Reconnecting Cambodia Project

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Reconnecting Cambodia Project

Imagine not knowing who your parents are or where you came from. The RECONNECTING CAMBODIA (RC) PROJECT is ambitious, unique and never done before.

Helping reunite Cambodian families through DNA testing.
ផ្តល់នូវសេចក្តីសង្ឃឹម និងការជួបជុំក្រុមគ្រួសារឡេីងវិញតាមរយៈការធ្វេីតេស្ត DNA ដ៏មានប្រសិទ្ធិភាព ដេីម្បីជួយជំរុញដល់ការគាំទ្រដំណេីរការរស់រានឡេីងវិញពីសោកនាដកម្មដែលបានបន្សល់ទុកពីអតីតកាលរបស់ប្រទេសកម្ពុជា។ According to my sketchy exit papers, I was born Ly Da MEN. 2025 will be the 50th anniversary of the Khmer Rouge coming to power - the genocidal

regime under Pol Pot that left nearly 2 million of its people (¼ of the population) dead and forced Cambodia back to the stone age. About a million refugees were resettled abroad during three decades of civil war - families like mine were torn apart and relatives simply went missing, with no surviving records to help reconnect or trace them. Today, the social impact on mental health, and poverty (with their associated issues), remains a challenge on a national scale. As an extension of my own search and inspired by a promise to help a 82 year old mother find her missing daughter of the same age, the RC Project was conceived to give new hope to countless people like me across three generations to be reunited with lost family members. The aim is not only to test every family that lost someone, but in doing so, restitch the social fabric of a country that the Khmer Rouge purposefully destroyed. INTERNATIONAL AND CAMBODIAN OPERATIONS - We started out in 2020 as the NGO DNACambodia (www.dnacambodia.com), after I joined forces with Meta Meulenbelt (adoptive mum) and Kari Lemons (adoptive mum and creator of Khmer Cousins Project). We helped set up our sister local charity Khmer Family Charity Organization (www.kfco-dna.org) to undertake Cambodian operations. In 2024 Reconnecting Cambodia UK was set up for the three organisations to operate under the 'Reconnecting Cambodia project'. SUCCESS: among our close matches, we've reunited two siblings and an aunt and nephew both across continents. ACTIVITIES MOVING FORWARD - To date, we are a small team of 3 internationally-based volunteers, with a salaried part-time Cambodian Director. We want to turbocharge development and expansion of the RC Project's core activities, founded on five pillars: Science, Test, Educate, Assist and Restore (STEAR). Please follow this link if you are interested in donating - https://www.reconnectingcambodia.org/donate

CONTACT - [email protected] / [email protected]

19/08/2026

On World Humanitarian Day, we recognise the people and organisations working to support families and communities affected by crisis. At the Reconnecting Cambodia Project, we use DNA as a modern research tool, working hand in hand with family stories, memories and the records that remain to help people search for missing relatives and better understand their family history.

Sometimes the tiniest bit of information can give a family a new direction to explore.

For generations, displacement and separation have made it difficult for families to find one another and recover parts of their family history. DNA is a modern research tool that can help us address this old humanitarian problem, creating new possibilities for families to find answers, restore connections and move towards reunion.

Learn more about what we do and help spread the word.
www.reconnectingcambodia.org
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នាឱកាសទិវាមនុស្សធម៌ពិភពលោក យើងខ្ញុំសូមទទួលស្គាល់បុគ្គល និងអង្គការទាំងឡាយដែលកំពុងធ្វើការដើម្បីគាំទ្រដល់គ្រួសារ និងសហគមន៍ដែលរងផលប៉ះពាល់ដោយសារវិបត្តិផ្សេងៗ។ នៅគម្រោង Reconnecting Cambodia យើងប្រើប្រាស់ DNA ជាឧបករណ៍ស្រាវជ្រាវដ៏ទំនើបមួយ និងធ្វើការផ្ទាល់ជាមួយនឹងរឿងរ៉ាវគ្រួសារ ការចងចាំ និងកំណត់ត្រាដែលនៅសេសសល់ ដើម្បីជួយមនុស្សក្នុងការស្វែងរកសាច់ញាតិដែលបានបាត់ខ្លួន និងយល់កាន់តែច្បាស់អំពីប្រវត្តិគ្រួសាររបស់ពួកគេ។
ជួនកាល ព័ត៌មានដ៏តូចមួយក៏អាចផ្តល់នូវទិសដៅថ្មីសម្រាប់គ្រួសារក្នុងការស្វែងរកផងដែរ។
អស់រយៈពេលជាច្រើនជំនាន់មកនេះ ការផ្លាស់ប្តូរទីលំនៅ និងការឃ្លាតឆ្ងាយពីគ្នា បានធ្វើឱ្យមានការលំបាកសម្រាប់គ្រួសារក្នុងការស្វែងរកគ្នាទៅវិញទៅមក និងស្តារឡើងវិញនូវផ្នែកខ្លះនៃប្រវត្តិគ្រួសាររបស់ពួកគេ។ DNA គឺជាឧបករណ៍ស្រាវជ្រាវទំនើបមួយដែលអាចជួយដោះស្រាយបញ្ហាមនុស្សធម៌ដ៏យូរលង់នេះ ដោយបង្កើតនូវលទ្ធភាពថ្មីៗសម្រាប់គ្រួសារក្នុងការស្វែងរកចម្លើយ ស្តារការភ្ជាប់ទំនាក់ទំនង និងឈានទៅរកការជួបជុំគ្នាសារជាថ្មី។
សូមស្វែងយល់បន្ថែមអំពីគម្រោង Reconnecting Cambodia និងជួយចែករំលែកព័ត៌មាននេះបន្ត។

18/08/2026

A big thank you to FamilySearch for the opportunity to attend the two day Asia Family History Symposium last August 13-14, 2026 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

It was wonderful to see organisations including the Cambodian National Archives come together with international and local partners to explore how preserving, digitising and making family records more accessible can strengthen family tracing and create new pathways for separated Cambodian families to find one another.

There is so much we can learn from one another, and we look forward to continuing the conversation with FamilySearch and exploring how we can work together to create more opportunities for families to reconnect.

Check out FamilySearch Cambodia and their family history resources on this link: https://www.familysearch.org/km/global
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សូមថ្លែងអំណរគុណយ៉ាងជ្រាលជ្រៅចំពោះ International សម្រាប់ឱកាសក្នុងការចូលរួមក្នុងកម្មវិធី Asia VIP Symposium រយៈពេលពីរថ្ងៃ នៅរាជធានីភ្នំពេញ ប្រទេសកម្ពុជា។
វាជារឿងដ៏អស្ចារ្យដែលយេីងខ្ញុំបានឃើញអង្គការនានា រួមទាំងប័ណ្ណសារដ្ឋានជាតិកម្ពុជា បានជួបជាមួយដៃគូក្នុងស្រុក និងអន្តរជាតិ ដើម្បីស្វែងយល់ពីរបៀបដែលការអភិរក្ស ការធ្វើឌីជីថលរូបនីយកម្ម និងការធ្វើឱ្យកំណត់ត្រាគ្រួសារកាន់តែងាយស្រួលក្នុងការចូលទៅប្រើប្រាស់ អាចពង្រឹងការស្វែងរកប្រភពដើមគ្រួសារ និងបង្កើតផ្លូវថ្មីៗសម្រាប់គ្រួសារខ្មែរដែលបានឃ្លាតឆ្ងាយពីគ្នា ឱ្យបានជួបជុំគ្នាសារជាថ្មី។
មានអ្វីៗជាច្រើនដែលយើងអាចរៀនសូត្រពីគ្នាទៅវិញទៅមក ហើយយើងខ្ញុំពិតជាទន្ទឹងរង់ចាំបន្តកិច្ចសន្ទនាជាមួយ FamilySearch និងស្វែងរកវិធីដែលយើងអាចធ្វើការរួមគ្នា ដើម្បីបង្កើតឱកាសបន្ថែមទៀតសម្រាប់គ្រួសារក្នុងការភ្ជាប់ទំនាក់ទំនងឡើងវិញ។
ដេីម្បីស្វែងយល់បន្ថែមអំពី FamilySearch Cambodia និងប្រវត្តិគ្រួសាររបស់ពួកគេសូមចូលទៅកាន់តំណភ្ជាប់នេះ៖ https://www.familysearch.org/km/ global

14/08/2026

One of our very first high DNA matches opened the door to an unexpected family connection.

During the early months of the COVID pandemic, a French man contacted us after receiving a high DNA match with a Cambodian woman who was participating in our project. To help them understand their connection, we organised an online meeting. The Cambodian woman joined from our office in Cambodia, and together they began exploring their family histories.

The French man knew almost nothing about his father. His DNA test had only revealed that his paternal roots were somewhere in Southeast Asia.
The Cambodian woman, meanwhile, had spent many years searching for her brother and sisters. They had become separated while fleeing the Khmer Rouge, with the family separated at the border as refugees. After that separation, she never heard from them again.

As they shared their stories and compared the information they had, a likely explanation emerged: the Cambodian woman appeared to be the sister of the French man's father, making her his aunt.

Although we could not reunite him directly with his father, the search gave him something he had never had before — his father's name. That single piece of information gave him a new direction to continue searching for his father and the rest of his Cambodian family.

This is why every family search matters. DNA can provide an important clue, but it is the stories, memories and conversations around that clue that help us understand where a family connection may lead.

Start your search at www.reconnectingcambodia.org

Please note: The image accompanying this post is AI-generated and is for illustrative purposes only. It does not depict the individuals or events described in this story.

12/08/2026

This International Youth Day, we’re thinking about the role young people can play in keeping those connections alive by listening to older generations, asking questions about where their families come from, and helping preserve the stories that might otherwise be lost.

As our KFCO Cambodia Country Director Thai attends the FamilySearch Symposium this week, we’re looking forward to learning alongside others who are passionate about preserving family history and strengthening connections across generations.

Family stories, memories, records, and, where appropriate, DNA can each provide a piece of the picture. Together, they can help future generations better understand their roots, identity, and sense of belonging.

Start a conversation today. Ask an older family member about their story. You might discover something you never knew.
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ក្នុងឱកាសទិវាយុវជនអន្តរជាតិនេះ យើងខ្ញុំគិតគូរអំពីតួនាទីរបស់យុវជនក្នុងការរក្សាទំនាក់ទំនងនៅក្នុងគ្រួសារឱ្យនៅគង់វង្ស តាមរយៈការស្តាប់ពីចាស់ទុំ ការសាកសួរអំពីដើមកំណើតរបស់គ្រួសារនិមួយៗ និងការជួយថែរក្សារឿងរ៉ាវនានា បើមិនដូច្នោះទេ រឿងរ៉ាវទាំងនោះអាចនឹងត្រូវបាត់បង់ទៅជាមិនខាន។

ស្របពេលដែលលោក ដែលជានាយកប្រចាំប្រទេសរបស់ KFCO នឹងចូលរួមក្នុងកម្មវិធី FamilySearch Symposium នាសប្តាហ៍នេះ យើងខ្ញុំពិតជាទន្ទឹងរង់ចាំ ដើម្បីរៀនសូត្ររួមគ្នាជាមួយអ្នកដទៃផ្សេងទៀត ដែលមានចំណង់ចំណូលចិត្តក្នុងការអភិរក្សដើមកំណើតគ្រួសារ និងពង្រឹងទំនាក់ទំនងរវាងមនុស្សជំនាន់ផ្សេងៗគ្នា។

រឿងរ៉ាវនៅក្នុងគ្រួសារ ការចងចាំ កំណត់ត្រា និងការវិភាគ DNA នៅពេលសមស្រប សុទ្ធតែអាចផ្តល់នូវផ្នែកមួយនៃរូបភាពទាំងមូល។ នៅពេលរួមបញ្ចូលគ្នា ធនធានទាំងនេះអាចជួយឱ្យមនុស្សជំនាន់ក្រោយយល់កាន់តែច្បាស់អំពីឫសគល់ អត្តសញ្ញាណ និងអារម្មណ៍នៃការមានចំណងទាក់ទងជាមួយគ្រួសារឬសហគមន៍របស់ពួកគេ។

ចាប់ផ្តើមការសន្ទនានៅថ្ងៃនេះ តាមរយៈការសាកសួរពីដំណើរជីវិតរបស់សមាជិកគ្រួសារពីសម័យមុន នោះអ្នកអាចនឹងបានដឹងពីអ្វីមួយដែលអ្នកមិនធ្លាប់បានដឹងពីមុនមក។

10/08/2026

We're excited that our Country Director, Thai, will attend the Family Search Symposium in Phnom Penh on 13-14 August, joining people and organisations who are passionate about preserving family history and strengthening family connections.

We are proud to focus our contribution on how DNA can support family reunions in Cambodia and around the world, while also learning from others and building new relationships with organisations working towards the same goal. Together, we can create more opportunities for families to reconnect.

A huge thank you to FamilySearch for the invitation. We're looking forward to two inspiring days of learning, sharing, and collaboration.

09/08/2026

Sometimes, family is closer than we realise. 💙

A DNA test revealed an unexpected family connection for one of our core team volunteers Chanserey: two of her friends, who both knew her but had never met each other, turned out to be third cousins.

That simple introduction soon turned into an evening of shared stories, laughter, and an unexpected family discovery.

Every family search is different. Sometimes DNA leads to a parent, a sibling, a cousin, or none at all. Every DNA test helps build new possibilities for connection, making it easier for families to find one another, one story at a time.

Start your search at www.reconnectingcambodia.org

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ពេលខ្លះ គ្រួសារគឺជិតស្និទ្ធជាងអ្វីដែលយើងគិត។
ការធ្វើតេស្ត DNA បានបង្ហាញពីទំនាក់ទំនងគ្រួសារដែលនឹកស្មានមិនដល់ សម្រាប់ Chan Serey ដែលជាអ្នកស្ម័គ្រចិត្តក្នុងក្រុមស្នូលម្នាក់របស់យើងគឺមិត្តភក្តិពីរនាក់របស់គាត់ដែលស្គាល់រាប់អានគ្នា ប៉ុន្តែមិនដែលបានជួបគ្នាផ្ទាល់ទាល់តែសោះនោះ បានប្រែក្លាយជាបងប្អូនជីដូនមួយជួរទីបី (Third cousins) នឹងគ្នា។
ការណែនាំខ្លួនដ៏សាមញ្ញនោះ បានប្រែប្រួលយ៉ាងឆាប់រហ័សទៅជារាត្រីនៃការចែករំលែករឿងរ៉ាវ សំណើច និងការស្វែងរកឃើញគ្រួសារដោយចៃដន្យ។
ការស្វែងរកគ្រួសារនីមួយៗគឺមានភាពខុសៗគ្នា។
ជួនកាល DNA នាំយើងទៅជួបឪពុកម្តាយ បងប្អូនបង្កើត បងប្អូនជីដូនមួយ ឬក៏មិនជួបនរណាសោះតែម្តង។ ការធ្វើតេស្ត DNA នីមួយៗជួយបង្កើតលទ្ធភាពថ្មីៗសម្រាប់ការភ្ជាប់ទំនាក់ទំនង ដែលធ្វើឱ្យគ្រួសារកាន់តែងាយស្រួលក្នុងការស្វែងរកគ្នាទៅវិញទៅមក តាមរយៈរឿងរ៉ាវម្តងមួយៗ។
សូមចាប់ផ្តើមការស្វែងរករបស់អ្នកតាមរយៈគេហទំព័រខាងក្រោម៖
www.reconnectingcambodia.org

07/08/2026

🧬DNA testing is a non-invasive, humanitarian tool that helps reconnect families separated by war, displacement, migration, and other life circumstances. It's designed to be simple, safe, and accessible.

Have questions about how DNA testing works? Send us a message at [email protected]

ការធ្វើតេស្ត DNA គឺជាឧបករណ៍មនុស្សធម៌ដែលមិនប៉ះពាល់ទៅដល់រាងកាយ និងជួយតភ្ជាប់ទំនាក់ទំនងគ្រួសារដែលបានព្រាត់ប្រាស់គ្នាដោយសារសង្គ្រាម ការផ្លាស់ប្តូរទីលំនៅ ការផ្លាស់ប្តូរប្រទេស និងកាលៈទេសៈនៃជីវិតផ្សេងៗទៀត។ វាត្រូវបានបង្កើតឡើងដើម្បីឱ្យមានភាពសាមញ្ញ សុវត្ថិភាព និងងាយស្រួលក្នុងការប្រើប្រាស់។

តេីលោកអ្នកមានសំណួរអំពីរបៀបដែលការធ្វើតេស្ត DNA ដំណើរការមែនទេ? សូមផ្ញើសារមកកាន់យើងខ្ញុំ - យើងខ្ញុំរីករាយនឹងជួយដល់លោកអ្នក

05/08/2026

Family finding isn't one moment of reunion. It's a journey, and DNA is often just the beginning. 💙

Our co-founder Li-Da recently experienced this firsthand. After decades of searching, DNA connected her with a second cousin she'd never met. Though he was only a child when his mother died, he remembered something crucial: the name of their ancestral village.

That single memory - unlocked by a DNA match - became Li-Da's first tangible lead in years. In that village, she found a Great Aunt, who remembered all six of her aunts and uncles, one of whom could be Li-Da’s grandparent and whose child, a birth parent. DNA matching allows her to narrow down which family line she’s a descendant of.

This is the power of DNA: it doesn't always bring immediate answers, but it brings connection. And connection brings clues, memories, and hope.
Start your search at www.reconnectingcambodia.org.

ការស្វែងរកគ្រួសារមិនមែនជាខណៈពេលនៃការជួបជុំគ្នាតែម្យ៉ាងនោះទេ។ វាគឺជាដំណើរមួយ ហើយ DNA ជាញឹកញាប់គ្រាន់តែជាចំណុចចាប់ផ្តើមតែប៉ុណ្ណោះ។
សហស្ថាបនិករបស់យើង Li-Da ទើបតែបានជួបប្រទះរឿងនេះដោយផ្ទាល់នាពេលថ្មីៗនេះ។ បន្ទាប់ពីការស្វែងរកគ្រួសារអស់រាប់សិបឆ្នាំ DNA បានតភ្ជាប់គាត់ទៅនឹងបងប្អូនជីដូនមួយម្នាក់ដែលគាត់មិនធ្លាប់បានជួប។ ទោះបីជាម្តាយរបស់គាត់បានទទួលមរណភាពតាំងតែពីពេលដែលគាត់នៅជាកុមារាក៏ដោយ ប៉ុន្តែគាត់នៅតែចងចាំរឿងដ៏សំខាន់មួយនោះគឺឈ្មោះភូមិដូនតារបស់ពួកគាត់។
ការចងចាំតែមួយនោះ ដែលត្រូវបានបើកបង្ហាញដោយការផ្គូផ្គង DNA ហេីយបានក្លាយជាតម្រុយដំបូងគេរបស់ Li-Da ក្នុងរយៈពេលជាច្រើនឆ្នាំ។ នៅក្នុងភូមិនោះ គាត់បានជួបជីដូនមួយ ដែលបានចងចាំពូមីងទាំង៦ រូបរបស់គាត់ ដោយម្នាក់ក្នុងចំណោមនោះអាចជាជីដូនជីតារបស់ Li-Da ហើយកូនរបស់គាត់គឺជាឪពុកម្តាយបង្កើត។ ការផ្គូផ្គង DNA អនុញ្ញាតឱ្យនាងបង្រួមជម្រើសថា តើខ្សែស្រឡាយគ្រួសារមួយណាដែលគាត់តំណជាកូនចៅ។
នេះគឺជាថាមពលនៃ DNA ដែលវាមិនតែងតែនាំមកនូវចម្លើយភ្លាមៗនោះទេ ប៉ុន្តែវានាំមកនូវការតភ្ជាប់។ ហើយការតភ្ជាប់នាំមកនូវតម្រុយ ការចងចាំ និងក្តីសង្ឃឹម។
ចាប់ផ្តើមការស្វែងរករបស់អ្នកតាមរយៈគេហទំព័រខាងក្រោម៖
www.reconnectingcambodia.org.

03/08/2026

It fills us with so much pride to see a fellow Cambodian, Kaneda and the team at Mamapen sharing the flavours of Cambodia with so many people in London. We're also incredibly grateful to Slice Circle, who recently took over the kitchen at the award-winning Old Nun's Head, for making this special collaboration possible and making us their beneficiary.

So if you're nearby 15 Nunhead Green in London, come and have a taste!

31/07/2026

This August in London, something delicious is making a difference. 🍕

Our friends at Mamapen and Slice Circle have come together to create a special collaboration pizza inspired by Cambodian flavours, and we're incredibly honoured that a percentage of every pizza sold will support the Reconnecting Cambodia Project.

Every slice helps us reach more Cambodian families through community outreach, DNA education, and family finding, creating new opportunities for people searching for missing loved ones and reconnecting with their roots.

If you're in the area, we'd love you to stop by, enjoy a slice, and be part of something bigger. The special collaboration launches on Monday 3 August and will be available throughout the month.

A huge thank you to Mamapen and Slice Circle for believing in our mission and helping bring hope to more families, one slice at a time. 💙🇰🇭

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