Making a difference in Cambodia

‘I am not a desperate man anymore’ says Ot Preun. ‘Four years ago I experienced many difficulties, I was a very poor man, we could not make a living here’. Then in 2003 Ot Preun received a loan of US$40. ‘I bought a bag of grain to bake bread’. After selling the bread, he had earned enough to start a small business. ‘Many other people in the village have met similar destinies and most people are now earning more than two dollars a day’.

Four years ago CWS Cambodia began working with a local NGO to improve life in the village. Since then, quality of life has taken a huge leap forward. Ba Pura, a local health volunteer, says, ‘with the help of CWS Cambodia and their partner, me and some other people in the village were trained in basic health care. We educate people about hygiene and diseases.’ Before they started the programme, hygiene was low and tuberculosis was endemic. Now‘the changes in are village are enormous! Tuberculosis is not an issue anymore and the children get sick less often.’