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Join us in creating sustainable food forests, clean water access, and so much more for communities in need.
Join us in creating sustainable food forests, clean water access, and so much more for communities in need.
CAMBODIA is a beautiful South East Asian country with an amazing and rich history that is clearly evident in the breathtaking temples, ancient ruins, and serene landscapes. However, the museums tell the heartbreaking story of the devastation by the Khmer Rouge, Pol Pot, and his senseless slaughter of millions.
The people of Cambodia greet friends and visitors with genuinely warm and welcoming smiles so most tourists never realize the daily struggle many Cambodians endure just to survive.
War and natural disasters have swept many of these people into a desperate day-to-day fight for the most basic necessities of life, such as food, access to clean water, and education.
Immense poverty and natural disasters, like flooding, hurricanes/cyclones, and landslides cause prolific starvation and wasting, especially among children. This results in malnutrition, birth defects, high infant mortality, and critical health problems at every age. Education has also been severely impacted by war and economic factors from the past. Much progress has been made in education, but efforts were stifled by COVID and more recent natural disasters. All of these issues create a continuous cycle of desperation and despair.
More than 85% of Cambodians live on less than $3 a day (*). Many work as "informal" labor. These hard-working people can wait hours every day hoping to earn whatever small amount they can. To make matters even worse, much of the work is seasonal. Less than 40% of the people can rely on that $3 a day wage on
a steady basis (**). This leads to extensive issues compounding the already desperate conditions.
Kalpavriksha Vanara helps to reduce these tragic conditions and improve the lives of these proud, hard-working people with our Hope Gardens. Hope gardens (Suon Sangkhum) are fast growing food forests that produce perennial sustainable fruits, nuts, vegetables, medicinal herbs, and proteins that aim to help end hunger as well as provide balanced nutrition for healthy holistic life and growth. Hope Gardens also include a water well and tower water system to provide clean water. Free hand washing stations and public showers promote cleaner living conditions that will also help prevent illness and disease. Living fruit fencing invites the community into the shared space to help encourage community gatherings. Dovecotes (man-made shelters for pigeons) help to provide essential proteins necessary for healthy growth and life. Free public showers promote cleaner living conditions that help prevent illness and disease. Wind Turbines on the water towers allow for use of lights at night, electrical equipment, and charging phones. Free libraries encourage learning with a unique learn-at-your-own pace education system. An inter-community seed and tool share network will ensure the ability for the communal creation and upkeep for the Suon Sangkhum. Each Hope Park include a playground and pavilion to provide a safe community place for children to play and adults to gather.
All of these benefits are provided to local Cambodian communes/slums and villages at absolutely no cost to the local community. The locals will be trained in maintaining and preserving these perennial food sources for each impoverished area. This gives these wonderful people the opportunity to show their skills and worth and enables them to take pride in their accomplishments. The local communities, together with Kalpavriksha Vanara, can improve the health, well-being and morale with completely sustainable improvements that benefit current and future generations.
*International Labor Organization 2024
**Cambodian Ministry of Land Management Survey 2024
