WRF In Cambodia
Background
Cambodia is a nation of some 12.5 million people and is one of the most severely affected countries in the world with respect to landmine and UXO presence. Nearly half of the villages in Cambodia are affected by landmines and UXOs; and 12% of its villages are classified as “high impact” areas.
Landmines are a legacy of numerous armed conflicts spreading over 30 years. These wars also have contributed to high poverty and low access to vital services and resources, although there has been major progress to economic growth in the last five years. Nevertheless Cambodia is 121st out of the 162 countries ranked on the Human Development Index scale and has an annual per capita GDP of less than $300. Life expectancy is only in the mid 50s . In addition maternal mortality rates are among the highest in Asia and infant mortality is 95 per 1000 live births.
The World Rehabilitation Fund (WRF) determined that one of the major needs of the country was to provide programs for landmine victims and others disabled by the war and other causes so that they could survive economically and help support their families.
Three programs have been initiated by WRF in Cambodia. These are:
- The Artisans' Association of Cambodia (AAC)
- Skills Training, Job Placement and Job Development Program
- Business Advisory Council
- Success Case Replication strategy
- Poverty Alleviation through Community Empowerment (PACE)
Formed by the World Rehabilitation Fund in collaboration with several organizations in Cambodia who were involved in assisting persons with disabilities to utilize handicraft production as a means to achieve economic independence. Starting in 1999 with only four member associations, AAC has just enrolled its 22nd member organization and are processing another 11 organizations for membership. In the course of three years, annual export earnings of AAC members has grown from less than $200,000 to well over $600,000 and is expected to reach $1,000,000 by the end of the current year. Nearly all member organizations who have been in the organization for more than one year have achieved gains in import sales. The number of artisans with disabilities and other economic disadvantages now numbers nearly 700 and earnings of artisans supported by member organizations are generally at least twice the minimum wage. AAC is now a registered Cambodian Association whose members benefit from technical assistance provided by consultants in areas such as design, production methods, marketing, pricing and other areas. Funding for the program currently is provided by the McKnight Foundation and the International Labour Organisation (ILO), which works closely with WRF in providing technical assistance. Previous funding was provided by the Human Security Trust Fund of Japan through UNMAS.
Those helped by this project include CC, an ex-soldier with the Khmer Rouge. Injured by a grenade, he lost both of his hands. He tried to do farming, but could not support his wife and children. His life turned around when he joined RehabCraft, one of the AAC’s charter member organizations. He started as a security guard and postman, but eventually became interested and involved in the production of handicrafts. Recognizing his capability, RehabCraft promoted him to Production Manager. Now, with the income he receives, he is able to send his children to school and take care of his family’s needs.
When asked how he liked working in this field, CC said, “I am very happy to work with RehabCraft and I wish to continue to do so.”
This project, as did the AAC program, grew out of a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) project which field tested a number of socio-economic reintegration initiatives in three major landmine affected countries – Cambodia, Lebanon and Mozambique. The program has been a collaboration with the International Labour Organisation and the National Center of Disabled Persons (NCDP). There are two major components. Currently, the project is funded by the Adopt-a-Minefield program of the United Nations Association of the United States. Previous funding was through the Human Security Trust Fund of Japan through UNMAS and UNDP.
Business Advisory Council (BAC) The Business Advisory Council was formed by recruiting representatives of major international and Cambodian employers interested in helping landmine survivors and others with disabilities enter the labor market. Some of the members are Siemens, Total Cambodge, Digital Divide Data, Envotech, Intercontinental Hotel and many others. These business representatives meet monthly to provide advice to placement and job development staff – primarily placement counselors of NCDP – to help identify job openings, advise vocational training programs and help improve the job readiness of persons with disabilities identified by NCDP who are interested in employment. The program also identifies on-the-job training opportunities for job candidates.
Through this program, Cambodians with disabilities have found jobs as accountants/bookkeepers, customer service representatives, gasrment factory workers, administrative assistants, computer operators and other occupations.
Success Case Replication (SCR) program- In partnership with ILO, WRF has worked with provincial offices of the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation (MoSAVY), who assign persons to manage the program in their province. WRF has worked with the provincial offices in Siem Reap and Pursat. This year the project has turned over these two sites to ILO and has assumed training others in small business through agreements with other NGOs such as Veterans International and Cambodia Trust. Research is undertaken to make sure that the job in question will meet local market needs. Persons are then provided training and form a pool of others who, in the future, may train still others. Some of the areas in which people have been trained include soymilk production, motorbike repair, hair cutting, and raising chickens.
The overall project, which was initiated in 1999, has now served more than 1000 persons.
Those helped by the project include TT. When TT was nine-years old, she stepped on a landmine while attempting to escape from armed robbers with her family along the Thai-Cambodia border. Fortunately, she was found quickly by friendly combatants and brought for medical care. Needing a blood transfusion at a small makeshift hospital, a badly wounded soldier gave up his right to the meager blood supply available so that she would be saved. He died. She never did find her father, who had been imprisoned by Communist soldiers. Without a main breadwinner, she had to drop out of high school, because the family could not support her education. She enrolled in a vocational training program with AAR-Japan, a vocational training program that works closely with the BAC. The BAC was able to find a job for her with Reverse the Curse – an Australian NGO. She is a receptionist and earns almost double the minimum wage and receives benefits.
As TT said to WRF, “ I am happy with my job. My employer is allowing me to study more English so that I can advance. My salary has allowed me to help support my mother and help my brothers and sisters receive their education.”
This program was launched in 2003 with support from the McMahan Center – Abilities Activists and an affiliated donor, the Serra Foundation. It provides training for residents with disabilities in the village of Veal Thom. Veal Thom is the dream come to life of Tooj Souerly. He was a Khmer Rouge officer who lost a limb during the Civil Wars. When peace came, he and many other ex-combatants of all warring factions with disabilities prowled the streets of Phnom Penh ignored and abandoned by their people who regarded them as heroes during the conflict. Determined that he would help himself and others in his situation, he used his considerable advocacy skills to convince the government of Cambodia to cede what seemed to be a worthless large plot of land to him and his compatriots. From a jungle infested land, they carved out a community where they, the pariahs of society, could direct their own destiny.
WRF was contacted to help the villagers learn skills needed to sustain themselves and their families. Using the SCR method, WRF has thus far provided training for over 140 disabled citizens of Veal Thom. Community members have been trained in such occupations as farming, tailoring, hairdressing, basket weaving, blacksmithing and other occupations. The success of the project has stimulated the production of a film: "Cambodia: Living with Landmines", made by filmmakers Allison McMahan and Mathieu Roberts.
From 227 families who comprised the village in 2003, there are now some 315 families. WRF also has provided support to help the village provide education to the children of these families.
One trainee was KK. He was a Cambodian Army regular who stepped on a landmine in 1987. The only job he could get when he returned to Phnom Penh was as an occasional dishwasher. He burned charcoal to sell to supplement this income. When he heard about Veal Thom, he welcomed the opportunity to be with other people like himself and to start over. WRF arranged training for him in handicrafts and he became a gifted basket maker. He then trained his wife and children so it became a family business.
KK said to WRF, “I’m very happy with my business. I also have time to grow vegetables and rice in the land that is provided to my family. Thanks to the PACE project for giving this new opportunity to me and my family.”
Additional information on these WRF programs in Cambodia:
Business Advisory
Council
Success
Case Replication
Artisans' Association of Cambodia
Poverty Alleviation through Community Empowerment
(PACE)
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Projects.>.Cambodia
