CAMBODIA

Poverty Alleviation Through
Community Empowerment

Project Overview

Because of Veal Thom's rural location and limited resources, WRF was asked to assist the residents in learning the skills needed to sustain themselves and their families. The PACE program was designed specifically to address the unique needs of this community, yet is flexible enough to be applied to other rural communities throughout the world.

The training is modeled after the Success Case Replication methodology, however, the PACE project also provided community-wide skills training for all interested community members.

Acheivements

WRF trained 177 people with disabilities in marketable skills.

In a limited replication phase, 50 additional amputees in nearby villages were also assisted—confirming that the strategy was effective in places other than this specific community.

As a result, over 200 people are now conducting their own businesses.

WRF assisted Veal Thom in its infrastructure development, by supporting the repair of the bridge at the entrance to the town and helping build roads. These roads are crucial to the success of this program, as they connect Veal Thom’s businessmen and women with the local markets—something that they had been cut off from prior to the intervention.

The uniqueness of the program, and subsequent success stimulated the production of two documentaries: Cambodia: Living with Landmines and Bare Hands and Wooden Limbs, made by filmmakers Allison McMahan and Mathieu Roberts.