We hope you are staying safe and well and we are thinking of you at this difficult time. We wanted to update you on the situation in Cambodia and what K.I.D.S. is doing to alleviate suffering there. Cambodia has been locked down since the end of March, schools are closed and cross-province travel is not permitted. Although there are not many confirmed cases, it is hard to tell how many people are positive for Covid 19.
The majority of Cambodians survive on daily wages, working in tourism, or in garment and brick factories. What they make during the day they spend mostly on food for their family. With the closure of businesses across the country, people's livelihoods are now in peril. Many families are facing a lack of food. Cambodia does not have social safety nets such as employment assistance/insurance, social assistance, food banks or access to free medicine or healthcare. You can imagine how difficult it is when many families of 6 to 8 people are living in their one-room houses in 37-degree weather with no running water, trying to practice social distancing when the next family lives just steps away.
 |  |
We continue to support all our ongoing programs. We are also providing emergency funding for families for food and medicine. In this area an average monthly wage is $25.00 to $50.00. Now most families have lost their jobs and income and they are facing dire situations. We will be supplying the families in all our education sponsorship programs with basics such as rice, soy sauce, fish sauce, soap and hygiene products. We are also providing income relief for other needs such as medicine and food.
 |  |  |
This weekend we had representatives from 45 families (approximately 250 peoplele) come to the school we work with and collect their staples and stipends. Our terrific manager Hak and the excellent school principal Mr. Sokha organized a safe gathering, including a hand washing station.
 |  |
The children, families and community expressed their sincere gratitude to K.I.D.S. We will continue to support these families and many others who are in our other programs as best we can. At this time, in addition to our ongoing development work, we are turning our attention to emergency aid and we thank you for being a part of K.I.D.S. and assisting those facing incredibly difficult situations. We will end with pictures of some of the families sending Thank You!!
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
Wishing you and yours all the best.
Until next time,
Adrianne and Rick