Providing food can prove difficult for vulnerable and poor families in Cambodia. Often parents are forced to deny their children schooling so they can help find or grow food. Through the provision of meals, our project aims to increase school attendance and decrease the attrition due to hunger or necessity. In addition, we carefully craft menu options that target micro-nutrient deficiencies. 

Pack the Essentials benefits the lives of more than 200 primary and secondary school students within Siem Reap, Cambodia. 

It consists of three parts:

1. Food to school students

Over 180 ABCs and Rice students receive lunch on site each day, generally consisting of rice, nutritious local soups/stirfries as well as fresh fruit and vegetable platters.

2. Financial aid for infrastructure projects 

ABCs and Rice is funded solely on donations from the general public and is therefore unstable. Pack the Essentials provides funds to improve and maintain the school’s infrastructure; especially in regards to sanitation facilities, access to clean water and OH&S.

3. Emergency relief to vulnerable children and their families

Students identified from particularly vulnerable families based on an assessment of household conditions have options to be provided with food ration packs, scholarships and household supplies after consultation with our partner school and the local community. 

2018 Targets

Over the coming year, Pack The Essentials will:

• Increase the nutritional benefits of the lunches currently delivered on a daily basis.
• Financially support and upgrade our partner school’s current breakfast program.
• Work with local teachers and students to help improve their knowledge of food hygiene and dietary requirements.
• Continue to promote access to hardship relief options to students and members of our local community.