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Cambodia

Community Development Changing Lives

ABOUT CAMBODIA
Sandwiched between Thailand, Laos and Vietnam, Cambodia has long been fought
over. A mix of French and traditional Khmer buildings are testament to historic
wrestles for control. More recently the violent Khmer Rouge reign of 1975-1979
has scarred the country.

Cambodia is now at a crossroads in its development. Having just emerged from


a post-civil war status to that of a developing country, optimism has gripped the QUICK FACTS
country’s 13 million people. The instituted government has given stability to the
nation, allowing for international investment and foreign aid. Full name:
The Kingdom of Cambodia
Despite economic growth, slow agricultural gain has seriously threatened the (Kampuchia locally)
sustainability of rural livelihoods. Emerging industries are attracting increasing
numbers to the cities, a trend that has been met with alarm as those on the city Population:
fringes are left without the basic infrastructure to survive. Cambodia now has a 13,124,800 (Lonely Planet 2005)
great challenge to meet of developing a nation along lines of equality.
Capital:
Phnom Penh

Area:
181,040 sq km (112,498 miles)

Major languages:
Khmer

Major religion:
Theravada Buddhism

Life expectancy:
TEAR FUND IN CAMBODIA – Task Women’s Health Project 59 years (men), 63 years (women),
61 years overall
TEAR Fund has been active in reaching out to Cambodia’s urban poor since Monetary unit:
2001. This particular project, Community Health Promotion: Women Health Riel
Project and Gender Training, is unique. It is a pioneering three-way partnership
between TEAR Fund donors, long-term partner SERVANTS and a local Main exports:
non-government organisation TASK. Textiles, tourism

With significant experience in the urban slums of South East Asia, TASK aims Human Development Index:
to train local women to identify and treat basic health issues. Combined with 131
the provision of reproductive health services and training, mortality and
incidence of disease will be reduced. Political regime:
Constitutional monarchy
This is particularly important in the target area of Khan Mean Chey, a province
of Phnom Penh. Khan Meay Chay is home to about 200,000 people, in large
industrial suburbs and slum/squatter communities at the edges of lakes, rivers
and swamps.

TASK has a staff of more than 20 trained health-care workers. They are retraining
Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) in reproductive healthcare. These TBAs then
provide appropriate health services to poor mothers pre-natal, at birth and
post-natal. Community educators facilitate continued meetings among mothers,
and integrate gender awareness into local health education.

The training of local women in health treatment and prevention, and in knowing
and exercising their rights, will substantially improve the lives of the most vulnerable.

Call to donate: 0800 800 777 or visit www.tearfund.org.nz


Community Development Changing Lives

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

TEAR Fund community development works by empowering poor communities to find


their own solutions to issues. This significantly reduces overheads by operating through
local staff. We work directly with the poorest allowing us to identify and address the root
causes of poverty not just the symptoms.

TEAR Fund partners with indigenous Christian organisations who carry out the work
themselves. Assistance is given regardless of beliefs.

Tear Fund takes an holistic approach to all of its projects which takes the local community
on a journey of transformation through improved physical, social and economic

PHOTO: Compassion
circumstances, and often on an individual level, spiritual change.

How community development transforms


• Physical – meets targeted need such as health
• Social – unites and empowers
• Economic – often creates opportunities for income generation

IMPROVING HEALTH FOR MOTHERS AND THEIR BABIES


Sitting on a tile floor listening to a Cambodian community While in Cambodia Rachel attended a clinic where women
health volunteer talk to some young women about AIDS, in different stages of pregnancy received health information
New Zealand doctor Rachel Appleby began playing with one from traditional birth attendants (TBAs).
of the babies who had crawled towards her.
One woman, who weakly climbed the steep stairs to see the
The baby was a gorgeous wee boy and it was playing with a TBAs after the clinic, looked very pale. She had delivered
small cardboard box. her own baby less than a week before. Her three-year-old
had died of dengue fever the previous day having been sent
During the visit, a young girl spoke to her in Cambodian. home from hospital.
The words, which were translated to Rachel when she asked,
made such an impact they have stayed with her for months A Cambodia Health Statisitics report comparing the situation
after the visit. in 2000 with 2005 says women’s health in Cambodia has
not improved over these years. Malnutrition is still a major
“She wanted me to have the baby because she couldn’t problem and TASK is often encountering domestic violence
afford to keep it,” Rachel says. in the homes of the women with whom health employees
work, Rachel says.
The health talk continued, the baby kept playing and Rachel
left without taking the child but the memory and this However the news is not all bad. TASK is doing some fantastic
common situation in Cambodia lingers. work providing health information, iron tablets, vitamins and
tetanus injections.
Rachel, a member of the TEAR Fund board, visited Cambodia
in May to report on the work of TASK which works with Please pray for TASK Cambodia’s work.
pregnant women and young mothers.

CONTACTS:
National Office: Freephone: 0800 800 777
PO Box 8315, Symonds St, Facsimile: (09) 629 1050
Auckland 1150 Email: enquiries@tearfund.org.nz
New Zealand Website: www.tearfund.org.nz PROJECT PROFILES

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