Cambodia

The Khmer people, who are thought to have migrated from China before 200 B.C., constitute 90 percent of Cambodia’s population, followed by the Chinese and the Vietnamese. Today, the population is remarkably young. Thirty-seven percent of all Cambodians are under age 15. Most live in rural areas, while more than 1 million live in the capital city of Phnom Penh. Many Cambodians work in agriculture, or in fisheries and forestry. In rural areas, parents often arrange marriages for their daughters as early as age 15.

Educational opportunities are limited due to the cost of tuition and school books. Sponsored children sometimes even leave school for a few months to help with farming. This can explain why an 11-year-old child may still be in the second or third grade.

One in every 236 Cambodians has lost a limb due to land mines. You can help in the immense task of ridding the country of the plague of mines. You can
also help provide skills training for the disabled, among others.

Most Cambodians don’t know their birthdays and don’t celebrate them, nor do they celebrate Christmas. Instead, they have an annual Water Festival which celebrates the rains that sustain life in Cambodia.

Cambodia consists of large plains surrounded by highlands with densely forested mountains. About 11 percent of the land is cultivated, with agriculture employing 84 percent of the labor force. The climate is subtropical, with a dry season from November to May and a rainy season from May to November.

Thanks to relatively newfound peace and freedom, life is far better now for the people of Cambodia than in recent decades. The country continues to recover from 25 years of civil war and the brutal Khmer Rouge communist regime, which ruled from 1975 to 1979. Development is progressing, yet daily life is still difficult for many people.

Health conditions are improving, but one
child in seven still dies before age five, many from preventable diseases such as polio, diphtheria, and malaria.

The National Pediatric Hospital in Phnom Penh treats more than 100,000 children each year. Health workers also educate families about hygiene, nutrition, and other basics of preventive medicine.

A very sad note is that many women and children are facing the atrocities of modern day slavery by being subjected to human trafficking. You can help stem the tide of this slavery.

• Pray that your sponsored child might be open to God’s love and grace.
• Ask God to guide your sponsored child as he or she learns, grows, and moves toward a future full of hope and possibilities.
• Pray for God to protect the health of your sponsored child and his or her family.