After nearly a decade of international reconstruction, the need for assistance in Cambodia remains strong, with 36 percent of the population living below the poverty line. Most of the poor live in rural areas, facing the daily challenges of landmines, food shortages, malaria, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, poor education, land grabbing and limited access to water.

Village of Dong Sla
Since 2002 villagers have felt the effects of droughts. Crops requiring abundant water such as rice are most affected, but pigs and chickens have also died because of the heat and lack of water. As a result, the villagers became poorer and poorer. Poor nutrition, especially for children causes them to lose energy and interest in school. Some drop out. As families struggle for daily subsistence, they lose hope for the future.

The villagers turned to LWF. A Village Committee for Disaster Management was formed. They were trained in a number of areas. In early 2004 they shared their new knowledge and skills with the village leadership and the community came together to seriously asses their situation. They built a dam at the base of the mountain and a canal was dug to move the water to their rice fields. The project directly benefited half of the village.

Mr. Has Nom, a village elder says “We decided to work to solve our problems by building the irrigation system. It did not solve everything but it has helped and now we know we can develop when we put our minds to it. Our partnership with the LWF helped us realize that.”