On one hand, Phnom Penh is developing at an incredible speed, with new roads and shopping malls being built all over the city. On the other hand, a large part of Cambodian population still lives under the poverty line, in villages with little resources and education. Disparities in wealth are blatant, the result of systemic problems affecting the country since the time of the Khmer Rouge. Il Nodo made it its mission to help the Cambodian people who have access to the fewest resources, and to give them a chance for a brighter future. We run several projects to support, educate and empower them.
- The Bottega dell'Arte. Silversmithing is a traditional Cambodian handicraft, practiced for generations in villages around Phnom Penh. Today, we are trying to preserve this art by teaching it to our motivated students. Every year, we recruit 10 young adult (18-25 y/o) from poor and vulnerable background, who have generally not received much formal education, to join our two-year, free social school of design in silversmith. By learning how to craft beautiful things with their own hands, they gain self-esteem and self confidence, but also an income generating skill, as they are guaranteed full time employment at the end of their training. The Bottage dell'Arte is Il Nodo's initial and signature project.
- Sponsorship Project
Thanks to generous donors, we are able to support 150 children and their families in 2 provinces. Every month, we check on the children’s education and health, and provide their families with rice, cooking ingredients and hygiene products. This project aims to improve school attendance and school work, and support villagers who would not been able to provide for their children’s education
- Clean Water Project,
We have been providing water filters as well as training on hygiene and health issues in several provinces around Cambodia. We go into villages where waterborne diseases are predominant, and follow families for two years. We have already worked in four provinces, and are currently training and monitoring families in Kampong Chhang and Kampong Cham. We have seen our families’ health improve greatly, as they start using our water filter and develop healthier and more careful habits around water.
- Children in Prison Project
Sadly, it is not unusual for parents who get sentences to prison in Cambodia to bring their children to live with them. The law only allows for children under the age of three to be in prison with their parents. However, prisons are not a place for a child of any age to be growing in. Il Nodo is working closely with the government to find alternative care options for the children in 12 Cambodian prisons, and delivers food, water and hygiene products to mothers with children and pregnant women in those prisons. Thanks to Il Nodo’s work, the number of children in Cambodian prisons was cut by half in the past two years. Thank you so much for your enduring support!
