Cambodia is a country situated in South-East Asia with a population of 15 million people. After years of civil war, Cambodia is now at peace and is growing economically very fast. Despite this, many children and young people are left behind in marginalized situations in the country.

Phnom Penh

Mith Samlanh

3

OUR WORK

As Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh is the country’s center of economic activity and a magnet for migration from rural areas. Unprepared migration of poor rural families seeking higher living standards often results in poverty and marginalization. Currently, one quarter of the city’s population of 1.7 million people live in slum communities. Children in these communities are highly vulnerable to falling into life on the street and becoming victim to abuse and exploitation.

Mith Samlanh (“Close Friends” in Khmer) works in Phnom Penh to respond to the harsh living conditions of street living and working children. Today, it works in seven zones of the city, providing holistic social support to over 18,000 children, youth and families per year so they can claim their rights to health, safety, family care and education.

SOCIAL SERVICES

Mith Samlanh runs a full child protection and social reintegration program that includes outreach on the streets and in marginalized communities, drop-in centers for street children, Transitional Homes for children separated from family, non-formal education and vocational training. It is the program’s goal that every child access education and every youth have the skills to obtain stable employment. The program also supports at-risk groups, such as drug users and sex workers, to access rehabilitation and prevent sickness. In recent years, Mith Samlanh has increased its focus on youth employment, and provides specialized support through its Futures Offices.

SOCIAL BUSINESSES

Mith Samlanh currently operates the following social businesses:

CHILDSAFE MOVEMENT

Mith Samlanh implements the ChildSafe movement throughout Phnom Penh in order to mobilize all actors to protect vulnerable children. Through the ChildSafe Citizens Campaign, ChildSafe community awareness raising, and ChildSafe Agent training, Mith Samlanh mobilized and maintained a network of over 800 Agents which directly protected 10,063 children in 2017.

QUICK FACTS

Our work in 2017:

  • 10,063 children and youth worked with
  • 2,051 children provided education
  • 592 youth linked with skills and employment
  • 203 separated children reunited with family

Annual budget in 2017:

$3,259,133

Number of staff:

233

Contact details:

  • P.O. Box 588, #215 Street 13, Sangkat Chey Chumneas Khan Daun Penh, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
  • +855 23 220 596
  • info@mithsamlanh.org
  • www.mithsamlanh.org

Siem Reap

Kaliyan Mith

3

OUR WORK

Siem Reap, the home of Angkor Wat, is the center of the tourism industry in Cambodia. With the number of tourists rising at an average of 15% a year, this status has led to Siem Reap being a driver of the Cambodian economy. However, increases in wealth have not been equitable throughout the province, and many marginalized children are forced into risky situations in order earn income for their families, including working on the streets in tourist areas. This exposes children to a variety of dangers such as sickness, drug use and exploitation by locals and tourists.

Kaliyan Mith (“Good Friends” in Khmer) fully utilizes the Friends model of social business, social support, and public mobilization to build the futures of children and families. Responding to the problems of predatory tourism, child abuse, lack of access to education, and youth employment, the program assisted 11,412 children, youth and caregivers in 2017.

SOCIAL SERVICES

Kaliyan Mith offers a range of social reintegration support, including family reintegration, school reintegration, and transitional shelter for vulnerable children. Marginalized youth can access skills training in five vocations: sewing, hospitality/cooking, mechanics, barber and beauty. Street outreach is conducted at both night and day to provide immediate services, and street-based children can access the drop-in center for counselling, life skills training and health services. The program supports youth and caregivers to find stable employment through its Futures Office.

BUILDING FUTURES

Kaliyan Mith currently operates the following social businesses:

  • Vocational training restaurants, Marum and Nyum Nyum
  • Vocational training beauty shop, Phka Kravan
  • Vocation training mechanics shop
  • Friends ‘N’ Stuff fair trade gift shops
  • Income generating initiatives such as cookbooks and other initiatives

CHILDSAFE MOVEMENT

Kaliyan Mith is a full implementer of the ChildSafe Movement, including ChildSafe Citizens and Travelers Campaigns, community awareness raising, ChildSafe Agent training and the ChildSafe Hotline. In 2016, it maintained a network of 3,744 Agents in communities and 60 businesses in the tourism industry (hotels, travel agencies). In 2017, 4,534 children were directly protected through ChildSafe intervention.

QUICK FACTS

In 2017:

  • 5,011 children and youth supported
  • 1,707 children provided education
  • 398 youth linked with skills and employment
  • 156 separated children reunited with family

Annual budget in 2017:

$1,329.819

Number of staff:

124

Contact details: