Reducing Poverty and Inequality in Urban Cambodia

Hello to our Faithful Supporters, 

Cambodia is a country that holds a very special place in our hearts. We have been working here for nearly eight years now, and over that time we’ve witnessed incredible resilience, compassion, and dedication from the local community and our amazing team on the ground. As CEO of Action Change I know every program is very spcial and or some reason Cambodia is always one that stands out to me personally after meeting the amazing people there!

Despite this, Cambodia has consistently been one of our most difficult countries to fundraise for. Each year, we are grateful to raise around $1,000, which limits the scale of our impact we can deliver but not our spirit. The strength and commitment of the local team have kept this program alive, even through the toughest moments.

Over the past nine months, I've spent a lot of time discussing how to ensure this project not only survives but thrives. In partnership with community members, supporters of Action Chnge and other amazingly passionate contacts we’ve come to realize that we cannot continue to sustain it alone — but we are not giving up, i promise you this.

We are now in active talks with two international universities that run internship and degree programs in partnership within Cambodia. These partnerships could bring both skilled volunteers and initial funding to help us build long-term, self-reliant, and sustainable change. With their resources and our on-the-ground experience, we’re hopeful that this collaboration will allow us to strengthen the foundations of our programs and focus future fundraising on enhancement and not survival.

While these partnerships take shape, we continue to do everything we can with the resources we have. Every single donation made between now and our official program relaunch will go directly toward:

• Medical supplies for the local clinic to support community health.

• Sexual health outreach sessions, which cost just $25 each and bring 5–8 community members together for education and awareness.

• School food support, where for every $100, we can buy groceries to feed 60 children for 4–6 weeks.

This year, we’ve only managed to fund four school food runs but each one has made a world of difference, we would love to have said we done 10 so these chilren got to ear every month and this is. a big driving factor fo these changes.

We also have detailed plans ready to bring clean water to all our community schools. Unfortunately, this part of the project requires significant funding, so it’s temporarily on hold but it remains one of our top priorities once our new partnerships are in place.

It’s a time of change and uncertainty, but also of hope. After nine months of discussions, our chances of successfully forming these new partnerships are now looking better than ever, around a 70% likelihood of success.

We wanted to share this honest update with you, our supporters, because your belief in us keeps this work alive. Every donation, every share, every kind message truly matters.

And with Giving Tuesday coming up on December 2nd, when GlobalGiving will match your donations, it’s a perfect opportunity to help us restock the school kitchen, supply the clinic, and keep our community programs running strong during this transition time. 

Thank you for standing with us through the challenges, the uncertainty, and the hope. Together, we are paving the way for a stronger, more sustainable future in Cambodia.

A few months ago, we introduced you to Dara, a 17-year-old girl living in Kampong Thom who whispered, “I don’t think I’m smart enough for anything.” Back then, her shoulders were hunched with the weight of doubt and expectation. Today, thanks to your support, she stands tall—leading group reflections, mentoring younger girls, and planning her future with clarity and confidence.

This is what regeneration looks like. And this is what you have made possible.

Over the past few months, our program has grown quietly but powerfully. The youth we serve are beginning to find their voices, not through grand speeches, but through small, brave acts of courage. It might be a boy volunteering to read aloud in our workshops for the first time. A girl choosing to stay in school, even though her family needs her at home. A young man admitting that he’s afraid of failing—but choosing to try anyway. These are the moments that tell us change is happening.

We’ve been running new training weekends that blend life skills with deep, reflective conversations. In Battambang, one young participant shared how his father’s anger shaped how he treated his younger brother. After one session on breaking cycles, he went home and apologized. The next weekend, he came back with a drawing his brother had made—just a stick figure family holding hands, with the word “hope” underneath. That small piece of paper now hangs in our team’s office, a reminder of the quiet revolutions you are helping to spark.

The need remains great. So many young people in Cambodia still live with the shadows of the past—poverty, trauma, and limited opportunity—but with every donation, you’re helping us build safe spaces, where healing begins and self-belief takes root. We’re now preparing to train ten new youth mentors to reach even more remote communities, and we’re piloting a girls’ leadership program focused on confidence, reproductive health, and dreaming bigger. It’s ambitious, but we’ve seen how even the smallest investment can create lifelong change.

Your generosity is not a one-time act. It echoes in every story, every new smile, every bold step taken. If you can, please consider making another donation today. With your help, we’ll continue growing this movement—nurturing young Cambodian leaders who rise not despite their past, but because of the resilience it’s taught them.

Thank you for walking alongside us. We couldn’t do this without you.