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Where we do it > Cambodia
| Population: |
13.7 million |
| Capital city: |
Phnom Penh |
| GDP per capita: |
$2,423 |
| HDI ranking: |
129 out of 177 countries * |
| Life expectancy: |
56 |
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* The UNDP Human Development Index (HDI) measures a country's achievements
in terms of life expectancy, educational attainment and adjusted real income.
Country backgroundVSO Cambodia works in the areas of Education, Reproductive and Child Health, and Secure Livelihoods (Forestry and Fisheries). Although Cambodia is now enjoying peace after more than thirty years of conflict and political instability, it is still suffering from a greatly reduced number of qualified people in all areas of work including nurses, doctors, teachers, lecturers and managers and there is an enormous need to build up the human resource base of the country to achieve development.
Forty three percent of the population is under 15 years old, yet it is estimated that 10-15% of the population never enters a school, often because families living in extreme poverty need their child to miss school in order to earn money. The government is trying hard to promote ‘Education for All’ and while there have been rapid increases in enrolment there has been less investment in improving the quality of teacher training. Teachers are not equipped to cope with the large class sizes and are not trained in up to date teaching techniques so drop out rates are high as students become demotivated by poor schooling.
VSO volunteers who are experienced teachers and education managers are working at all levels within education, ranging from Provincial Teacher Training Colleges to District Offices of Education. These volunteers are improving methodologies and helping update management and planning practices among school directors, teacher trainers and district education officials. Establishing links between training colleges and schools means that newly qualified teachers continue to be supported during the early years of their career. Placements at the Ministry of Education enable volunteers to influence policy and work on national agendas, such as updating the curriculum.
Over the past ten years both infant and child mortality have steadily increased; infant and under five deaths stand at 95 and 124 per 1,000 live births respectively, while 437 mothers in every 100,000 die in childbirth. Malnutrition affects approximately 45% of children aged six months to five years and at least 20% of women of reproductive age. Much of this illness and death occurs from conditions that are preventable or treatable but the government lacks the professional skills needed to develop public health services and staff are poorly trained and have limited technical skills.
Eighty five percent of Cambodians live in rural communities where they cannot access health services or their local health services are poor. VSO volunteers are working within these rural areas to improve the serviced offered, increase the uptake of health services and promote healthy living practices that will reduce child and maternal deaths. There is also a focus on improving understanding of post natal mental health problems.
Eighty percent of Cambodians rely on natural resources to earn a living but poor fishing practices and mismanagement of forests means that these resources are being depleted, leaving families and communities vulnerable to hunger and poverty. Volunteers are working with the Department of Fisheries, district government offices and community based organisations to improve the management of natural resources, provide information and training to local communities, establish networks of local organisations that share knowledge of best practice and pass on essential business and management skills that will enable local people to manage the organisations more effectively.
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Cambodia: Programme Summaries |
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