Koh Andaet Area Development Programme (ADP) is located in the Takeo province, known as the cradle of Cambodian civilisation. Known for it’s pre-Angkorian sites and nearby temples this province receives a substantial amount of tourists annually. The World Vision funded community of Koh Andaet, lies half an hour from the provincial capital, Takeo.

World Vision had already been working with the Koh Andaet community for two years before the first children from were sponsored in late 2006. World Vision staff spent this time visiting the villages and gathering information on the community’s needs. Staff measured various aspects of community life, including education levels, infant and maternal mortality rates and food and water availability. This information is used to set goals and measure ADP progress over time.

By September 2022, it is expected that the community will be resourced and able to continue managing development initiatives without World Vision’s direct assistance. At this time it is expected that 52,500 people will be benefiting from World Vision’s assistance.

There are only three health centres in the whole of Koh Andaet district and all are short of medicines. Some families seek medical advice from Kru Khmer (traditional healers) rather than travel to a health centre. Many children are malnourished, and respiratory and skin infections are common. Around 40 per cent of young women migrate to the city to work in garment and construction industries – their vulnerability in the city puts them at high risk of contracting HIV.

While the rainy season brings large quantities of water, even flooding six of the villages for half the year, there is little access to safe drinking water. People generally do not boil water to make it safe for drinking, so diarrhoea, typhoid and parasites are common.

World Vision staff educate community members about health and hygiene. The ADP works with an existing group to educate the community about HIV prevention and support people living with AIDS. It forms water user committees and works with them to increase water access, promote the use of water filters and construct improved sanitation facilities.

Of every seven children from Koh Andaet, one won’t ever start school and four more will drop out of school before completing their primary education. The poor condition of roads makes it difficult for children to travel to school, so some children stop attending and many more repeat levels. School buildings are in poor condition and teachers are poorly trained and paid.

World Vision is assessing the reasons behind poor educational achievement, and working with the community to find solutions, including the renovating of dilapidated schools, providing sanitary school latrines and constructing libraries and teachers’ housing.

Agriculture is the main productive activity for most households. Some engage in fishing or run small businesses. Although the soil is rich, most families face food shortages each year; seasonal flooding worsens the situation. Farmers have to pay a high price for water used in irrigation.

Business people lack access to capital or skills training. There are few income-generating opportunities for young people, and many are forced to migrate, seasonally or permanently, to Phnom Penh or neighbouring provinces in search of work.

World Vision repairs road-side drains and culverts to protect fields from flood waters. It works with the community to find effective long-term alternatives to current irrigation arrangements. The ADP promotes animal husbandry for income-generation and trains selected farmers to provide veterinary services in their villages. World Vision’s microfinance arm, VisionFund, provides people who run small businesses with access to low-interest credit so they can expand their activities.

World Vision trains community leaders to initiate, manage and evaluate development activities. In time they will form community-based organisations to run projects in their villages. The ADP also works to strengthen the ability of existing organisations and local government to meet the needs of the community.

If you would like to sponsor a child from Koh Andaet please call:
0800 800 776.