Profile

Save the Children Cambodia for Development (SCD) is a place smiles, hopes and dreams, providing disadvantaged children a better life now and for the future. Founded in 2005, Save the Children Cambodia for Development (SCD) provides a permanent loving home for some of Cambodia’s most disadvantage children, giving them a life-changing education and hope for their future. In the beginning, SCD stared with 39 children; today we care and provide an education for more than 100 children.

SCD was founded by Mr Chan Norn, a Cambodian National and Mr Cormac Creed a generous American business man. After meeting and realizing their shared passion to help Cambodia’s orphans and poorest children, the dream of creating a safe home and a better future for these children began. Together Norn and Cormac purchased a block of land in Traphang Sala Village and began developing the beautiful home that is now SCD. Read more in about us..

Cambodia, known as the Kingdom of Wonder is a country rich with culture, history and beautiful people. However it is a country that has suffered a horrific past of civil war under the rule of the Khmer rouge from 1974 to 1979 and the following years of civil unrest. Today Cambodia is in the midst of rebuilding itself socially, economically and psychologically. The scars of the past, however will take decades to heal. The people of Cambodia are among the poorest in the world, trying to rebuild a country where most of the governmental and social structures were destroyed. The fact that most of the educated people were killed under the Khmer Rouge rule, makes the rebuilding an overwhelming task. Currently more than one third of Cambodians live below the poverty line, struggling to survive on less than $1 a day.

Poverty is seen worst in rural areas and remote provinces, especially amongst children who due to the low life expectancy constitute more than half of the country's population. Countless poor families are destitute and unable to support themselves or send their children to school. The majority of these families will receive no government support and urgently need our help.

 In 2010, thanks to generous donors SCD purchased a small block of farm land in Kam Pong Speu Province with the idea of developing a functioning crop and animal farm that in the future could help sustain SCD. Since then, three more blocks of land have been purchased which now include one rice field an 850tree Orange farm, Fish Farm, Mango Trees, a large Vegetable Garden with Water Greens, Cabbage, Bok Choy and Lettuce. SCD also has a range of animals for breeding/selling and consumption including Pigs, Cows, Chickens and Ducks. Over the past three years we have developed this land significantly and now have three houses including two kitchens, sleeping area for workers, three bathrooms and shelter for the animals. In 2011 we excavated one large dam which now serves as a fish farm and water supply for our crops. With help from our donors we have also been able to purchase one tractor, as well as an irrigation system and every day tools for the farm.

SCD also owns a large farm in Takeo Province for the soul production of rice for the consumption of our children. The rice fields cover almost 7 hectares and the crop is harvested once a year. This crop produces enough rice to feed our children for approximately 3 months, SCD still has to purchase rice for the remainder of the year and always appreciates sponsors who can help with this purchase. Currently we employ ten people at the two farms who maintain the crops and care for the animals. Our children also travel to the farm which is located one hour from SCD to help work on the weekends. This is a great opportunity for our children to learn about agriculture as well as appreciate the important history of farming in Cambodia. The SCD farms we believe are an increasingly important asset for the future of SCD.

This is our dream, but our simple everyday needs cannot be forgotten, things such as;

•  Everyday Food Supplies –
• Especially rice and nutritional grains and beans
• Everyday Clothes, hats and shoes-Including school and sport
  
• UniformsLearning resources-
  
• Writing Books, Dictionary’s and stationary and school bags
• Medical supplies- Everyday children’s medicine
• Toys and Sporting Equipment-Volleyballs, Soccer balls, Badminton sets, Board Games etc
• Everyday Health Supplies-Toothbrush/Toothpaste, shampoo, soap, washing detergent
• Sleeping Supplies-Mats, blankets, Pillows, Mosquito Nets
• Kitchen
• Family cottage for caretaker and Medical Room
• Updated Technology- New computers and programs for the children’s IT Classroom.

We hope that in the near future we will be collecting produce from our vegetable Garden and selling it at the local markets, with all profits going back to the children at SCD. In two years we hope to have substantial produce of oranges which will supply a great income for SCD. The produce will also be used for the daily meals and nutrition of our children, as all our crops are grown organically with no harmful chemicals. We believe that although this project is still in its early days that with the help of sponsors, SCD will be able to achieve it future goal of being self-sustainable.

SCD is a Non for Profit Organization that runs on the generous donations and support from individuals, communities, companies and international organizations. The SCD home opened in September 2006 with just 39 students. Now, at the beginning of 2013 we have surpassed our expectations and grown to more than 100 children, so hence our needs are growing accordingly. When we dream, we dream big: with adequate funding we can extend our facilities and eventually increase the population to care for and provide a loving home for 250 children with an equal number of boys and girls.

Our primary mission at SCD is to help create a better quality of life and a restored hope for the children’s future by providing them with a permanent loving home. We focus on the care of children who have been directly affected by existing poverty; whether they are orphans or their parents have been injured or killed from AIDS/HIV/Land mines and are to poor or unable to care for and provide an education for their children. We aim to provide a safe home for this poorest of children were they can live a safe and happy life. Our children gain an education, and are given a safe and loving home where they receive an education, shelter, nutrition, healthcare, recreation , cultural and moral guidance/support and are given counseling if ever necessary.

Our education program at SCD supplements the public education, though additional English Language, Khmer, Mathematics and Information and Technology (IT) Computer classes. Classes both at local public school and at SCD, free time and healthy interaction gives a balanced rhythm to the lives of our children, who all consider each other brothers and sisters. We are also committed to maintaining the connections between the children under our care and any remaining family they may have. During Khmer New Year and other traditional holidays, we provide safe transportation back to their home villages to spend time with their family.

At SCD we also try to create as many opportunity’s as we can for our children to have the best possible future. We have just had our first group of students graduate from their public high school with wonderful results and are now all continuing their studies at university. We are very proud and hope that our children can continue their studies at university with the generous support of sponsors. All of our children are such special souls and we can see that when we nourish and educate this group of children, this same help continues into their families, their society and their country. We hope that SCD will be a lasting gift to these children, to Cambodia and to the generations that follow.