The Kingdom of Cambodia originally was a prosperous agrarian state. After decolonization and abolition of French foreign rule in the 1950s a short period of peace and economic recovery followed. But the Vietnam War and a weak Cambodian government formed a basis for reign of terror by the so called Red Khmer.
That nightmare ended in 1979 followed by anarchy and social unrest. Today green shoots of recovery loom, but Cambodia still is one of the poorest nation in South East Asia, and struggle to recover from years of civil war and genocide, which destroyed social institutions, culture and family tradition.
Our nation, a society with great respect for its elder and its culture also lost much of its societal structure, its parental role models and its family traditions due to the breaking up of family and conventional support systems.
While children and youths want to build a better society they feel powerless to change things, because they lack of the experience and lack of good role model for constructive participation in civil society or education that will train them to be leaders in combating societal problems.
Problems such as: discrimination, gang culture, violence, prostitution, drug abuse are widespread and become a major influence in the life of the youths in Cambodia.
KNGO helps
to deal with these situations in a constructive and peaceful way to build
solidarity and responsibility. Children and youths should attain motivation and
skills to solve the problems in their families, communities and society.