from a lack of basic infrastructure and services.
Cambodia is now firmly in the tourism and development spotlight, but if unregulated, both threaten to have negative impacts on the environment and the natural resources on which many people depend.
We have been working in Cambodia for more than 25 years and we’re committed to ensuring that this culturally rich and inspiring country works its way out of poverty.
Providing food and sustainable living
More than 30% of Cambodians live below the poverty line – this number increases in rural areas where most people are subsistence farmers. Our work focuses on helping improve agricultural practices as well as raising animals for improved nutrition and as a source of income.
Rice is the staple food but many Cambodians can’t grow enough to sustain themselves and their families for the year. We have introduced SRI (system of rice intensification) to improve rice yields, and rice banks to help sustain families in times of shortage.
We’re repairing and building dams and channels to help farmers irrigate their crops. And we’re setting up small-scale fisheries and forestry management committees.
Photo: Danielle Cantlon/OxfamAus
Access to basic services
Decades of civil war has left Cambodians wanting for many basic services. We are focused on improving access to clean water, sanitation, healthcare and education.
Adequate health care is a concern so we’re training health promoters, providing people with access to medical treatment, and raising awareness of HIV and AIDS.
We’re building village schools in remote hard-to-access regions for children as well as educating adults, running literacy programs and training teachers.
Disaster prevention and climate change
Cambodia is prone to natural disasters like droughts and floods. Being a rural-based economy it is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Much of our work involves strengthening communities to deal with these impacts.
We’re helping to establish disaster management committees and providing seeds, livestock and farming tools to families suffering food shortages in times of disaster, to get them back on their feet.
Giving a voice to the voiceless
Ethnic minorities and women are often excluded from community decisions. We’re giving them a voice by helping them develop skills to participate actively in their communities.
Fast facts
- Life expectancy (average):
- 62.1 years
- Infant mortality rate:
- 54.79 deaths/1,000 live births
- Population living below the poverty line:
- 5 million
- HIV/AIDS adult prevalence rate:
- 0.8% (2007)
- Life expectancy at birth:
- 62.1%
Source: CIA World Factbook
