Khemara Cambodia

As Cambodia’s longest serving local Non-Government Organisation (NGO), Khemara has developed a range of services to protect and empower women and children to improve the quality of their lives. Over the past 26 years, its’ fundamental understanding and established concept has enabled thousands of women, children and those with disadvantages to recognise their potential and rights to participate in decision making. All programs are based on a robust set of principles for identifying those most in need in the community and establishing a clear and concise implementation plan. Working directly with commune councils, commune councils for women and children and communities across a range of project areas, Khemara’s services include: provision of childcare centres, child protection, HIV prevention, public health services and income generation. In addition, Khemara also provides basic adult education and health support alongside climate change and sustainability programs. Why we exist: Cambodia is still in the process of rebuilding and recovering after many years of war, poverty, famine and widespread instability. Instability has left the country traumatised with little knowledge of basic human rights, particularly the rights of women, children and vulnerable in the community. This has led to large sectors of the population subject to abuse through a lack of understanding of their options to exercise their rights. In order reduce the abuse, Khemara was founded to educate, support and empower the most vulnerable and disadvantaged people in the community; to ensure they understand their rights and achieve their potential to participate in decision making.