Our work in Cambodia
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In Cambodia we work in partnership with Light of Hope. Light of Hope Cambodia operates as a center of influence and service to rural villages in Cambodia where 80% of families live on or below the poverty line (less than USD $3 per day). Everyday survival is a struggle. A single change of circumstances such as a failure in crops, an accident or any other misfortune can rapidly tip vulnerable families over the edge and into harm’s way. Cambodian children are most at-risk of experiencing severe malnutrition, abandonment, lack of basic education or, worse still, are sold, becoming indentured slaves.
“Bopha” came to Light of Hope Cambodia as an orphan at the age of six. Her father had drowned when she was young, and her mother remarried, only to die while giving birth. When she was still just five years old, Bopha’s step-father was apprehended twice trying to sell her to a labour trader.
With no family who could show Bopha the love and care she needed, she was brought to Light of Hope. Here she has flourished, and is well on her way to achieving her dream of being a teacher someday.
Located on a property of some fifty acres in the center of Cambodia, Light of Hope is a place where these forgotten children are nurtured through childhood and empowered into adulthood as young professionals who give back to their communities.
Sponsor a child at Light of Hope Cambodia
Just $48 a month makes a big difference in a little life!
Our Priorities
CHILD WELL-BEING
Light of Hope staff identify at-risk, destitute children and work hard to ensure they have security, nurture and improved health and well-being. Our house parents, along with our dedicated teachers, chaplain and social worker, create a safe and loving place for vulnerable children to heal, grow and flourish.
STRENGTHENING VULNERABLE FAMILIES
Vulnerable families in the community are identified and strengthened to increase their ability to care for and provide for their children. Families are supported to send their children to school through fee assistance, resources, and help with transport. Mothers can be assisted in finding suitable work locally, which allows them to also care for their children. Outreach programs such as health training and nutrition training are run in the community. The LOH youth, who have experienced what it is to be hungry and hopeless, want to share the blessings they now enjoy with others. During difficult times such as COVID they deliver food parcels to their needy neighbours.
QUALITY K-12 EDUCATION
Light of Hope School provides quality Christian education, from three-year-old kindergarten all the way to grade 12. Some 500 students attend the school daily from neighbouring villages. Local families are largely poor agricultural farmers but pay a minimal monthly fee for their children to attend LOH School. They sacrifice to send their children to the school, as they understand education provides a pathway out of the poverty in which they live. The school has an outstanding reputation in the local community and has a staff of devoted Khmer teachers.
VOCATIONAL TRAINING & TERTIARY SCHOLARSHIPS
Light of Hope works to provide a pathway to a brighter future for each of the young lives in our care. When our children have completed study in Year 12 they are given the option to apply for a scholarship and study in university or vocational training. We currently have around twenty students studying to be doctors, teachers, engineers, electrical engineers, accountants, IT specialists, translators and more. These students value their education and know what a privilege it really is and how it will change their futures.
SUSTAINABLE FOOD PRODUCTION
The agricultural program at Light of Hope is constantly expanding. We now grow a wide variety of vegetables, as well as cassava, corn, peanuts, soy beans, mung beans, mushrooms, and rice. A large orchard of fruit trees has also been established. Poultry provide eggs, the pond is full of fish, and cows provide manure and cut the grass, before being sold for profit. Water across the property is now entirely operated by environmentally responsible solar power, ensuring the security of this precious resource. Through the agricultural program, the children are assured of nutritious meals. The excess produce is sold at the markets or shared with needy families in the community.
Write to your sponsor child
Using our online form, you can easily send a letter to your sponsor child, and even include photos! Sponsor children love to hear from their sponsors.
Our School
All children have the right to learn, whatever circumstance they are born into. Adequate support to learning is crucial for them to develop to their full potential.
However, in Cambodia many girls and boys are falling behind, particularly those who live in poor rural areas. Reasons can include:
- extreme poverty where they are required to work with family
- experiencing poor quality teaching
- a lack of resources and facilities
- attending school irregularly
This eventually leads to many students dropping out altogether. At Light of Hope’s ICC Cambodia School we are working hard to combat all these issues in the community, providing an education which enables children to reach their potential and achieve their career goals.
You can get involved or donate to our work in Cambodia
