We build, farm, demine, educate and support incoming generating projects in Siem Reap

Our village development program's origin dates back to November 1999 when the Cambodia Government transferred 27 families (160 people) from outside of Angkor Wat to the forest. We began working with these families who had nothing but the small bundles they carried with them and a tiny plot of allotted land. The Government promised if they remained on this land until December 2002, they would be given the land titles. This village would become Karuna Village.

In the early stages, we provided these families with materials to build simple homes as well as offered them emergency food. Throughout the course of the two years we carried out much needed work to build this village community. Some of our work included:

• Building of wells, planting of fruit trees, a road and bridge were constructed as part of a food for work program;
• Finding of land for a school;
• Building of a temporary school and a teacher hired; a mobile library set up;
• Provision of revolving grants for income generation;
• Set up of a cow bank and rice bank;
• Formation of a blind musicians group that now has permission to play near the temple, and earn from their performances;
• Commencement of health service; nutrition for appropriate children was begun;
• Encouragement of vegetable and home gardens;
• Demining of village area
• Fitting of wheelchairs and prosthetics and provision of peer counseling given.

The building of the Karuna village did not come without its challenges. We faced harsh living conditions, an attempted appropriation of some land by soldiers, departure of some families and the arrival of new families, who became a healthy addition to the village.

Today xx families live in the village, including xx of the original handicapped and poor families. The land is good and in many cases the home gardens are flourishing. The Government handed over 13 land titles.

The number of children attending the Karuna village school has multiplied with many students graduating and entering the nearby school of Chuk So, which was also built by Jesuit Service Cambodia.

The Village Development team also manages loans, rice/animal banks, agricultural development, water and literacy programs. Our centre farm is also source for trees, vegetables and rice. After a rice harvest, we are able to supply very poor families with rice seeds for the next sowing season.