Catholic Mission Projects - Cambodia 2020

Cambodia 2020

Cover image: Children in the classroom at Obrum school in Battambang.

This page: One of the tourism teachers from St Francis Private Technical High School.

Opposite: Toy recieves a blessing from Bishop Kike.

Contents Catholic Mission Projects - our unique approach

iv

Meet our Project Partners

1

Social Enterprise - the gift that keeps giving 3 Improving the Arrupe Welcome Centre's sustainability and youth leadership training 7 Promoting inclusion and selfsustainability for people with disability and their families

10

Empowering generations through agriculture and social enterprise 13 Pontifical Mission Societies building the Church in Cambodia 16 Mobile Tuk-Tuk Project Update

17

Cambodia - the context

19

The Inclusive Symbols of Battambang

26

Š Catholic Mission 2020 Catholic Mission acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land.

All figures in this booklet are presented in AUD unless otherwise stated and correct at time of printing.

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Catholic Mission Who are we?

Catholic Mission is the international mission agency of the Catholic Church in Australia. Compelled by the message, life and love of Jesus Christ, Catholic Mission forms Australians for mission and raises funds for mission—in Australia and around the world.

Our Mission

As the Pope’s international mission agency we respond to the call to love God and to love our neighbour by forming individuals and communities as missionary disciples of Jesus who share their faith in action and through prayer. We share in God’s mission to reach out and give life by sharing our personal and financial resources to: proclaim the Gospel; serve people in need; and act for peace, justice and creation, in partnership with local churches so that all may have life in Christ.

Our Values

• Be Prophetic • Be Theologically Grounded • Be Missionary • Be Collaborative

• Be Respectful • Be Affirming • Be Accountable • Celebrate!

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Catholic Mission Projects - our unique approach Project Lifecycle

When working with Church leaders and communities, Catholic Mission uses a unique approach to project m Through our projects, we seek to participate in Christ's mission, "the proclamation and establishment of God's accompanying our project partners, is vital in the success of any project and is at the centre of our approach.

Proclaiming the Gospel through authentic relationship Nurturing strong relationships with our partners is a priority in how we do mission. We make time to 'break bread' in-country over a meal and listen to the stories that shape each community. Taking on a heart of humility, we sit beside local Church leaders to engage, without judgement, as equals and co-creators in the kingdom of God.

Communication

Context

Trust

Taking time to listen & dialogue openly, we tailor communications & slow down to meet our partners' needs.

Understanding every country, diocese & community is different, we are flexible & adaptable.

Through collaboration, understanding & friendship, we put trust at the heart of our relationships.

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management, developed over years of experience and grounded in theology and Catholic Social Teaching. kingdom" (Redemptoris Missio), not just by what we say or do, but also by who we are. Journeying with and

Making an impact that lasts Catholic Mission projects are carefully designed to be more than just an activity. While buildings and infrastructure are important, and indeed are part of many of our projects, as an organisation we are looking to bring about holistic development of individuals, families and communities by sharing the transforming and life-giving joy of the Gospel. We do this in three key ways:

Invest

Share faith

Build capacity

By prioritising the development of strong, authentic, long-term relationships.

By building personal connection & showing vulnerability through the sharing of faith, we grow together & are mutually transformed.

By providing encouragement, technical support & guidance in best practice – child protection being a major area of focus.

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Meet Our Project Partners Catholic Mission partners with God’s faithful servants across the globe to reach out and give life. In Cambodia, we are blessed to have many such people to work with and walk alongside, as we build relationships and seek to be the hands, heart and feet of Christ in the world. Thanks to our Regional Mission Development Office, we are able to have presence on the ground and foster these relationships to achieve incredible results together.

Bishop Enrique Figaredo Alvargonzalez SJ, Apostolic Prefect, Apostolic Precture of Battambang and founder of the Arrupe Centre Affectionately known as 'Kike', Bishop Enrique Figaredo Alvargonzalez has been living and working in Cambodia for more than 30 years. Born the seventh of eight children in northern Spain under General Franco's rule, Bishop Kike witnessed the realities of life in an authoritarian regime. Following a transformative experience at a youth synod in Taizé, Bishop Kike decided to dedicate his life to living alongside and helping people in need.

Above: Some 30 years ago, Bishop Kike (centre) discovered a great love for Cambodia and its people, which sustains him to this day.

In the late 1980s, Bishop Kike served as a member of Jesuit Services Cambodia (JSC), based in refugee camps on the Thai border in the aftermath of the Khmer Rouge. After his ordination in 1992, he returned to missionary service in Cambodia, settling in Battambang.

In recognition of his contribution to the region, Bishop Kike was appointed Prefect of the Apostolic Prefecture of Battambang in 2000. Since this time he has been actively promoting the rights, inclusion and empowerment of vulnerable people through a range of social initiatives and enterprises.

Hang Sreyputh, Manager, Oh Battambang Hotel, Battambang Sreyputh is a well-known and much-loved member of the Arrupe Centre family. After gaining her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the National University of Management in Phnom Penh, Sreyputh began her career in Battambang, managing the guest house at the Arrupe Centre for children with disabilities.

For over a decade, Sreyputh has worked in the development and education arms of the Church, including leading a team of eight to provide aid and support to 16 schools and 2,000 students in remote villages. From 2010-2011, she worked with the Jesuit Refugee Service in Rome in the International Communication and Financial Office.

While working, Sreyputh has also volunteered teaching languages and traditional Cambodian dance, and translating Khmer to English and Spanish.

Above: Hang Sreyputh with a student of the Salesian Centre in Battambang.

Pisey Souern, Projects Officer (Asia), Catholic Mission, Phnom Penh Pisey works in Catholic Mission's Regional Mission Development Office, in Phnom Penh, facilitating Catholic Mission Immersions and visiting our projects in South East Asia for monitoring and evaluation. Born in Battambang to a farming family, Pisey is number six of eight children. He grew up in a Catholic-run centre in nearby Tahen, which allowed him to have a good education. At university, Pisey studied rural development, graduating with a Bachelors of Management and then went on to work for a micro-finance organisation, before joining Catholic Mission in 2018. A Buddhist who identifies closely with the teachings and values of Catholicism, Pisey brings a unique perspective to our work contributes valuably to Catholic Mission's interfaith dialogue and relationships in Cambodia.

Above: Pisey is an avid soccer fan.

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Khean Chen, IT student and textiles worker, Battambang Chen's life was forever changed when at 16 years of age, he stepped on a landmine. Because of the tragic accident, he lost both of his legs. Rushed to hospital, he spent weeks recovering, wondering just how different his life would be. Chen admits he reached his lowest point as he feared becoming a burden for his family. With much stigma still surrounding disability in Cambodia, Chen worried about the challenges he and his family might face.

Above: Khean Chen at the Arrupe Centre.

However, when Bishop Kike and his team at the Arrupe Centre offered Chen a supportive home environment and the chance to continue his education, Chen began to feel hope again. Now 26 years old, Chen has had the opportunity to complete his schooling, attend university and study information technology processing. To support his studies, he also works at the La Paloma Textile Centre, one of the Prefecture of Battambang's social enterprises. One of the older residents at Arrupe, Chen is a role model for the younger residents. Back at home, his parents are supported by the Outreach Program, another initiative of the Prefecture of Battambang.

Kim Sou, Arrupe Centre Resident & Cambodia national wheelchair basketball squad member, Battambang Born and raised in a picturesque farming village called Rum Ompel in western Cambodia, Kim Sou's early years were happy and carefree, playing and helping his family around the home. Gradually, Kim Sou noticed a pain in his leg. It grew stronger and soon a prominent lump appeared. Kim Sou had a large tumour in his left leg.

With limited resources and medical assistance being a long way from home, Kim Sou's parents were unsure how they would ensure their son received the care he needed, until Bishop Kike stepped in and covered the cost of a life-saving operation, which saw his leg amputated. After this, he went to live at the Arrupe Centre, where he has learnt how to make the most of his disability. Kim Sou is a keen sportsman, playing competitive tennis and wheelchair basketball. He enjoys studying Khmer and English and hopes to become a translator in the future.

Above: Kim Sou, all geared up to play goalkeeper for his local team.

Tik Toy, Arrupe Centre Resident At 16, Toy has come a long way in the six years since he lost his leg to a landmine near his home in the Pailin province of western Cambodia. With very little money in the family, the only way Toy could gain a strong education and learn to live independently with his disability was to come to the Arrupe Centre, with its specialist development programs and mentoring. At the time, Above: Tik Toy (centre) and his parents.

he was its youngest resident at just ten years of age.

Today Toy has made many friends at the Centre. He enjoys his studies and computers, and plays sports such as tennis, soccer and swimming. Living in community at the Arrupe Centre, his wisdom and compassion are deep. As he reflected, "To have full happiness, I have to learn how to take care of each other and give support to each other."

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Social enterprise - the gift that keeps giving Developing ways for a project to sustain itself into the future is a big part of the design of Catholic Mission's projects around the world. Many of the projects in this booklet use a social enterprise model to help generate sustainable income, support livelihoods and promote economic development of the community.

Social enterprises, broadly speaking, are businesses that use the power of the marketplace to tackle social problems, strengthen communities, provide people with access to employment and training, and/or protect the environment.

In this respect, donations to a social enterprise can be likened to an investment, with each dollar directed to generating not just financial sustainability, but also social impact through the projects they support. Investments in social enterprises have been shown to: • •

Create sustainable revenue streams • Provide employment to vulnerable people •

Support livelihoods Provide a platform for economic and social development1

An initial, one-off investment in a social enterprise can be amplified over time, to cover business costs and sustain an ongoing cycle of social benefits, as illustrated in the figure below.

Using this model, Catholic Mission project partners are supported and empowered to manage their business for a profit, thereby reducing dependence on donors and enabling long-term benefits beyond a typical funding cycle of a few years, as they will be able to reinvest profit back into the project or community.2 Catholic Mission has had great success with social enterprise projects in Africa and Asia, such as the Farmer Training Centre in Ghana and the Phnom Voah Farm in Cambodia.

References: 1. Reilly, T. 2016, ‘Are Social Enterprises Viable Models for Funding Nonprofits?’, Human Service Organizations: Management, Leadership & Governance, Vol. 40, No. 4, pp. 297-301.

2. 2015, ‘Social Enterprises and Global Corporations: Collaborating for Growth with Impact’, Acumen & Business Fights Poverty.

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Social enterprise success stories from Cambodia Lonely Tree Café One of the social enterprises Catholic Mission has supported is the Lonely Tree Café in Battambang, Cambodia, which employs 16 staff from disadvantaged backgrounds, three of whom have physical disabilities.

As well as serving delicious meals, snacks and drinks, the café includes a gift shop that sells handicrafts, produced by people with disability through social initiatives supported of the Apostolic Prefecture of Battambang (APB). Frequented by both locals and internationals, the café and retail space is highly rated on TripAdvisor.

The Lonely Tree Café has been a big success financially, having only been established in 2013. In the last quarter of 2019, the café brought in US$7,780 profit. These funds will be invested back into the social works of the APB to multiply their impact and support their sustainability.

Above: two trainees from the Yeiy Ath Café.

As an example, the Lonely Tree Café and its profits, financed another initiative in the Prefecture of Battambang, the Yeiy Ath Café, which provides vocational training to individuals with intellectual disability, thereby increasing their inclusion in society and improving their wellbeing. Thanks to the Lonely Tree Café, the Yeiy Ath Café is now self-sustainable and has paid back the original investment.

Above (clockwise from top left hand): The overall rating of the Lonely Tree Café on Trip Advisor as at 23 March 2020; upstairs at the Lonely Tree Café, with table set, overlooking Battambang city streets; the café's gift shop, featuring locally made handicrafts; three of the staff from the café.

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Oh Battambang Boutique Hotel Located in the heart of Battambang and close to the tourist attractions of the UNESCO heritage city, Oh Battambang Hotel is a private and peaceful oasis. A social enterprise of the Apostolic Prefecture of Battambang, with a soft opening to friends and family in 2019, it is fast building a reputation for its attentive and friendly service, artful Cambodian dĂŠcor and comfortable facilities.

Above (top to bottom): The guesthouse at Oh Battambang Hotel; Traditional Cambodian culture is celebrated at the hotel with performances of classical dance.

The Hotel provides employment and training opportunities to local people with disability or from disadvantaged backgrounds, giving them the skills and the confidence to secure sustainable livelihoods. In this way, it is raising awareness around the value and importance of people with disability participating fully in society and challenging harmful stereotypes. The hotel serves to spread the message of the mission and impact of the APB and its social initiatives (some of which are profiled in this booklet).

Profits from the hotel are redirected back to support these initiatives. Hotel guests are encouraged to patronise the nearby Lonely Tree CafĂŠ. The hotel will also offer tours to visit communities that are part of the Outreach Program.

La Paloma Textile Centre Meaning "dove" in Spanish, La Paloma is an appropriate name for a business that has given so many people hope and peace. Another social enterprise of the APB, the centre employs people with disability and people from vulnerable backgrounds to manufacture textiles and garments, which are primarily exported to European fashion brands.

Over the last two years, to secure its self-sustainability into the future, the centre has been reviewing and implementing new processes, as well as looking to expand its operations and building new relationships with factories across Cambodia. For this reason, its outcomes (yearly income and number of employees) over 2017-2019 have been lower than previous years. However, throughout 2020, centre management anticipates a return to the strong trajectory shown in the graphs below.

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Above: The La Paloma Textile Centre and some of the people it employs, hard at work and full of life.

To finance these new processes and expansion, the textile centre was granted a loan from the Lonely Tree Café of US$45,000. With this money, the centre was able to invest in training staff and installing new machines. Thanks to their dedication and strong performance as a business, the centre has just paid back all its debts to the café.

This is just one story of the many that show what is possible with social enterprise. Thanks to this model, individuals are growing in confidence everyday as they learn new skills, earn an income and see firsthand the value they have to offer, leading to improved wellbeing and health outcomes. At the same time, families and communities benefit from increased household income, greater education levels and local economic development. Catholic Mission needs your support to help build on this success, extending it to more people across Cambodia and making sure the projects we support can support themselves and become fully self-sustainable.

Project Partnership Opportunities Catholic Mission has a number of project opportunities in 2020 for you to join the people of Cambodia in sharing the Gospel. With your generous support, we can continue the work of the Church in building confidence and skills, creating employment, increasing access to education and supporting communities to develop themselves, thereby contributing to the reduction of poverty and improving overall wellbeing across the country.

The following project partnership opportunities are directly funded by Catholic Mission and implemented by our in-country partners, building local capacity for the Church at the grassroots. Your support of any of the following projects will continue the legacy of the Church in aiding this beautiful country and her people through: • • •

Improving the Arrupe Welcome Centre's sustainability and providing youth leadership training; Promoting inclusion and self-sustainability for people with disability and their families in rural Cambodia; Empowering generations through agriculture and social enterprise at Phnom Voah.

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Improving the Arrupe Welcome Centre's sustainability & providing youth leadership training Project Code: CBPT-1200051

5%

10%

Visit

Of Cambodian children with disability complete high school

Of all landmine victims in Cambodia are children

Catholic Mission Website

Location: Battambang

Project duration: Three years

Funding required: $906,073.69

i

Background Across Cambodia, 29% of children with disabilities complete primary school compared with 70% of children without disability, while only 5% of children with disability complete secondary school compared with 23% of children without disability.3 When the Outreach Program was first being implemented (for more information on this initiative see page 10), the team realised that children were the most vulnerable group of people the project helped. In many cases the girls and boys the Outreach Team was working with were excluded from education because of their disability. And so, in 2001, the Apostolic Prefecture of Battambang founded the Arrupe Centre to help children with disabilities access education,

healthcare,

and

employment

opportunities.

Above: Bishop Kike and children from Arrupe participate in the blessing of a local family's new house.

Since 2001, the Arrupe Centre has grown to offer a range of diverse activities taking place at four locations, including the original centre in Battambang, a centre called La Paloma (where the textile centre is located), another centre at Kalapaty and a farm at Outangia that provides food to the centres and employment for local farmers. Arrupe is closely linked with the various social works of the Prefecture, in particular the Outreach Program. There are currently 17 children living at Arrupe, being supported to study and create strong futures for themselves and their families.

The original Centre serves as a welcoming home where youth with disabilities are provided with nutritious meals, a place to stay and support in their education. Medical support is also provided as needed. Children attend the local Catholic Don Bosco School and after school have access to additional tutoring sessions run at the Centre, as well as plenty of time for play and recreation. Sports of all kinds are an especially popular way to pass time and several of the Centre's residents have even represented the country at various sporting events, such as Kim Sou, who plays wheelchair basketball for the Cambodian team.

References: 3 'Cambodia Demographic and Health Survey 2014', op.cit. i Inclusive of accountability and administration costs.

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About the project The aim of this project is to improve the opportunities available and future livelihoods for the children who live at Arrupe as well as developing the Centre's sustainability. By making the long-term investment of purchasing a building, the Centre will be able to expand its socio-economic activities, provide employment and training opportunities and generate the funds required to maintain the Centre into the future. Since the Apostolic Prefecture of Battambang's human and spiritual development projects are interconnected, income raised through these activities may also go towards supporting other initiatives, such as the Outreach Program and the Karuna Education Program.

Above: Two of the residents at Arrupe.

Sustainability of the Arrupe Centre This activity will focus on developing a more solid structure for the future of the Arrupe family. It will include implementing socio-economic activities such as planting and farming 30 hectares of rice fields, the produce from which will be used to feed children living at the Centre and also sold to generate income. Purchasing a van for the Centre will serve the dual purpose of taking children to school and other activities, as well as being available for hire by social enterprises such as Oh Battambang Hotel to create further income for the running of the Centre. By investing in longterm assets, such as a building in Battambang city, the Centre will also be able to establish new social enterprise initiatives to create more employment and provide further capacity building to those in need, at the same time as ensuring its future.

Youth leadership training Support young Cambodian students to participate in training on community development or pastoral leadership in the Catholic Church. Three future leaders of the social and pastoral activities of the Catholic Church in Battambang will be sent to study an extensive course at the Institute of Formation Fondacio Asia, in Manila.

The leadership programs have a pragmatic approach, emphasising practical learning. After participants return from training, they be well equipped to lead in the Arrupe community, share their learnings and build the capacity of

Above (top to bottom): two teenage boys play wheelchair basketball at Arrupe; girls sharing a laugh while hanging out clothes; Toy and Chet go for a bike ride.

other youth at the Centre.

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Project activities Key project activities include: •

Supporting schooling and medical needs;

enabling the continuation of daily activities,

such as sport, dance and tutoring; and

contributing to the running costs of the Arrupe

Centre, such as food, water, electricty and other

essentials.

•

Investing in a van for transporting children and

hiring out to other social enterprises in the

Prefecture, thereby generating income;

•

Carrying out infrastructure refurbishments,

including rewiring the electricals at the original

Arrupe Centre building, to ensure safety of

residents and longevity of the facilities;

•

Investing in a building to expand social

enterprise activities in a sustainable and realistic

way. This could include using the building as a

shopfront to sell handicrafts and food items

produced by people working in the La Paloma

Textile Centre or on the farm at Outangia.

Project Cost

Above (from left to right): Chen, Toy and Dara, all residents of Arrupe.

Watch this project's video to learn more about Dara's story.

ii, iii

The total cost of the project is $906,073.69 over three years. Some examples of project costs include: Project Activities

Cost (AUD)

School supplies for children living at Arrupe (12 months)

$1,968

Food for the children living at Arrupe (12 months)

$4,331

Scholarship for youth leadership program in Manila (12 months)

$16,404

Centre maintenance and renovations (including electrical re-wiring)

$20,830

Salaries for 16 social program staff (12 months)

$39,369

Purchase of a tractor for Arrupe's rice fields

$41,661

Purchase of a van for transporting children from Arrupe & social enterprise customers

$59,515

Purchase of a pick-up truck to replace the current old and failing one

$66,955

Purchase of a building for development of social enterprise activities

$223,182

ii Costs are in AUD unless otherwise stated, and are rounded to the nearest dollar. iii These are examples of costs relating to this project. Donations cannot be allocated to specific items, only to a project.

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Promoting inclusion and self-sustainability for people with disability and their families in rural Cambodia Project Code: CBPT-1200055

64,855 Landmine casualties from January 1979 to December 2019

60%

Of the population in the region works in farming

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Location: Northwest Cambodia Project duration: Three years Funding required: $957,325

i

“Our job as servants of this mission is to reach out, encourage, empower, and support people with disability and their families in the best way possible.�

- Outreach Program Team member

Background The Outreach Program has been in operation for around 20 years and has seen inspiring transformations for individuals, families and communities across northwest Cambodia.

Outreach Team members visit people with disabilities and their families in remote areas and build trust and relationships to understand their needs and the needs of their communities. Help is always offered without any pressure, giving the people who benefit from the program full power whenever a decision needs to be taken.

The Program focuses on assisting and equipping families of people with disability to look after their Above: A woman from Prey Thom community, working in the textiles centre. loved one and support their needs. Without the Outreach Program these people would not have access to crucial resources and services, including wheelchairs and vocational training. For the last 20 years the Outreach Team has been working to make sure that people with disability and their families are not forgotten or left behind.

The barriers to employment faced by people with disability are compounded further by challenges in the Cambodian labour market, which sees on average 300,000 people enter it each year. With no minimum pay to ensure long-term security or without opportunities for employment in their home communities, many people migrate to cities or to neighbouring countries, such as Thailand and Vietnam. Only a small percentage of migrants use regulated channels, relying instead on social networks and other intermediaries without licenses. This leaves jobseekers extremely vulnerable to the violation of their human rights through human trafficking, exploitation and sexual abuse.

i

Inclusive of accountability and administration costs.

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Thanks to the Outreach Program, three rural communities for more than 70 families have been established, each with improved living conditions, such as proper housing, clean water supply, sanitation hygiene devices and assistive devices, including wheelchairs. Over the last three years, the Program provided financial support to 183 families to improve their agriculture and farming techniques or develop new business, gave emergency or food support to over 780 families, and sponsored 24 students to attend vocational training courses. However, support is still needed for each community to become self-reliant and economically sustainable. One community, Prey Thom, generated almost US$4,000 Above: Recovered landmines serve as a reminder through the production and sale of traditional Cambodian scarves of the destruction and harm they cause. (called kromas in Khmer). With your help, they can expand upon these promising early results, to achieve lasting independence.

Built in old battlefields cleared by demining organisations, the communities contribute valuably to regenerating and healing the land. Families from the region who were nomadic workers and did not have land were invited to receive a house, a hectare of land for agriculture and a pond for irrigation. They were also given 200kg of seed and training to build capabilities in poultry farming, vegetable gardening, cow feeding and rice planting. The Outreach Program currently supports more than 900 families in the area, performing periodic visits to the families and communities to ensure close follow-up on implementation and ongoing improvement of activities.

About the project The overarching objective of this project is to support the continuation and expansion of the Outreach Program.

Specifically, it seeks to develop communities for people with disabilities and their families, by providing them means to expand their socio-economic activities and improve their livelihoods. This project aims to enable people with disabilities and their family members to find decent jobs and reduce employment driven migration, thereby minimising the risk of human trafficking, while at the same time increasing resilience and economic independence.

Above: Chen and his family benefited from the Outreach Program

Toy's Story Sixteen year old Toy and his family are just one example of the incredible value of the Outreach Program. Toy (see bio on page 2) lost a leg in a landmine accident at ten years of age, forever changing his and his family's realities.

With little money, medical costs and new support needs, the family found themselves in a very difficult situation. While Toy went to the Arrupe Centre to learn how to live with his disability and gain a strong education, his family were provided with a new home and income opportunities within one of the purpose-built Outreach communities, alongside other families with someone living with a disability. Toy's mother reflects on the impact, saying, "When we are here, my child can study, so I am very happy. My children are studying, and also here in the community, we get support because we are doing the same activities, so we all, together, we support each other. We are doing the same planting, the same harvest, so we feel support in the community."

Now, thanks to the Outreach Program, Toy and his family have hope for a more secure future.

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The four main communities on which this project focuses are Prey Thom, Rattanak Mondol, Outagnia, and Komreang (the former three being established by the Outreach Program). There is also some broader outreach activity to families

Below: Bishop Kike with one of the beneficiaries of the Outreach Program and his family, who live in Rattanak Mondol.

located more remotely.

Project activities Key project activities include: •

•

•

• • • • • • • •

Vocational training in agriculture, kroma weaving and sewing; Capacity building for farmers, helping them to improve their crop raising and harvesting practices; Purchasing equipment and materials for rice farming, and livestock for farmers; Distributing wheelchairs; Setting up socially responsible tours of villages through social enterprises of Battambang Prefecture; Environmental impact and sustainability awareness raising activities, grounded in Laudato Si'; Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) support for families of people with disability; Providing emergency and food support where needed for families of people with disability; Promoting employment, vocational training and scholarships to people with disability and their families; Providing connections to jobs and support in preparing for recruitment process; Raising awareness on the importance of including people with disability and challenging harmful stereotypes through community events, including local authorities and NGO partners.

Project Cost

ii, iii

This project will cost a total of $957,325 over three years. Key project costs include: Project Activities

Cost (AUD)

Purchasing ducks for one community

$1,086

Constructing a fishery in one community

$2,920

Agriculture training sessions (3 over 3 years)

$4,380

Education and training scholarships for 24 people with disability

$7,300

Human Resources support to help people secure employment (12 months)

$8,600

Building 8 houses for people with disability and their families

$13,371

Emergency support for 1,016 families (12 months)

$22,813

Purchase and distribution of 120 wheelchairs

$35,040

Staff salaries for 1 project manager, 1 project officer, 1 accountant, 1 assistant accountant, 5 field officers, 4 community staff, 1 monitoring officer (12 months)

$59,774

ii Costs are in AUD unless otherwise stated, and are rounded to the nearest dollar. iii These are examples of costs relating to this project. Donations cannot be allocated to specific items, only to a project.

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Empowering generations through agriculture and social enterprise at Phnom Voah Project Code: CBPT-1200049

US$68,000 Total profit generated by the farm at Phnom Voah in 2018

100% Students from St Francis Private Technical High School pass their final exams

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Location: Phnom Voah Project duration: Three years Funding required: $616,026 i

Above: an aerial view of St Francis Private Technical High School, in Takeo Province.

About the project Located roughly 170 kilometres south-west of Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh are the Phnom Voah Farm in Kampot Province and St Francis Private Technical High School (St Francis) in Takeo Province. Thanks to your generosity, these initiatives, which Catholic Mission has been supporting since February 2016, are achieving incredible results, reducing the region’s high levels of poverty and unemployment, and giving countless young people opportunities for life through education and training. However, the work is far from done.

The farm is operating at a profit, having made over US$68,000 in 2018. While numbers for 2019 have not yet been finalised, it is expected to generate over US$150,000. These funds have gone back into the running costs of the school and the farm, which includes animal care and nutrition, maintenance of school and farm resources and equipment, internship opportunities for students from St Francis, and teacher and staff salaries.

St Francis is providing quality, holistic education in agriculture and hospitality, achieving in 2019 a student pass rate of 100% for its graduating year 12 students, compared to a national average high school pass rate of 66%. The school has received widespread recognition (being promoted several times on national television), community support, and government approval, with the Minister of Education opening the new building in 2019. It has also established fruitful relationships with industry, with major hotel chains such as Sofitel and Sohka offering students employment even before graduating. i

Inclusive of accountability and administration costs.

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To build on these sucesses, amplify impact and ensure sustainability, the Apostolic Vicariate of Phnom Penh is now looking to implement phase two of a broader vision to empower generations of Cambodian people through agriculture and social enterprise. Phase two will help the farm to expand its operations and generate more income, as well as support St Francis Private Technical High School to continue training and educating leaders for the future.

This project is a chance to join Catholic Mission as we journey with the people of Cambodia to consolidate progress and ensure a strong and sustainable future. Your gift will go towards:

• • • •

Above: Inside the classroom at St Francis Private Technical High School.

Establishing a social enterprise revolution; Providing invaluable training and vocational education; Creating employment opportunities for local farmers and graduates of St Francis; and Generating income to sustain the work into the future and support other social development projects of the Apostolic Vicariate of Phnom Penh.

Project activities • Develop the knowledge and capacity of students at St Francis through activities supplementary to

core studies, including study tours, local and overseas internships and field practice at the Phnom Voah farm.

•

Expand farm size and production to increase income. This will include establishing organic vegetable cultivation and preparation for market; pig, chicken, duck and fish rearing; land preparation and irrigation systems for rice crops; and flower cultivation.

• Establish laboratories and processing rooms for flower seed germination, and soap and food production. Cambodia currently does not have a domestic flower market, with most flowers being

imported from Vietnam. Consequently, with constant demand for flowers for religious ceremonies and

other celebrations, there is the potential for large profits from establishing flower germination and farming

facilities at Phnom Voah. Two graduates from St Francis are studying flower polination and germination

in Thailand and will return with the required knowledge. A separate laboratory will also be established and

raw materials and consumables purchased for the production of soaps and food items to be sold for a profit.

•

Improve hospitality facilities by expanding practice hotel and restaurant rooms for students from St Francis, complete with required furniture, manchester and equipment. This will help the school expand into the future and give more young people access to vocational education.

•

Develop and evaluate teacher capacity with teacher training and development days, workshops and study tours that place particular emphasis on entrepreneurship and business skills. This will also include a teacher evaluation and funds for teacher salary increases on a yearly basis.

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Project cost

ii, iii

The total cost for this project is $616,026 over three years. Key project costs include: Project Activities

Cost (AUD)

Ploughing tractor

$1,460

Irrigation system

$1,460

Rice harvesting machine

$2,920

Preparing 5 ha land for crops

$3,650

Teacher development program (1 yr)

$6,132

Seed germination cabinets

$7,300

Student scholarship program (3 yrs)

$21,900

Flower germination lab

$51,100

Above: (clockwise from top right) A local woman weaving at the Peace Village, a social enterprise of the Vicariate of Phnom Penh near the farm, where much of the farm's produce is processed; two students from St Francis in the lab, making tablets from the moringa tree - a super-plant high in nutrients with medicinal properties; Apostolic Prefect of Phnom Penh, Bishop Olivier Schmitthaeusler (centre) in the classroom with students from St Francis Technical High School.

ii Costs are in AUD unless otherwise stated, and are rounded to the nearest dollar. iii These are examples of costs relating to this project. Donations cannot be allocated to specific items, only to a project.

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Pontifical Mission Societies - Catholic Mission's role in building the Church in Cambodia St Therese of the Infant Jesus Kindergarten

Thanks to the support of Catholic Mission and the global Catholic Church, 150 children from poor families in northwestern Cambodia are able to go to kindergarten. The school at Chomnoam Parish provides these children with quality education, pastoral care and nutritious meals, which they otherwise would go without. Funds raised by Catholic Mission also supported the purchasing of school materials, uniforms, bags, stationery and furniture.

Rennovating St Mary's Church at Ta Om An hour and a half’s drive from Siem Reap city is St Mary’s Church, one of the few church buildings that survived the Khmer Rouge. Thanks to its endurance, it has come to be known as the spiritual home of Catholicism in Cambodia and a symbol of the missionary church, with the community persisting despite persecution, poverty and isolation.

The huge brick French colonial church built by missionaries in the early 1900s stands out against the rural backdrop of rice paddies. The original missionaries came to Ta Om by river and established the community, sharing the gospel with local villagers.

After so many years, the church at Ta Om desperately needs repairs and renovation.

Catholic Mission is supporting the community of St Mary’s. This includes making the building and surrounding land more flood resistant, and repairs to the parish house and parish toilets.

St John Vianney Major Seminary, Phnom Penh

This interdiocesan major seminary is the only facility for the formation of priests in Cambodia and is currently training seven seminarians in Phnom Penh, while another three seminarians are pursuing further studies in Thailand. The ten priests in training are Khmer, which is a critical part of rebuilding the Church in Cambodia following its tragic past. The seminary is too small to offer all subjects, which is why some men elect to study overseas. Classes are taught by local Bishops, priests and visiting teachers.

Catholic Mission supports the education and formation of seminarians in Cambodia, contributing funds to cover essential costs such as food, board and study materials. Your support of Catholic Mission and priestly vocations is vital in enabling the Cambodian Church to continue healing and growing.

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Where are they now?

2016 Church Appeal - Tuk-Tuk Mobile Learning Service Location: Phnom Penh Project duration: Jan 2016 - Jan 2019 Before the Mobile Tuk-Tuk Education Project began, many families in Phnom Penh had no plans to send their children to school. The city is home to many internal Cambodian migrants who move from regional areas to find better livelihoods. Often moving with their families, these migrants generally have a lower level of education and higher levels of poverty, meaning they struggle to send their children to school.

The Congregation of the Daughters of Charity involved in this project visited the homes of these families, aiming to encourage and convince parents/carers of their children's need to be educated. They assisted families who could not afford fees, and now over 682 children have participated in and received support from the project.

The Tuk-Tuk Mobile Learning Service (MLS) centres were designed to travel to villages around Phnom Penh city, providing children of predominantly migrant families with a place to learn. A consequence of the frequent relocation and resettlement experienced by migrant families in Phnom Penh is the lack of access to onsite schooling for their children.

The mobile schools bridge this gap and provide vital education.

Pictured (from top): Students enjoy storytime; a teacher checks in on child who appears unwell.

Thanks to your generous support, this project has been a great success and continues to provide much-needed education to children in and around Phnom Penh city.

Originally the Tuk-Tuk MLS operated in six locations across the Boeung Trabaek slum area and the Pochentong district.

Due to staff attrition in 2019, changes in leadership and families relocating the service was temporarily put on hold and resumed in February 2020 in two sites in Boeung Trabaek with plans to revive work in past locations soon.

682 children supported through education, financial aid and nutritional program.

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Pictured (clockwise from top): Sisters, children and parents pose with one of the Tuk-Tuk MLS; children having fun during daily PE, MLS staff in action, students recieve encouragement awards for good work.

The Tuk-Tuk MLS has been a source of care and support for 682 children and their families through informal classes comprising art, games, storytelling, values formation, lessons on hygiene and sanitation and the supplemental feeding program.

Twenty-eight of these children have moved into formal schooling, with some still receiving support from the Educational Assistance Program for needs like uniforms, bags and other school materials.

In this academic year, at least 36 new students have joined the Tuk-Tuk MLS activities. We at Catholic Mission want to thank you for supporting our 2016 Appeal which raised funds for this crucial project and others like it, and and we are excited to see what the Tuk-Tuk MLS achieves in the future.

"We would like to convey our heartfelt thanks to Catholic Mission for the support that enabled us to help the poor children/families we serve. As Christ said “Whatever you do to the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you do it for me. Mt. 25:40" Sister Norma Esperas, Daughter of Charity, Phnom Penh, Cambodia Cambodia 2020

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Cambodia - the context

16.4 million Region: Asia

people live in Cambodia

65% of the population is aged under 30 years

Cambodia, officially called the Kingdom of Cambodia, is in the Southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia, sharing a border with Thailand, Laos and Vietnam As in the rest of Southeast Asia, Cambodia’s climate is characterised by two main seasons: the monsoon, which usually brings heavy rain from mid-May to October, and the dry season from November to April.

Above: A map of Cambodia's regions (Wikipedia).

Cambodia has a population of roughly 16.4 million4 (about 7 million fewer people than Australia). At just over 180,000 km2, its landmass could fit into Australia approximately 43 times.

History Cambodia’s recent history is a tragic one, perhaps most known for the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge under Pol Pot’s rule in the 1970s, but its history prior to this is not without its sorrows, with centuries of contested land, power struggles and colonial dispossession. At the same time, throughout history Cambodia has played a significant role in the Southeast Asian region, greatly shaping the cultures and customs of the modern-day countries across the Indochinese Peninsula.

Archaeological records show that people were living in Cambodia as early as 4000 BC, farming the land and residing in traditional wooden houses. The original inhabitants of Cambodia were called ‘Khmers’ and they are still the country’s predominant ethnic group today.

The region now considered Cambodia was first subject to foreign influence between 500 BC and 500 AD, when Brahmans from India travelled to the area, bringing with them religion, governance structures, written language and large-scale irrigation, which enabled extensive rice production. While adopting these forms of Indian culture, the Khmers retained sovereignty, ruled by the Khmer Royal Family.

Over the next few centuries, much of the country’s famous temples, including the world's largest religious monument and UNESCO world heritage site Angkor Wat, were built in a period that is known as a religious flourishing, with both Hinduism and Buddhism coexisting peacefully. In this time, the region saw substantial political, religious and cultural progress.5 Between 1000-1300 AD, Khmer rule expanded to include much of the Indochinese mainland, incorporating large parts of present-day southern Vietnam, Laos, and eastern Thailand.6 This period saw the emergence of the ‘Angkor’ civilisation and the adoption of Theravada Buddhism as the state religion.

References 4. ‘Cambodia’ CIA World Factbook, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cb.html, date accessed 7/1/20.

5. Ponchaud, F. 2012, The Cathedral in the Rice Paddy – The 450 year long History of the Church in Cambodia, Phnom Penh.

6. Encyclopaedia Britannica, Cambodia, https://www.britannica.com/place/Cambodia/The-Khmer-state-Angkor, date accessed 06/01/20.

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Around 1300 AD, Angkor dominance of the region started to fragment, falling to Thai and Vietnamese rule. Political instability and subordination to other regional powers characterised the next four centuries. Between 1603 and 1848, with loyalties in the Khmer Royal family divided, 22 monarchs occupied the Cambodian throne.7 In 1863, seeking stability and greater autonomy, Cambodia became a protectorate of France, which historians have argued saved Cambodia from being divided up among Thailand and Vietnam. From the late 19th century up to World War Two, Cambodia experienced a short period of relative peace.

During the early 1940s, Cambodia was briefly occupied by Japanese forces, before becoming an autonomous state of the French Union in October 1945, ruled by the Khmer monarchy. Complete independence was not achieved for the nation until 1953. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, emerging political unease and tensions would largely set the stage for the infamous Khmer Rouge.

In April 1975, following five years of civil unrest, the Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh and ordered the evacuation of all cities and towns. Over two million displaced people died from execution or enforced hardships. In 1979 the Vietnamese invaded and drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside leading to 13 years of further civil unrest.

The Khmer Rouge destroyed nearly all infrastructure in the country. Institutions of higher education, money, and all forms of commercial industries were non-existent in 1979, so the country had to be rebuilt from nothing.

Above (top to bottom): A traditional Angkor style statue; planting a tree together in the Church compound.

Under the Khmer Rouge, the Church was almost entirely destroyed, including the 19th century gothic revival Cathedral, Notre Dame, in Phnom Penh that had only opened in 1962. Incredibly, four churches (Ta Om, Sihanoukville, Bokor Mountain and Phsar Touch) survived the destruction.

Catholic leaders, religious, missionaries, and lay faithful were persecuted and martyred, yet the seeds of Christ’s message of love and renewal had been planted.8

UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore a sense of normalcy, as did the rapid diminishment of the Khmer Rouge in the mid-1990s. A coalition government formed after national elections in 1998 brought renewed political stability and the surrender of remaining Khmer Rouge forces.

Today, the war is over, but the people of Cambodia still suffer from the landmines, diseases and lack of infrastructure left behind. It was only in December 1998 that the Khmer Rouge factions laid down their weapons and surrendered to government forces, ending the civil war in Cambodia.

References 7. Encyclopaedia Britannica, Cambodia, https://www.britannica.com/place/Cambodia/The-Khmer-state-Angkor, date accessed 06/01/20.

8. Ponchaud, F. 2012, The Cathedral in the Rice Paddy – The 450 year long History of the Church in Cambodia, Phnom Penh.

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The people Demographics Most Cambodian people (97.6%) identify as Khmer. Other ethnicities in Cambodia include Cham (1.2%), Chinese (0.1%), Vietnamese (0.1%) and other (0.9%).9 Khmer is also recognised as the official, national language, spoken by 96.3% of Cambodians.

Urban centres are rapidly growing - the annual rate of urban growth is currently at 3.25%, compared to 1.46% in 2014. However, most Cambodians still live rurally and experience a very different quality of life from their urban compatriots. The country is also very young; the current median age of the total population is 25.3 years old, with a total life expectancy of 64.9 years of age. In 2015, more than 65% of Cambodians were aged under 30 years.10

Religion At almost 98% of the population, Buddhism is the national religion of Cambodia. Muslims make up 1.1% of the population and Christians 0.5%. Those remaining fall into the category ‘other’.11

Above: All smiles, Cambodian people are well-known for their friendliness.

References 9. op.cit, CIA World Factbook, date accessed 7/1/20.

10. Maurel, O. 2015, ‘Cambodia: understanding the post Khmer Rouge society’, Le Journal International, https://www.lejournalinternational.fr/Cambodia-understanding-the-post-Khmer-Rouge-society_a3190.html, date accessed 23/12/19.

11. op.cit. CIA World Factbook, date accessed 7/1/20.

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Disabilities The number of Cambodians living with disability is contested, with few reliable sources of statistics. However, a 2014 study used a sample size of 74,112 individuals to estimate 10% of the population over the age of five years had some form of disability (disability was defined as people who experience some difficulty seeing, hearing, walking, concentrating, caring for themselves or communicating).12 Females are slightly more likely to have some level of disability than their male counterparts (11% vs. 9%).13 Since the 1980s, thousands of deaths and disabilities have been caused by the millions of mines that were laid by the Khmer Rouge and government forces. A large proportion of Cambodian people also suffer mental health problems having lost family members and witnessed untold trauma.14 In 2019, the country recorded 77 landmine casualties: 12 people were killed, 49 injured and another 16 had amputations. This is an increase of 33% on the 2018 figures. Since January 1979 to December 2019, there have been a total of 64,855 landmine casualties with 19,780 people killed, 36,026 injured and 9,049 amputated.15

Above: Thanks to Catholic Mission projects these people with disability are supported to live, work and play.

In Cambodia, people with disabilities are among the most vulnerable, as they lack access to education, training and employment, and are excluded from communities. Many of these people have unique and valuable skills and talents, which they often do not get to develop.16 Below (top to bottom): a woman from Chomnoam parish attends Sunday mass with a student from the local school; Young women in Battambang doing traditional Khmer dance.

In Cambodia, public awareness of disability is slim and education to promote the full inclusion of people with disability is rare. While the rights of people with disability are recognised in the Cambodian constitution, discrimination and marginalisation, remain a problem.

Cambodians with disabilities are generally among the poorest of society, which is magnified by the obstacles they face in gaining access to basic resources, training and employment.17

Given such a strong need, Catholic Mission’s partnerships and projects in Cambodia have a particular emphasis on supporting people with disability to live independent and fulfilling lives as integrated members of society.

References: 12 ‘Demographic and Health Survey 2014 The Experiences of Cambodia –the adoption of the Washington Group short set disability questionnaire’, National Institute of Statistics of Cambodia, https://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic-social/meetings/2016/bangkok--disability-measurement-and-statistics/Session-7/Cambodia.pdf, date acceessed 20/12/19.

13 'Cambodia Demographic and Health Survey 2014', 2015, National Institute of Statistics, https://dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/FR312/FR312.pdf, date accessed 21/01/20.

14 Cambodia Tribunal Monitor, https://www.cambodiatribunal.org/history/cambodian-history/khmer-rouge-history/, date accessed 23/12/19.

15 'Cambodia Demographic and Health Survey 2014', op.cit.

16 International Labor Organisation, http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/@ed_emp/@ifp_skills/documents/publication/wcms_115096.pdf, date accessed 20/12/19.

17 March 2002, ‘Country Profile on Disability – Kingdom of Cambodia’, World Bank, http://siteresources.worldbank.org/DISABILITY/Resources/Regions/East-Asia-Pacific/JICA_Camboida.pdf, date accessed 20/12/19.

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State of development across the country In recent years, the Cambodian government has done a lot to reduce poverty and stimulate development, but major disparity and inequality persist. The country has seen high and steady economic growth (7.7% between 1995 and 2018), making it one of the fastest growing economies globally. This is largely thanks to garment exports and tourism.18 The UN estimates that 13.5% of Cambodians now live below the national poverty line, down from 53% in 2004.19 Poverty continues to fall, but the rate of this decline has slowed greatly.

Almost 35% of the population experience multidimensional poverty (not just income-based poverty, but also with respect to education, health and living standards). 20 More than 70% of Cambodians live on $3 a day or less, meaning almost three quarters of the national population are vulnerable to falling below the poverty line. 21 The greatest inequality lies in the gap between urban and rural inhabitants. While poverty has been reduced by 60% in Phnom Penh, it has only been by 22% in rural areas. This is in the context of a country that is still 85% rural.22 Despite its ongoing recovery, Cambodia is still one of Southeast Asia's least developed countries. As of 2015, 25% of Cambodia’s population (3.8 million people) did not have access to improved water, and 44% (6.8 million people) did not have access to improved sanitation.23 In 2015, 80% of Cambodians aged 15 years and older could read and write and were thus considered literate. Educational outcomes reflect gender inequalities with 86.5% literacy rate for males and 75% for females.24 By comparison, Australia’s national literacy rate is 99%.

Cambodia is ranked 146 out of 189 countries on the United Nations Development Programme’s Human Development Index.25 For Cambodia to continue progressing its development, investment in infrastructure is essential, as well as diversification of the economy, fostering entrepreneurship and building new skills to address emerging labour market needs.26

Above (left to right): teenage girls hang out in Battambang; young Cambodians play traditional music at a Church celebration.

References: 18. 'Cambodia Overview’ - World Bank, https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/cambodia/overview, date accessed 13/08/19.

19. Development Assistance in Cambodia, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, https://dfat.gov.au/geo/cambodia/development-assistance/Pages/development-assistance-in-cambodia.aspx, date accessed 13/08/19.

20. ‘Human Development Reports - Cambodia’, United Nations Development Programme, http://hdr.undp.org/en/countries/profiles/KHM, date accessed 13/08/19.

21. 'Cambodia and the ADB', Asian Development Bank, https://www.adb.org/countries/cambodia/main, date accessed, 7/1/20.

22. Maurel, O. 2015, op.cit.

23. 'Cambodia Overview’ - World Bank, op.cit.; "Improved water" and "improved sanitation are WHO terms used to refer to water systems, which by nature of their construction are protected from contamination and sanitation facilities that separate human excreta from human contact.

24. 'Cambodia', CIA World Factbook, date accessed 7/1/20.

Cambodia 2020 23 25. 'Human Development Reports - Cambodia’, op.cit.

26 'Cambodia Overview’ - World Bank, op.cit.

Above (clockwise from top left hand): Chomnoam parish Priest celebrating mass; celebrations for the feast of the Assumption; children praying; teenage girls participate in prayers of the faithful; the congregation deep in reflection.

The Church The Church in Cambodia is relatively young and small, with a rich and inspiring history. While the Catholic Church was first established in Cambodia some 450 years ago, it has spent the last 30 years rebuilding after it was totally devastated in the 1970s. Across the country the Spirit is moving and thanks to many dedicated, faithful servants, lives are being changed by genuine encounter with the love of Jesus Christ.

There are three ecclesiastical districts in Cambodia: The Apostolic Vicariate of Phnom Penh, the Apostolic Prefecture of Battambang and the Apostolic Prefecture of Kampong Cham. Historically, Phnom Penh and Battambang have been the major hubs of Catholic community.

Across these three districts, there are 63 parishes and 73 priests, of which only nine are native Cambodians, who were ordained in the early 90s following the end of the Khmer Rouge and associated unrest. With around 20,000 baptised Catholics in Cambodia, this translates to roughly 275 Catholics for every one priest. This can be compared with a ratio in Australia of 1,824 Catholics for every priest. Cambodia has one major seminary located in Phnom Penh, St Jean Marie Vianney Catholic Major Seminary, which currently hosts seven seminarians. A further three Cambodian seminarians are studying in Thailand.

The scars from the Khmer Rouge run deep and the Catholic Church in Cambodia is doing so much to help the people and the country heal. For Bishop Olivier Scmitthaeusler M.E.P., Apostolic Vicar of Phnom Penh, “education is a priority because we are now living with the first generation of Christians. They have been baptized 20, ten and five years ago and education is a way for them to deepen their Christian and cultural roots, to help them become leaders in the Church and in their families and to build a better Christian family.”27 References: 27. EWTN, ‘The Church in Cambodia: Teaching History’, https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/church-in-cambodia-teaching-history-1778, date accessed 23/12/19.

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The first missionaries arrived in Cambodia in 1573 from Portugal. Catholicism was met with some initial hostility from the local Hindu and Buddhist religious establishments; however, by 1590 the King allowed Cambodians to be Baptised. At the beginning of the 17th century, the Church in Cambodia was a very small community, comprised mostly of Portuguese colonials and merchants. Over the course of that century, with the arrival of the Dutch in Asia, Catholics from across the continent sought refuge in Cambodia, including Portuguese Catholics from Indonesia fleeing Dutch oppression, and Vietnamese and Japanese Catholics escaping persecution.

The Congregation of the Propagation of the Faith sent the first Apostolic Vicars to Cambodia in 1659, with instructions to establish local churches bound to Rome. This meant the creation of a local clergy, a responsibility to stay in close contact with Rome, avoidance of any political engagement and a call to adapt to the manners and customs of the country and the Khmer people.

Following Cambodia’s establishment as a French Protectorate in 1863, the Khmer Church was born, with the way opened for missionaries to preach and teach, build hospitals, schools, churches and convents. Catholics from other countries, especially Vietnam continued to arrive in Cambodia en masse, that the number of Khmer Catholics was very small, and the Catholic Church in Cambodia was known as mostly foreign.

Although given a mandate to train a local clergy, the first missionaries to Cambodia struggled to make this vision a reality. Between the years 1888-1939, the seminary of Cambodian mission trained 115 priests, all of whom were ethnically Vietnamese and only 34 were born in Cambodia. On November 7, 1957, Simon Chhem Yen became the first Khmer to be ordained.

Gradually, several parishes began celebrating the liturgy in Khmer and by 1966 this was extended to all Cambodian Catholic churches, so that the Church could become truly local. From then, any missionary arriving in Cambodia had to spend three years learning Khmer and familiarising themselves with local culture and customs before they could begin traditional mission, and so, “the use of Khmer became the steppingstone to an expression of faith more in tune with the culture of the people.”28 From 1970, when General Lon Nol came to power, resentment towards Vietnamese living in Cambodia grew to the point of racial hatred and violence. Being closely associated with the Vietnamese community, the Catholic Church also experienced persecution and destruction of property. This continued under the Khmer Rouge, when it came to power in April 1975, with many Catholics being martyred and the eradication of Church leadership. Apostolic Vicar of Phnom Penh, Bishop Joseph Chhmar Salas, and Apostolic Prefect of Battambang, Bishop Paul Tep Im were both tragically killed.

Throughout these years of sorrow, by God’s grace Catholics scattered around the country held firm; “like yeast in the dough, they lived their faith without ever being able to get together.”29 ne woman remembers, "On Sundays it was not possible to meet for prayer, but each prayed by himself in his heart. Even at night we did not dare whisper prayers, nor even light a lamp without being suspected of espionage. So, everyone prayed alone in their heart."30

Above: A young boy and girl participate as altar servers

On 14th April 2020, it was 30 years since the first public mass was held, after the Church was destroyed in the 1970s. The milestone was marked with mass at the public venue in Phnom Penh where it was celebrated in 1990.

References: 28. Ponchaud, F. 2012, The Cathedral in the Rice Paddy, p.155.

29. ibid., p. 230.

30. ibid., p. 234.

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The inclusive symbols of the Catholic Church in Cambodia Jesus with a disability The Apostolic Prefecture of Battambang has two very special and symbolic icons; 'Christ with a disability’ and Mary of the Inclusive Love. Bishop Enrique Figaredo Alvargonzalez explains the reasoning behind the development of these icons, saying, “We are coming from a very concrete history of destruction in Cambodia – a society destroyed by war, by many ideologies – and we are trying to build a Church, a place that welcomes everyone, and a place that helps the people to find themselves as the children of God.” 'Christ with a disability' is a crucifix depicting Christ as an amputee with one leg missing, or as Bishop Enrique 'Kike' Figaredo Alvargonzalez puts it, “Jesus is in solidarity with people who suffer from landmines.”

He continues, “the people suffering today join the sufferings of Jesus to save the world. It says something important to me and all of us – the mystical body of Christ is missing something – and this missing part can be lack of understanding, lack of kindness, lack of dialogue, lack of love. As followers of Christ we have to help to fulfil (mend) this leg.”

Mary of the Inclusive Love Mary of the Inclusive Love is a carving present in all the parishes of the Apostolic Prefecture of Battambang. She holds Jesus with open arms, welcoming all who wish to draw near. In the middle of the figure are two children; one holds a book symbolizing wisdom, the other plays the flute bringing together art, music and tradition in praising God. In the lower part are three children; one child gives a hug of welcome, a sign of solidarity to include two other children with disability. One child is using a wheelchair, holding a dove to represent peace and the other child uses a crutch and holds flowers, a sign of love and God’s greatest commandment - Love one another as I have loved you. The crutch and the wheelchair are like a sacrament that restores their dignity and makes communion between people with and without disability.

The cloak of Our Lady, which surrounds them all, symbolises the family we belong to in the Church. We are all included under this cloak, all under the love of God. At the bottom, lotus flowers, the most emblematic flower in Cambodia, represent glory, purity and holiness.

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Diocesan Directors Adelaide Mr Tony Johnston 08 8210 8199

Melbourne Mr Kevin Meese 03 9412 8410

Armidale Ms Jacqueline Toakley 02 6771 8703

Parramatta Mr Alan Wedesweiler 02 9919 7842

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PO Box 1668 North Sydney NSW 2059 T: 02 9919 7800 E: admin@catholicmission.org.au Freecall: 1800 257 296 catholicmission.org.au ABN: 52 945 927 066

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