PHNOM PENH: The Ministry of Social Affairs has instructed its officials to look for homeless people in the country’s cities and towns and interview them in order to identify their home province and assist them in getting back home. Minister of Social Affairs, Vong Soth, believes getting the homeless back to their places of birth will be the best way for government to provide the right assistance.

The Minister says the plan was laid down by the National Committee for Solving Homelessness last year. Guidelines for its implementation have now been set. He has instructed the Department of Social Affairs to question the homeless to determine their place of birth, so they can be directed back to their hometown.

In this way, the Department can also study their family situations and better understand the cause of their poverty. The minister says government can assist them with cash support through the Poor Card, which also enables access to free social services.

A 2020 survey found 2,672 homeless people in need of being helped across the country. 1,058 of them have since been reunited with their families and communities.