In brief

The SOL Foundation assists Globalteer with the project “Cambodia Sports Programme”, which provides access to structured coaching, vital life skills education, and community participation; the programme leverages the power of sports to create meaningful and lasting change for children in rural Cambodia enhancing their physical and mental well-being, fostering community engagement as well as personal development, and equipping them with essential life skills for a brighter future, in brief, to empower children to take control of their futures.

Problem to be tackled

Children throughout Cambodia, but particularly in rural areas, face major problems on a daily basis, including poverty, poor education, insufficient health care, limited access to potable water, child labour, sex trafficking and child marriage. Poverty poses a significant barrier to formal education, inability to afford uniforms/supplies, helping the family is prioritised over education, which means children don’t have access to opportunities to overcome poverty in the future. Children often become invisible in society and are not encouraged to express their opinions, assert their rights, or have the confidence to stand up for themselves. These problems are even more significant for girls; as they get older their drop-out rates become higher, especially in rural areas, often because they begin seeking jobs to help their families financially.

Local partner

The lack of opportunities for sports and recreation contributes to poor physical health, low self-esteem, and limited development of critical life skills such as teamwork, leadership, and resilience. Furthermore, the absence of organised sports limits community engagement and cohesion, as children and families miss out on opportunities to bond and build stronger networks.

To address the lack of sports opportunities in rural Cambodia, Globalteer’s programme employs a structured and multifaceted approach rooted in sport for development methodologies. These activities are designed not only to promote physical activity but also to foster life skills, community engagement, and overall well-being.

Beneficiaries

The main focus will be on children from the rural communities in the Siem Reap province, which is one of the poorest provinces in Cambodia; the area experiences high levels of poverty, low levels of formal education and high levels of school dropout, the main source of income for the families is small-scale rice farming.

SOL’s contribution

The SOL Foundation and Globalteer have been partners since 2019. With the continued and additional support of The SOL Foundation, Globalteer will be able to continue and to further grow their comprehensive sports programme at their Helping Hands School for the school children as well as the broader community in Prasat Char and surrounding villages in Siem Reap province in Cambodia to create lasting change by improving the physical, social, and emotional well-being of the beneficiaries.

Project partner

Globalteer‘s vision is to empower communities through better opportunities and care for people and animals in need; the activities include education, child protection, nutrition, sports, gender equity, community development, animal welfare and a volunteer programme.