WHat IS ROCK FOUNDATION CAMBODIA?
BRINGING HOPE TO THE POOR & OPPRESSED IN CAMBODIA
Established in 2011, Rock Foundation Cambodia is 501(c)(3) non-profit organization registered in the U.S. We are also registered as an International Non-Government Organization (INGO) with the Royal Government of the Kingdom of Cambodia.
We exist to create lasting change in Cambodia by showing impoverished communities the love of God through meeting their immediate physical needs.
Although one of the primary functions of our ministry is drilling water wells in rural, hard-to-reach communities, our work also includes water sanitation, providing toilet facilities, importing essential medical supplies, facilitating medical care for those who would not otherwise receive it, and building homes for the poor.
Why Cambodia?
Known as one of the least developed countries in the world, nearly 80% of Cambodia is rural according to May 2020 data from the The World Bank. Roughly 90% of the country’s poor live in rural areas. Among those living in rural communities, only about 34% have access to electricity and 41% still practice open defecation for lack of proper sanitation facilities. Only 18% of the total rural population have access to improved water and sanitation facilities, which is a factor that contributes to widespread sickness and disease.
The infant mortality rate in Cambodia is higher compared to any other country in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) which encompasses 10 countries in Southeast Asia. For every 1,000 babies born in Cambodia, 28 die before their first birthday due to malnutrition and the complications associated with a poor diet (Asian Development Bank, April 2020). An estimated 1 in 3 children under the age of five suffer from growth stunting.
Less than 45% of Cambodian children are enrolled in school. School drop out rates and illiteracy rates are also high as young children are needed to help support the economic needs of their families.
Our MISSION
Our mission is to meet the mental, physical, and spiritual needs of the Cambodian people through poverty assistance and community outreach.
WHAT WE DO
Our goal is to create sustainable, physically and spiritually healthy communities in the most impoverished rural areas of Cambodia.
- Water Well Drilling
- Water Sanitation
- Importing of Essential Medical Supplies
- Facilitating Medical Care
- Disaster Relief
- Community Outreach
- Building Toilet Facilities
- Building & Repairing Homes for the Poor
- Sustainable Development of Rural Communities
- Providing Food Parcels & Hot Meals
The Human Development Index (HDI) is calculated annually by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and published in the annual Human Development Report. It ranks 185 countries out of 193 UN member states. Eight countries are not included due to a lack of data. The low ranking of Cambodia at 146 (as of the 2019 report) reflects systemic issues of poverty that impact crucial development in numerous areas access to clean water. Access to a safe water resource and sanitation in the country is unstable and inadequate for millions of citizens. Since water security is closely related to sanitation and health, these deficiencies pose significant challenges for the government.
- Malnutrition Under Age 5
- Working Poor Earning Less than $3.20 Per Day
- Primary School Dropout Rate
- Population Using Basic Sanitation Services
Rock Foundation is a ministry that really does life-saving work. They are drilling water wells in one of the most efficient, cost-effective ways I’ve ever seen, and Brett is uniquely equipped to do this incredible work in Cambodia.
It is always a privilege to read about Brett and Sithorn and what they’re doing through the Rock Foundation in Cambodia. I first met Brett and Sithorn over 10 years ago on one of my visits to Cambodia and I was amazed at the enthusiasm of this young couple to help make a difference to the overwhelming difficulties that the Cambodian people face every day.