On June 6, 2006, Sambok Chap, a slum in Phnom Penh, was cleared by police. More than 1,200 families who had legal “rights” to their land were moved to an empty field 24km from the city center without jobs, clean water, a school, or any public services. That’s how Andong Village began. Today the people in Andong are still struggling to find a way, or just to keep roofs over their heads. A huge challenge is the lack of nearby jobs. The cost of commuting to the city is more than a laborer can earn in a day. Many families put their children to work; girls may be tempted into prostitution; and some become conditioned to handouts from organizations. One sign of hope is a local pastor with a non-profit who has worked hand in hand with villagers to build and repair hundreds of shanty homes and to start a school for the village children.

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