Cambodia's tragic past has left it one of the poorest nations in South East Asia. More than a third of Cambodians survive on less than $1US a day. Children are the first to suffer the consequences of such poverty, and almost half are moderately or severely malnourished.
Cambodia's infant mortality rate is the highest in South East Asia with approximately 98 deaths per1000 live births, as is its under-five mortality rate of 141 deaths per 1000 births. Almost all of these deaths could be avoided by interventions as simple as vaccination and basic treatment for respiratory infections and diarrhoea.
The poverty experienced in Cambodia not only affects the children’s health, but robs them of their childhood, as many are forced from school into child labour. Worse still, children continue to fall prey to traffickers and are subject to exploitation and abuse in the sex trade, or are sold as debt bondage. It has been estimated that more than a third of sex workers in Cambodia are children. HIV, AIDS and an early death is extremely common.
There are an estimated 450,000 orphaned and abandoned children (aged between 0-17 years) in Cambodia. These children are generally the first victims of abuse, having no one to love or protect them.
Our Mission:
The Children's Sanctuary (CS) is a newly established international organisation dedicated to protecting the welfare of Cambodia's most vulnerable children. The CS is independent, not-for-profit and is managed by Australian doctors and nurses. Our aim is to provide orphaned and abandoned children, those most at risk of exploitation, a loving and secure home environment in which they will live until the age of 18 years. Thereafter, the young adults will be provided with independent accommodation and full tertiary education or vocational training.
Apart from the love and nurturing the children receive, we provide a level of housing, healthcare, nutrition and education comparable to that available in Australia and similar countries.
The CS Board is employed in an entirely voluntary capacity. We guarantee total financial transparency with all accounts available on request and have a 'zero tolerance' approach to all forms of corruption and graft. Staff involved in any corrupt practice, either at work or elsewhere, will be immediately dismissed from employment and reported to the relevant authorities.
