Safeguarding Cambodian Children released from RCFs

Over 320 vulnerable Cambodian children were suddenly returned home after the closure of 32 residential care facilities (RCFs), facing urgent risks of abuse and neglect. This Life partnered with local authorities to deliver emergency aid, family tracing, and holistic support across 14 provinces. The project also drives systemic reform—replacing institutions with safer, community-based family care. By building capacity and coordinating with the government, This Life is securing lasting protection and brighter futures for children nationwide.

Safeguard Vulnerable Cambodian Children

With your compassion and generosity, hope has returned for hundreds of Cambodian children whose lives were upended by the sudden closure of RCFs. Thanks to your support, This Life acted quickly to ensure those children and young people—not just numbers, but sons, daughters, and grandchildren—were not left behind in this crisis.

Immediate Support—Made Possible by You

When these children returned home, many faced real dangers: abuse, neglect, and poverty. Your generosity meant we could act at once:

• Food, Healthcare, and Essentials: 81 food packages and 71 hygiene kits reached families when they were needed most.
• Cash Transfers in Crisis: 198 emergency payments helped families keep children safe, fed, and secure.
• Infrastructure Support: 94 solar panels and one toilet block improved household conditions and sanitation. Three housing repairs provided safe and secure shelter for families.
• Getting Kids Back to School: Six bicycles, 32 sets of school materials, and direct support enabled children to return to classrooms with confidence.

Long-Term Safety and Well-being

You made recovery about more than just survival:

• Family and Community Livelihoods: 12 families began income-generating activities, while three families now live in safer, repaired homes—because children need more than shelter alone.
• Case Management: 46 individual and family counselling sessions supported lasting wellbeing. 1,206 monitoring visits—most face-to-face—kept children on track and connected to a caring team. 22 cases were successfully closed, while four new cases were enrolled in the programme.
• Placement with Family: 17 children and one young person were safely reunited with parents or kin, with follow-up care to support their fresh start.

Overcoming Extraordinary Challenges—Together

Recent border tensions between Thailand and Cambodia forced many families to flee their homes, disrupting regular activities. At the same time, resource shortages, difficult geography, and Cambodia’s rainy season made reaching remote provinces even harder. These challenges could have left many children without support—but thanks to your generosity, combined with rapid adaptation, ongoing communication, and close collaboration with local authorities, no child was left behind during times of crisis.

A Grandmother’s Gratitude: Real Voices

Ms Maa Chee (a pseudonym), grandmother of an affected family from Oddar Meanchey province, shared:
“I am very grateful to This Life for always supporting my family, especially during the two times we had to flee. The organisation provided cash transfers so I could buy food packages, hygiene supplies, a solar panel, and a tent to cover our roof to protect us from the sun and rain. Thank you so much for thinking of and supporting my family.”

Thank You for Making This Work Possible

Despite limited resources, your kindness created life-saving relief and innovative solutions for Cambodia's most vulnerable children. Please share this report with friends and family, or on social media, to show how much good can be achieved when we work together.

You made safety, hope, and new possibilities possible. Thank you—again and again—for standing with Cambodian children and families in crisis.

For more updates, stories, and ways to support, please visit our website or follow us on social media.

Links:

• Learn more about This Life here
• Get more updates about This Life on Social Media
• Find out more about our program on this webpage