NEW VOCATIONAL TRAINING CENTRE AND RICE MILL

A new vocational training centre for landmine accident survivors has been established by Clear Path International in western Cambodia, linked to a rice mill enterprise to make the centre self-sustaining.  It is expected to benefit up to 1,000 landmine survivor families over the next three years by providing agricultural and mechanical skills training to enable them to earn a living and become self sufficient and reintegrated into society.  The rice mill, managed and run by landmine survivors, will produce an income to pay for the training, and provide food security to more than 3,000 people in marginalized urban families in Phnom Penh in the form of more affordable access to high-quality rice products.

Cambodia has the highest per-capita percentage of mine amputees in the world as a result of the indiscriminate use of landmines during more than two decades of civil war.  Despite the current peace, there are still millions of landmines that threaten innocent children and their families in many parts of the country.  One in every 236 Cambodians has lost one or more limbs. Though several international organizations are addressing many of the survivors’ physical needs, few provide support for their economic reintegration.

Clear Path International was co-founded by long time Subud member Imbert Matthee in 2000 to serve landmine and bomb accident survivors, their families and communities in former war zones in Southeast Asia.  Susila Dharma (Britain) has been supporting Clear Path’s vocational training programme in Kampong Cham province in Cambodia since 2003.  One hundred and fifty students have been enrolled in sewing, electronics and mechanics courses.  Eighty-seven of those graduating are now successful small-business entrepreneurs, able to support themselves and their families, while many others have gained the skills and confidence to enable them to find employment.  

Having offered training to all the target beneficiaries in this area, a new programme has now been started in Battambang Province, in the west of Cambodia near the Thai border, one of the worst mine affected areas.  A half hectare site has been purchased and cleared of landmines by the Mines Advisory Group, based in Manchester.  A training facility and office have been built together with a warehouse for the rice milling enterprise.  The first co-op of 25 households consisting of landmine accident survivors, their family members or vulnerable members of their community (about 100 beneficiaries) was formed in late 2006, ready to receive agricultural training in the field. Another co-op of 50 households (200 beneficiaries) will be formed in May 2007.  The first mechanics course was due to start in January 2007.

Most of the milling machinery components have been assembled and a service contractor was scheduled to install it in February 2007.  Rice purchases began in January to take advantage of the first rice harvest of the year so milling can begin as soon as the machinery is installed. Hundreds of disadvantaged families in the greater Phnom Penh area have already been identified to whom the high-quality, reasonably priced rice will be sold on credit.  An additional 6 hectares has been bought adjacent to the mill site to develop a demonstration farm, erect farm buildings and, eventually, a larger training facility with a dormitory.  Income from processed rice sales will soon start to contribute to the cost of running the vocational training courses, moving the operation towards sustainability.

The centre is expected to serve directly several hundred landmine accident survivors, their dependents and vulnerable members of their communities in 2007 together with at least a further 2,000 people in poor urban households who will benefit from the rice supply.  The project is on target to deliver tangible benefits and new hope to 4,000 people over the next three years.

Read more about the  vocational skills training  

To read about a visit to Cambodia by a SD(B) trustee click here

Rice ready to be milled once the machinery is installed