Reconnecting Cambodia Project

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]

2 October 2026 | Battambang, Cambodia[Khmer translation below]What an incredible first day of outreach! We were so grate...
06/10/2026

2 October 2026 | Battambang, Cambodia
[Khmer translation below]

What an incredible first day of outreach! We were so grateful to be part of the BAD Band de Battambang Music Festival, where we had the chance to introduce our work and share why family reconnection matters.

A huge thank you to Sam Rocker and his LostnFound album — a name that feels almost made for what we do: those who are lost can be found again through DNA. Thank you to Phare Ponleu Selpak - Battambang, led by Osman and Khuon Det, for this wonderful collaboration and for giving us such a meaningful platform. And to the Sacred Dancers of Angkor, who blessed the evening with their sublime dance.

We’re also so grateful to our wonderful host Li-Na, everyone who joined in our fun DNA activity, the talented local artisans who brought their beautiful work, and of course, everyone who shared the delicious food and made the evening so enjoyable.

A special thank you to our amazing volunteers, who gave their time, energy, and heart to help make the evening such a success. We couldn’t have done it without you.

We were honoured to welcome some very special guests too: Kit Thy, Li-Da’s second cousin, whom she met for the very first time; Professor Tony Tessandori, who shared his own ongoing family search; and, most wonderfully, two of the Lim siblings, who shared their incredible reunion story after finding their sister 73 years later. Their story has become a symbol of hope and a reminder of how DNA can help uncover the truth and reconnect families.

And on the night, four people took DNA tests, each hoping it might help them find a missing family member.

Here are a few photos from this very special evening. We hope you enjoy reliving some of the moments with us.
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ថ្ងៃទី២ តុលា ២០២៦ ខេត្ត​ បាត់ដំបង ប្រទេសកម្ពុជា

ថ្ងៃដំបូងនៃសកម្មភាពចុះជួយសហគមន៍ដ៏អស្ចារ្យ! យើងខ្ញុំមានសេចក្តីសោមនស្សរីករាយជាខ្លាំងដែលបានចូលរួមក្នុងការប្រគំតន្ត្រី BAD Band de Battambang ដែលជាឱកាសមួយឱ្យយើងខ្ញុំបានណែនាំអំពីការងាររបស់យើង និងចែករំលែកពីសារៈសំខាន់នៃការភ្ជាប់ទំនាក់ទំនងគ្រួសារឡើងវិញ។

សូមថ្លែងអំណរគុណយ៉ាងជ្រាលជ្រៅចំពោះ Sam Rocker និងអាល់ប៊ុម LostnFound របស់គាត់ ដែលជាឈ្មោះមួយស័ក្តិសមឥតខ្ចោះទៅនឹងអ្វីដែលយើងកំពុងធ្វើ៖ អ្នកដែលបាត់បង់អាចស្វែងរកឃើញវិញតាមរយៈ DNA។ សូមអរគុណដល់ អង្គការហ្វារពន្លឺសិល្បៈបាត់ដំបង ដែលដឹកនាំដោយ លោក Osman និងលោក ឃួន ដែត សម្រាប់ការសហការដ៏អស្ចារ្យនេះ និងបានផ្តល់វេទិកាដ៏មានអត្ថន័យដល់យើងខ្ញុំ។ ព្រមទាំង ក្រុមរបាំព្រះរាជទ្រព្យ (Sacred Dancers of Angkor) ដែលបានសម្តែងរបាំដ៏ល្អឯកដើម្បីអបអរសាទរនាពេលរាត្រីនោះ។

យើងខ្ញុំក៏សូមថ្លែងអំណរគុណយ៉ាងជ្រាលជ្រៅផងដែរចំពោះអ្នកសម្របសម្រួលដ៏ឆ្នើមរបស់យើងគឺ កញ្ញា លីណា (Li-Na) អ្នកទាំងអស់គ្នាដែលបានចូលរួមក្នុងសកម្មភាព DNA ដ៏រីករាយ។ លេីសពីនេះទៅទៀត​ វត្តមាន​សិប្បករក្នុងស្រុកដែលមានទេពកោសល្យដែលបាននាំយកស្នាដៃដ៏ស្រស់ស្អាតមកដាក់បង្ហាញ និងជាពិសេស អ្នកទាំងអស់គ្នាដែលបានចែករំលែកអាហារដ៏ឈ្ងុយឆ្ងាញ់ និងធ្វើឱ្យរាត្រីនោះកាន់តែមានបរិយាកាសសប្បាយរីករាយ។

អរគុណជាពិសេសដល់អ្នកស្ម័គ្រចិត្តដ៏អស្ចារ្យរបស់យើង ដែលបានចំណាយពេលវេលា កម្លាំងកាយ និងក្តីស្រលាញ់​ ដើម្បីជួយឱ្យព្រឹត្តិការណ៍នាពេលរាត្រីមួយនោះ​ ទទួលបានជោគជ័យយ៉ាងត្រចះត្រចង់។ ប្រសិនបើគ្មានអ្នកទាំងអស់គ្នាទេ យើងពិតជាមិនអាចធ្វើវាបានឡើយ។

យើងខ្ញុំមានកិត្តិយសយ៉ាងក្រៃលែងដែលបានទទួលស្វាគមន៍ភ្ញៀវកិត្តិយសពិសេសៗមួយចំនួនផងដែរ៖ លោក គិត ធី ដែលជាបងប្អូនជីដូនមួយទីពីររបស់ លីដា (Li-Da) ដែលគាត់ទេីបមានឱកាសបានជួបគ្នាជាលើកដំបូង​។ បន្ទាប់​មក​ទៀត​សាស្ត្រាចារ្យ តូនី (Tony) ដែលបានចែករំលែកអំពីដំណើរការស្វែងរកគ្រួសាររបស់លោកដែលកំពុងបន្ត និងជាពិសេសបំផុតនោះគឺ សមាជិកពីររូបនៃបងប្អូនត្រកូល លឹម (Lim) ដែលបានចែករំលែករឿងរ៉ាវនៃការជួបជុំគ្នាវិញដ៏អស្ចារ្យ បន្ទាប់ពីបានស្វែងរកឃើញបងស្រីរបស់ពួកគាត់ក្រោយបែកគ្នាអស់រយៈពេល ៧៣ ឆ្នាំ។ រឿងរ៉ាវរបស់ពួកគាត់បានក្លាយជានិមិត្តរូបនៃសង្ឃឹម និងជាការរំលឹកបង្ហាញថា DNA អាចជួយលាតត្រដាងការពិត និងភ្ជាប់ទំនាក់ទំនងគ្រួសារឡើងវិញ។

នៅក្នុងរាត្រីនោះផងដែរ មានមនុស្ស ៤ នាក់បានធ្វើតេស្ត DNA ដោយម្នាក់ៗសង្ឃឹមថាវាអាចជួយពួកគាត់ឱ្យស្វែងរកសមាជិកគ្រួសារដែលបាត់បង់ឃើញ។
នេះជារូបថតមួយចំនួនពីរាត្រីដ៏ពិសេសនោះ។ យើងខ្ញុំសង្ឃឹមថាអ្នកទាំងអស់គ្នានឹងរីករាយក្នុងការទស្សនានិងរំលឹកឡើងវិញនូវទិដ្ឋភាពទាំងនេះជាមួយយើង។

Happening now at Wat Domrei Sor. Free DNA testing for people looking for missing family. Come and talk to us.
03/10/2026

Happening now at Wat Domrei Sor. Free DNA testing for people looking for missing family. Come and talk to us.

Happening now at Wat Por Veal. Free DNA testing for people looking for missing family. Come and talk to us.
03/10/2026

Happening now at Wat Por Veal. Free DNA testing for people looking for missing family. Come and talk to us.

Happening now at Wat Sangke. Free DNA testing for people looking for missing family. Come and talk to us.
03/10/2026

Happening now at Wat Sangke. Free DNA testing for people looking for missing family. Come and talk to us.

If you are looking for a missing family member, come and talk to us today. We’ll be visiting pagodas around Battambang a...
03/10/2026

If you are looking for a missing family member, come and talk to us today. We’ll be visiting pagodas around Battambang area.

Stage rehearsal and meeting the heads of Phare Ponleu Selpak - Battambang.Here’s a sneak peak of the team’s preparation....
02/10/2026

Stage rehearsal and meeting the heads of Phare Ponleu Selpak - Battambang.

Here’s a sneak peak of the team’s preparation.

02/10/2026

Come and join us!

Doors open at 17:00 at Phare Ponleu Selpak - Battambang!

Swipe on to get a preview of how we're joining the party — BAD Band de Battambang, 2 October at Phare Ponleu Selpak - Ba...
01/10/2026

Swipe on to get a preview of how we're joining the party — BAD Band de Battambang, 2 October at Phare Ponleu Selpak - Battambang.

Can't wait! See you all tomorrow.
Doors open at 17:00.

We just want to take a moment to say how incredibly thankful we are for this amazing team of volunteers supporting our b...
30/09/2026

We just want to take a moment to say how incredibly thankful we are for this amazing team of volunteers supporting our big outreach weekend in Cambodia. From never-ending translations, to outreach videos, to sharing their time, skills, and expertise - we are truly grateful.

We’re so grateful to have you alongside us as we head to Battambang on 2–3 October. Come and see us, bring your questions, and share this with someone who may be searching for family.

Today at SeeBeyondBorders.Thank you to the team for your warm hospitality and for taking the time to share your work wit...
29/09/2026

Today at SeeBeyondBorders.

Thank you to the team for your warm hospitality and for taking the time to share your work with us. We really enjoyed learning more about what you do and exploring how we might collaborate in the future.

We’re grateful for the opportunity to connect and look forward to what may come next!

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