Deforestation is a major problem in Cambodia. The last intact tropical forest in northwest Cambodia is threatened by illegal logging, land encroachment and poaching. MJP works with local communities and the Ministry of Environment to help conserve this vital ecosystem, rich in biodiversity. We fund a team of local rangers, and work with schools to educate children on protecting their natural environment and share environmental knowledge.
Access to schools and trained teachers is still limited in rural Cambodia. MJP works with teachers in ten primary and secondary schools to improve education, teaching and school facilities. We have renovated and furnished ten school buildings in Samlout. Our education program has helped 15,000 students, equipped classrooms with textbooks, provided mobile libraries, and developed literacy classes and reading clubs.
Some 80% of the population in Samlout live below the international poverty line and personal debt is a major issue. MJP’s locally-run micro-credit project provides small loans and financial advice to the poorest households in seven villages. We help individuals and communities to manage their finance with interest-free loans, support and training.
Around 80% of the rural population in Cambodia works in agriculture. Levels of poverty are high and access to safe and nutritious food is a problem for many families. Improving food security and nutritional wellbeing is central to MJP’s poverty reduction work. We provide practical training to farmers and the community to help them make the best use of their livestock, land and resources.
MJP is committed to empowerment and equal rights for women and girls. We work with local women’s representatives to organise gender awareness campaigns against domestic violence and human trafficking and to promote positive health practices. We help to provide vocational skills training for the most vulnerable girls, and additional support for the poorest female-headed households.
MJP helps provide sustainable healthcare to the local community through two clinics, a maternity ward and training and outreach, working in partnership with local authorities. Our work includes maternal health, reducing child mortality and undernutrition, eye and dental care, hygiene and sanitation guidance, and training for teachers and young mothers.
Cambodia has a rich history that dates back to the Khmer Empire in the early 9th century. The monuments of Angkor Wat and Bayon are testimony to the Empire’s immense power and wealth, diverse art and culture. The history of Cambodia is overshadowed by the rule of the brutal Khmer Rouge regime, which resulted in one of the 20th century’s worst human atrocities. Between 1975 and 1979 the Khmer Rouge regime claimed the lives of nearly a quarter of the Cambodian population. Cambodia still bears the legacy of that difficult past, but is a country of immense beauty, resilience and promise for the future.
Cambodia is one of the poorest countries in Southeast Asia, and one of the least developed countries in the world in terms of access to food, health and education. The majority of Cambodians live in rural areas. According to the World Bank 79% of the population do not have access to piped water supply and 58% do not have access to sanitation. WHO data indicates that Cambodia continues to make in raising living standards, maternal health, early childhood development and primary education programs in rural areas.
Cambodia is one of the most heavily mined areas in the world. Landmines have killed or maimed thousands of people nationwide. De-mining is a crucial part of reintegrating people after the long-running conflict. Development has been hindered by millions of landmines laid in the 1970s and 1980s, that still lie throughout the countryside. Landmines currently contaminate an area of approximately 1,700 square kilometres in Cambodia. As well as threatening lives, landmines limit development by restricting access to land, water, roads and health and education services.
Cambodia is blessed with natural resources and is one of the most bio-diverse countries in Southeast Asia. Its forests are home to several endangered species that have disappeared from neighbouring countries. But this rich environment is under threat from logging, mining, poaching and agricultural encroachment. Further loss of the forests and natural habitats would harm or destroy wildlife and affect millions of people living in remote areas who rely on the land or its resources. Conservation is essential for rural livelihoods and the preservation of the diverse eco-system.
July 2018
