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Current Be A HERO Project: Be A HERO is working in partnership with Hope for the Nations and Cambodian Hope to construct a Children’s Village in Poipet, Cambodia to provide care, a home, school, and vocational training for orphans, street children, and those rescued from the sex trade. Phase One of the project is a dorm building, bathrooms, a well, power and sewer to the site. Estimated cost for Phase One is $45,000.00 USD.
Overview Cambodian Hope
Cambodian Hope Organization (CHO) works with communities in and around Poipet on Cambodia’s northwest border with Thailand. CHO is a local Non-Government Organization registered with the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Rural Development in June 2002. Targeting the needs and opportunities presented in the community, projects include: Home and school vegetable gardening; water sanitation; animal husbandry; vocational training (sewing, motorbike repair, computer training); HIV/AIDS education and home care; financial assistance to disabled families; restaurant management, food prep, and hygiene training; awareness training re: child trafficking and domestic violence; well drilling.
CHO focuses on assisting:
- Children whose parents are HIV/AIDS positive
- Children from landless families
- Children from families where one or more parents has disability
- Children & women at risk of rape, exploitation and trafficking
- Children from families with drug abuse, alcoholism, or incarceration
- Children amongst the poorest of the poor from families with more than 3 children
Situation in Poipet
The UN ranks Cambodia as one of the world’s poorest countries and the people of Poipet have very little. As a border town Poipet is home to many Cambodians who hope to find work in Thailand. Most fail, and are relegated to the huge slum communities, becoming drawn into the town’s underground world of illegal gambling, prostitution, and sex trafficking. At particular risk are the 300 street children who daily carry packages across the border for the equivalent of only seven cents per delivery, sleeping in the open at night. Many of these children are kidnapped, trafficked across borders, and forced to work in the international sex trade.
Socio-economic Statistics
- Households have 6.8 members on average
- 21.9% of the households are female headed households
- Adult Literacy rate stands at 63%
- Among 6-12 years old 82.2% attend school. For the 13-18 age group this is 52.7% and drops dramatically to 1.6% for 19-24 years old.
- Disabilities rates were found to be 1.7% for people younger than 18 years. This figure goes up to 6.6% for 19-35 years old, and rises further to 17.1% for those over 36 years of age.
Be A HERO Project
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In partnership with Hope for the Nations and Cambodian Hope, Be A HERO plans to build a children’s village in Poipet, starting with a children’s home for 24 at-risk children. Cambodian Hope has been providing basic life-skills training to children and women; promoting child rights and awareness of trafficking; classes on enhancing health and HIV/AIDS education and prevention; teaching and supporting home vegetable gardening; enabling micro-business through micro-loans, the Clothes Community project, and the Carpets for Communities project. The proposed Children’s Village is desperately needed to enable the rescue of children before they fall victims of kidnapping and trafficking.
Five hectares of land have been purchased, at a cost of $60,000.00 USD. A children’s village will be developed in phases as follows: Note: all figures USD Phase 1: Dormitory-style building for 24 children (and their caregivers) $25,000.00; bathrooms (two) $5,000.00; well $12,000.00; power $1500.00; sewer $1500.00
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The architecture of the children’s home is simple, yet elegant, following traditional Cambodian style
The architecture of the children’s home is simple, yet elegant, following traditional Cambodian style with an open feel. Each home will be able to house twenty four children.
Phase 2: Second dormitory for 24 children (and their caregivers) at $25,000.00 USD. Dining/Activity hall $10,000.00
Future Development (not in priority order):
- Vocational Training School/Church. Two-storey building will include classrooms and meeting area $44,000.00
- School $28,000.00
- Guest Housing for visitors and short-term volunteers (Two $15,000.00 each)
- Home for the Director and his family $15,000.00
- Office building $15,000.00
- Parking area and car port $1500.00
- Adjacent land (two hectares $24,000.00)
- Covered walkways $1500.00
The construction of this village will save the lives of children, provide them with love, security and safety, ensure they attend school, and transform them from orphans to leaders. Support through the Be A HERO Child Sponsorship program will provide the children with food, clothing, health care and school fees.
100% of all funds donated for this project will be applied directly to the project. Be A HERO does not keep anything for administration. Be A HERO is able to do this because the Hero Partnership and Pillar Program participants designate their donations specifically for administration. If you would like to invest in this project, we accept donations by cheque or by credit card. Click here to donate
If you wish to sponsor one of these children click here
You will be sent a receipt for income tax purposes early in the following year.
To view more photos from Cambodia click here
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