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Cambodia
 CRWRC has been working in Cambodia since 1998. Cambodia is one of the poorest countries in the world. Most of the population work as subsistence farmers, growing rice and other crops in the fertile soil along the Mekong River. Unfortunately, the rice crop is often not enough to sustain a farming family for the whole year. Moreover, erosion and flooding are becoming increasingly problematic and pose threats to the farming community.
CRWRC is responding to poverty in Cambodia by working in partnership with local churches and organizations. For a description of these programs, see below.
Population: 13,995,904 (July 2007 est.)
Area Comparative: slightly smaller than Oklahoma
Literacy Rate: 73.6%
Life Expectancy: 61.29 years
Population below the poverty line: 40% (2004 est.)
Gross Domestic Product per Capita: $2,700 (2006 est.)
Religions: Theravada Buddhist 95%, other 5%
Language: Khmer (official) 95%, French, English
(From the World Factbook. Click here for more information on Cambodia.)
CRWRC has five partners in Cambodia:
Chet Thor
Chet Thor means “Kindness” in Khmer. Through this organization, CRWRC is working to show kindness to Cambodian people and help them transform their communities. This includes programs in:
- Agriculture – Farmers are brought together and trained in new farming techniques. They also receive loans of rice, seeds, chicken, ducks, or pigs. When these loans are repaid, additional funds are available to provide loans to others.
- Environment – Community members meet monthly and learn about various environmental concerns. They then develop plans to address needs. For example, many communities are hoping to implement tree planting programs in the next year.
- Health – Chet Thor identifies and trains community members to be Traditional Birth Attendants. These TBA’s can then provide support, medical advice, and vaccination information to pregnant women.
- Income Generation - Community members are invited to join savings groups. These groups then save money each month and receive training on bookkeeping and other basic business skills. Later, group members are able to receive small loans from the group fund, which they can invest in their own business. When these loans are repaid, additional funds are available to other group members.
- Justice – Chet Thor trains community members on human rights areas, peace building, and gender awareness. These community members in turn, organize and educate others in their communities.
- Community Development - Chet Thor staff train community leaders to identify and respond to needs in their communities. Chet Thor staff also visit participants in the above programs community on a regular basis and provide counseling, support, and other assistance as needed.
Christian Learning Circle for Development Association (CLCDA)
Through CLCDA, CRWRC trains community members to identify issues in their communities, plan appropriate responses to these issues, and mobilize the resources necessary to carry out these plans. Because people from various communities are brought together to attend CLC meetings, brainstorming, networking, and sharing can occur.
Cambodian NGOs Capacity Building Network (CNCBN)
Through CNCBN, CRWRC trains leaders from community organizations to respond in their communities. Training is planned and adapted as needs are identified by the community-based organizations.
Evangelical Fellowship of Cambodia (EFC)
EFC is an umbrella organization made up of 114 national and international organizations and churches. EFC, as a body, represents its members with other institutions such as the government and donor community. CRWRC works with the board of the EFC to train them in leadership and management. These skills will help EFC members to implement programs in their respective churches and communities. CRWRC and EFC also train churches on peace-building, conflict-resolution, communication, advocacy, and community-organizing.
Pray Veng Christian Center
Through Pray Veng Christian Center, CRWRC trains leaders from churches and community organizations on leadership and the different aspects of mobilizing communities. With this training, churches and organizations are better equipped to asses community needs, develop appropriate programs, and mobilize church and community members. Pray Veng and CRWRC also encourage community members to join savings groups based on their individual needs. Group members can then receive cows or loans to improve their income.
To read more about CRWRC partnerships in Cambodia, please search the CRWRC story archives.
Introducing CRWRC's Asia-Cambodia team.
CRWRC-Cambodia
#81A, Street 456
Toul Tompong
Chamkar Mon
Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia
PO Box 1175
 Navy Chann-Chhay
Navy and her husband Ly Chhay were Cambodian refugees who were sponsored to Canada. When they first arrived in Canada, they lived in Calgary, Alberta before moving to London, Ontario. While living in London, Navy worked for the London Cross-Cultural Learners Centre, where newcomers to Canada are given assistance in settling into life in Canada - English as a Second Language, training for finding work, how to use public transit and finding housing are some examples of the assistance they offer.
While living in London, Navy, Ly and their two children--daughter Huoy and son John--became members of London Good News Christian Reformed Church. Eventually, they felt the call to return to Cambodia to minister to the people there. Navy now works for CRWRC in Cambodia where she is involved with training community leaders in small business opportunities, community gardens and working with the poorest of the poor. Ly has also been working in communities on projects such as fruit farms. Daughter Huoy graduated from Calvin College in December of 2006. She is now working as internship with a Christian organization called Hagar in Cambodia. Son John is in his 4th year at Calvin College.
EMAIL: navychanncrwrc@online.com.kh
 Esther and Eqbal Matharu
Esther joined the CRWRC Cambodia team in August 2007. She and her husband, Eqbal, have four children, spread out over 4 continents! It is not easy to get together for vacations but the family plans to get together in Cambodia for the Christmas celebration. Esther's background is in Agriculture, but more than anything else, marriage and family shaped her career choices. From working in Kenya as a project officer for the Project for Christian Muslim Relations in Africa (PROCMURA), to working with the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) in Canada, she has worked in a wide variety of mission and secular organizations, both in Africa and Canada. Now, in Cambodia with CRWRC, she feels that indeed, God in His infinite wisdom, has been leading her all the way to a new country, a new family and a new challenge. From a Reformed Church background, (her father, Paul Fueter, was a Swiss Reformed Church minister, working mostly within inter-denominational organizations such as the United Bible Societies), Esther feels strongly that what ever we have to give whether small or big, give with all our hearts "as unto the Lord". Here in Cambodia, the scope for giving is very great, whether it is teaching English, which is what Eqbal is doing part-time, or working alongside colleagues to build the capacity of CRWRC partners and communities. This is a busy time in their life as both Eqbal and Esther settle down in their new routines. Of particular interest are the site visits with colleagues, to witness the learning being done through the community organizing workshops and training sessions
EMAIL: esthercrwrc@online.com.kh
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