Cambodian Hope

Hope for the Nations

Project Proposal

100% Model

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CNN Reports on Sex Trade in Cambodia

Current Be A HERO Project: Be A HERO is working in partnership with Hope for the Nations and Cambodian Hope to purchase and renovate a building in downtown Poipet to be used a Safe House for young women escaping the sex trade. We can get them out of prostitution, but then what?  This building and comprehensive program will provide them with a home, medical care, counseling, and vocational training to allow them to become self-supporting away from the brothels.

BE A HERO is a registered Canadian, US, and Australian charity with a mandate to educate, inspire, equip and facilitate people of all ages to challenge them to “Be a HERO” to the 1.2 billion children at risk due to poverty, homelessness, child labour, slavery, sexual exploitation, aids and plagues, and war. In partnership with proven, seasoned organizations we fight to save dying children by sponsoring orphans; building orphanages and schools; developing micro-enterprises; advocacy; prayer; and arranging “Hero Holidays” for people to see first-hand the desperate situation that many of our world’s children live in, and to help at an orphanage or other mercy project.

Cambodia is of international repute for children trafficked into slavery or the sex trade.  In addition to this abuse of children, there are many cases of children being forced to beg or work in destitute conditions.  Child labour impacts up to one-half of Cambodia’s childhood population.  These children come from homeless situations or extreme poverty. Chronic malnutrition or a lack of even basic education is a common problem.

BE A HERO is passionate about the need to end modern-day slavery.

Despite the growing recognition that the trafficking of children for labour and sexual exploitation is a grave human rights violation that reduces children to mere commodities, child trafficking is still widespread in much of Asia.

Children make up 40 to 50 per cent of the 2.45 million persons trafficked for exploitative labour.

These children are trapped and exploited in domestic work, manufacturing enterprises, commercial sex, agriculture, armed conflict and other “worst forms” of child labour.

The negative consequence on both children and their communities are enormous.

In the worst cases, trafficking can result in the child’s disappearance or death and in general child victims of trafficking are deprived of their rights to basic education, vocational training and to develop as healthy and productive citizens.

Together, we are lobbying government to stop trafficking, punish the perpetrators and help those exploited.

BE A HERO and Cambodia Hope Organization (CHO) are ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING OF CHILDREN.  Together, we are protecting vulnerable children by raising awareness of the risks, and are rescuing women and children by helping them escape exploitation and giving them skills to earn an alternative, sustainable income.

Social Return on Investment for this project is very strong.  The Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) is a strategic infrastructure link and economic zone.  Agriculture, energy, environment, human relations, investment, telecommunications, trade, transport and economic corridors are targeted within a comprehensive regional plan. By 2014, a super highway and trading zone will connect Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, China and Burma.   While providing capacity for positive economic leverage and growth in the area, the GMS infrastructure also provides a significant negative opportunity for growth in child enslavement, the sex trade and other abuses of children. 

The Hope Transformation Centre is located on the nerve fiber - the new main highway of the GMS initiative. A deliberate choice was made to be operationally and strategically centered in the midst of existing abuse of children with a growing demand for restorative humanitarian solutions.

The building has an approximate total of 22,000 square feet over 4 floors and a first floor mezzanine (2000 sq ft).  The building is about 50 meters from the new paved super-highway. Minor renovations and interior wall construction is required.  The building has not been used before:  it is essentially brand-new.  The vendor had a change in plans due to family matters. The first floor will be used as a restaurant, generating income and providing training for the residents in cooking, catering, and serving. The second floor will have classrooms offering academics, computer training, and vocational training such as tailoring, sewing, cosmetology. The third floor will be bedrooms and bathrooms for the girls. The fourth floor will be a convention/ seminar facility and wedding venue to be rented to the public.

Poipet, Cambodia is right on the border between Cambodia and Thailand.  Population:  130,000 and growing rapidly (2 years ago: 80,000 people).  Poipet is emerging as a hub city due to its central location (factory and commercial growth) as well as a stop-over point on the new main highway.

Site and market characteristics for the building include:

• Right on the new main highway for the GMS infrastructure link.  Excellent traffic (foot, bicycle and vehicle) characteristics and counts for the area.   Traffic includes heavy tourist traffic, gambling traffic (10 casinos in Poipet – regional gambling “hot spot”), day laborers crossing two borders (one legal, one illegal). 
• Positioned right on the corridor where women and children are moved through Poipet for trafficking and the sex trade.  Approximately 10,000 people move through the border crossing daily.  The majority are women and children.
• Next door to a mid-sized hotel.  The area is considered a “good area within Poipet”
• The highway and Poipet are not well served with Western quality-level restaurants or a place to stop while traveling or approaching a busy border crossing.  There is a market demand for a clean, hygienic and well presented food and beverage presence.
• Poipet – 2 years ago (80,000) now 130,000.  Migration to Thailand as well as growing commercial infrastructure in Poipet (factories etc).  HIV/AID/drugs is on the increase as well.  Good for criminal elements as well due to location.  Small airport that supports gambling, future industry growth.
• Marker “A” is the location of Poipet:

Inside Pictures & View from Inside

Project Goals

The Hope Transformation Center will create:

NOTE: The term “woman/women” is issued within the cultural context even though they are of ages that would be considered as “children” or “girls” in our western context.

Utilization of donor capital until December 2010 is as follows:

Cash flow timing, expenditure details and sustainability gross margin contributions are available upon request.  Overheads and Operating costs are sustaining in Q1 2010 based on May-09 start date.

Partners

BE A HERO is partnering with the Cambodian Hope Organization (CHO):  www.cambodianhope.org.  Cambodian Hope Organization operates under the umbrella of Hope for the Nations (HFTN). CHO is managed by Mr. Chomno In, the founder of CHO.  CHO will be responsible for the local running and management of the Hope Transformation Center.
Mr. In’s formal education includes a Masters in Business Administration (Siem Reap, Cambodia).  Mr. In has extensive humanitarian field experience, project management and NGO experience.  CHO organizational headcount is presently at 67 full-time workers.  Mr. In’s resume is available on request.

Donors are welcome to invest in any part of this project.  Tax receipts will be issued for all donations.  To make a secure, on-line donation click here. For further information on this or any other BE A HERO project  call our Head Office at (250) 717-1003. Please note on all correspondence “Cambodia – Hope Transformation Centre”. You will be issued a tax receipt early in the new year.