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Problem: Cambodia's Cycle of Poverty
The people of Cambodia have endured severe poverty for the past 30 years—since the Pol Pot era. In that era everything was destroyed: family, social structure, infrastructure, spirituality. The resulting trauma of that period has left the people with a feeling of hopelessness and futility. Cambodians believe they are to blame for their situation—that somehow they deserve their lot.
Tabitha believes that to break the cycle of poverty you must first help the people to believe in themselves.
Statistics:
Capital: Phnom Penh
Population: 14.5 million
Life expectancy: 62.1 years
Per Capita GDP: $1900 (USD)
Infant mortality: 5.5%
Excess mortality due to AIDS
For more information about Cambodia visit: Cambodia
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An important aspect of breaking the cycle of poverty is to break a corresponding cycle of debt.
Cambodia has good weather for six months of the year but during the other six months it suffers from either drought or flood; both situations dramatically impact on a family’s ability to have a sustainable lifestyle.
During times of flood families often lose their food, animals and clothing—they are reduced to absolute poverty. During times of drought, the crops fail to thrive, their animals fail to thrive and the people are reduced to inadequate food supplies. Whatever debt the family owes during these six months, cannot be repaid, leaving families without land or house or whatever else they used for collateral. The spiritual aspect of unpaid debts often causes feelings of deep depression because, as Buddhists, they believe that if they die in debt they will be reincarnated in a lower life form.
Whether the situation is one of flood or drought, families need to borrow to start again; however, they are usually in debt from previous seasons. It is a vicious and demoralizing cycle.
The combination of all these factors perpetuates the cycle of poverty In Cambodia. To break the cycle of poverty it is important that an innovative program be implemented; one that seeks to rebuild a family’s self esteem and sense of worthiness, that enables hope during times of floods and other disasters and one that bypasses the system of loans and debts but still results in the lifestyle of the people improving physically, spiritually and morally.
Tabitha Cambodia is committed to help break that cycle and enable the Cambodian people to help themselves. Find out more about Tabitha's Programs.
