PHNOM PENH: In order to help more than 2,000 low-income families in the provinces of Preah Vihear and Kampong Chhnang rise out of poverty, the Royal Government is initiating a pilot family package program. This initiative will provide capital as well as training in appropriate skills and jobs.
The Secretary of State for the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation, Samheng Boros, spoke at a press conference on "Social Protection, Economic Recovery, and Digital Rights in Cambodia" under the theme "Together for a Better Future" on the morning Tuesday morning, 20 December 2022, at the Himawari Hotel. He stated that the pilot family package project is currently underway, while the Royal Government of Cambodia is also preparing a draft sub-decree on the family package, and is working on developing a poverty package that provides training in specific skills and jobs so that poor families and individuals can achieve a better quality of life and leave poverty behind.
He added that the family package program and poor package program are scheduled to be fully implemented after the Covid-19 pandemic stabilizes. Both packages will be provided for the poor, persons with disabilities, the elderly, and children from low-income families.
In addition to providing cash subsidies, Secretary of State Samheng Boros stated that the Ministry of Social Affairs would work with other ministries and development partners to provide poor families and individuals access to vocational training and job opportunities.
"Prime Minister Hun Sen instructed the team to find a way to teach people how to fish, not just give them fish,” he said. “Cambodia is a country that demonstrates perseverance in problem solving. So if people only want to reap the benefits, they won't be able to expand their capacity, so they fall back [into poverty].”
It has now been over two years that the Royal Government has implemented social assistance programs for poor households during the Covid-19 pandemic, including the recent implementation of a social assistance program for flood-affected families which began in early December. The government has thus far spent nearly US $1 billion to support more than 1 million poor families in Cambodia, coming to a total of 4 million people aided.
Since the social assistance program was launched, about 20% of impoverished individuals receiving social assistance were able to better support their livelihoods, shared Secretary of State Samheng Boros. He added that approximately 60% of the impoverished will be able to escape poverty in the upcoming years.
The Secretary of State stressed that in order for the National Social Protection Policy to be implemented successfully, all relevant institutions, development partners, NGOs, civil society organizations, and the private sector must be involved in formulating joint goals and plans with the Royal Government, to contribute to the development of Cambodia’s socioeconomic sector, and aid the eradication of poverty in the Kingdom.
