Sao Sary Foundation (www.ssfcambodia.org)

Prevention is the most cost-effective solution to any problem, and SSF’s foray into fighting human-trafficking is no exception to this rule. Focused on prevention rather than intervention, SSF works with rural families up close to identify and reduce the risk of having their child trafficked through a combination of education and income generating activities.

Future Cambodia Fund (www.futurecambodiafund.org)

Building a sense of home to a community who has no home, FCF works at the Andong site and serves a community of people numbering well into the thousands who have been forcibly evicted from their prior dwellings. Established the “Happy Garden Centre” to connect this displaced group, FCF runs several projects to educate the children, train the women in water sanitation, health and hygiene, and runs an emergency program to assist those who are victimized or in life-threatening health.

Changiville (www.changiville.com)

A guesthouse, but more than a guesthouse. Changiville uses their quarters as a training ground for girls from the neighboring slums in Phnom Penh. Whether it’s English, computers, cooking, or customer service, Changiville is teaching these girls how to take matters into their own hand. Eventually, says co-founder William Chua, these girls will wield the skills to develop a franchise and run this business all on their own.

Aide et Accion (www.aide-et-action.org)

Every team needs a big player, and Aide et Accion is just that organization to be that critical link. By partnering with several local organizations, channeling funds into their projects, and monitoring their impact, Aide et Accion is ensuring that quality education is in fact reaching the local populace and that each and every one of those barriers impeding Cambodia’s progress is being lifted.

Riverkids (www.riverkidsproject.org)

Child trafficking is ugly, and many victimized communities have lost their trust with outsiders. This puts Riverkids in a unique position to work with these communities. After six years of building ties, Riverkids tirelessly prevents the sale of countless of children and finds alternative labor for these families to boost their socio-economic status. The extra dance and English classes they run onsite is a testament to their commitment to the well-being of these precious kids.

Digital Data Divide (www.digitaldatadivide.org)

A school and a business, DDD trains poor Cambodians in computer literacy and the art of digitizing, and has weaved this into a sustainable model by leveraging these high-tech skills for media clients.  DDD is putting back the advantage for the disadvantaged in these prestigious positions. But what’s more is their work in creating jobs in a job-scarce world and giving people a chance to earn decent wages where many cannot.

Mr.Sothea’s orphan project

Home is where the heart is. A volunteer with a compassionate tie to his village, Mr.Sothea personally runs a project for orphans who have no home, supporting their education and finding families to host. Once having to wade through kilometers of jungle waters just for school, Mr.Sothea wants to instill that same passion into his kids and community and help lift them into prosperity.

Mr.Sothea's orphans

The opportunity for a child’s education is linked to his/her country’s overall quality of life. While there’s no international definition of “good quality” and “bad quality” countries, the UN lists 38 high income countries and 155 emerging market countries. Of these emerging markets, the path one navigates for any type of education can be fraught with several barriers like those social “blot clots” mentioned above.

Families need kids to contribute to household income; commuting to school might be a 2 hour trek (by foot) down the nearest main road; the nearest main road is in a war zone, children lack concentration due to hunger; school houses may be ill-equipped, perhaps non-existent; teachers are underpaid and under-resourced; the list continues.

Cambodia is in the middle of this experience. While there is a long history of formal Buddhist education (prior and concurrent to French colonization), the country has battled against a waning educational system through various government administrations. French – some semblance of Western educational structure. Khmer Rouge – physical labor in, all academics out. Current Parliament – commitment to universal education, challenged ability to carry this out. In an article from last week’s The Phnom Penh Post (“Challenges Crippling Cambodia Education”), the author discusses Cambodia’s issues, many of which take place in dozens of other countries.

“Cambodia’s education system is plagued by a range of detrimental factors including an absence of suitably qualified or trained staff, rampant corruption and a lack of morale among low-paid teaching staff coupled with the high cost of schooling…Efforts by the Cambodian government to improve education in the country should be recognised, but the work has been inconsistent and greeted with mixed results.”

While the government pledges that “education is the key to sustainable development of a nation,” there have been many challenges to make a universal education, well, universal. Many NGOs are working alongside the country’s leaders to advance the efforts more rapidly and agree that we need a conduit to make the human right of education a reality – today! There are remarkable non-profit leaders spearheading supplemental educational programs. Contending, often times, with limited resources, they too are in a precarious situation to significantly boost enrolment and retention numbers in the face of pervasive poverty.

Looking at our 113 million children worldwide, the question still remains, what do we do now? The possibilities are infinite. Some of us have the talent for political action and others for philanthropic action. So, what do we do? We do what we can because we can.

References:
Dakar Framework for Action, World Education Forum 2000

New Trend and Present Situation of Adult Learning and Education, Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sport