Cambodia’s history is marred by war, genocide and political instability.  The 1970s political experiment left two million dead, devastated a well-developed infrastructure and left Cambodians struggling to find answers. Recent stability has brought change and development to the country, and an international tribunal is underway to address the crimes surrounding Pol Pot’s regime. High infant mortality rates, an increasing population living with AIDS and lack of health care and education for children continue to plague the country.

Instead of devastation and despair, the hope, light and life of Jesus are evidenced throughout the country as World Relief empowers the church to come alongside hurting communities. 

Light for Life
In rural Cambodia, many young children die because mothers lack the basic knowledge to raise strong and healthy children.  Our Light for Life child survival program serves nearly 70,000 women, mobilizing volunteers to train their neighbors to recognize signs of sickness, prevent and treat basic childhood diseases, and provide nutritious and affordable meals to their families. 

"The children in my village used to get sick a lot. They would cry and cry, and then they just died. We didn't know the reason,” reflected Hak Roon, “Since Light for Life began, there are no more cases of measles. No children have died recently…they are all alive and healthy.”

Hope
Hope, our child development program uses interactive lessons, skits, puppetry and songs to teach over 30,000 children lessons about health and hygiene, caring for their neighbor and God’s love. Teenagers serve as god-siblings to younger children, offering a close mentoring relationship to younger children. 

An entire cell church movement has been born as children have come to know Jesus through the Hope program. Children become agents of change in their communities, passing on health lessons, sharing what they have learned with their peers and telling their parents about Jesus. 

Economic Opportunities
Since 1992, CREDIT has offered clients and their families the opportunity to start or expand small businesses.  Access to credit equips people to act on innovative ideas and improve their family’s quality of life. CREDIT, awarded both the 2005 CGAP Financial Transparency Award and a Mix Market Five Star Ranking, currently serves over 12,000 women with high quality financial services.