Global Roots in Cambodia

Entering Cambodia and Rebuilding Hope (2008–2013)

In 2008, Global Roots entered Cambodia with a mission to create real change in a landscape dominated by “suitcase NGOs”—organizations that exploit images of children in need for fundraising but fail to deliver meaningful aid. To gain trust from both the government and local communities, we took immediate action by rebuilding a school destroyed by a hurricane, demonstrating our long-term commitment.

As we worked closely with Cambodian families, we uncovered a harrowing reality: many rice farmers, when faced with medical emergencies, were forced to borrow money from predatory loan sharks. When they couldn’t repay their debts, the consequences were devastating:

  • Families faced threats to their lives.
  • Children were trafficked as sex slaves in Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville.

In 2013, project managers Rick Montgomery and Patrick Firouzian led an in-depth investigation into the root cause of this crisis. Their findings revealed that many of these medical emergencies stemmed from waterborne diseases—illnesses that could have been prevented with access to clean drinking water.

To break this cycle, Global Roots provided 42 families with water filtration systems, leading to an 80% reduction in waterborne illnesses. With fewer families forced into debt, the risk of child trafficking was significantly reduced.

Building Sustainable Solutions: The Children’s Garden (2015)

With the success of the clean water initiative, we sought a long-term solution to strengthen families and protect children from trafficking. This led to the development of the Children’s Garden in Cambodia, modeled after similar initiatives by Global Roots in other regions.

Planned for early 2015, the Children’s Garden aimed to provide:

  • Nutritious food to improve children’s health.
  • Agricultural training for families to ensure food security.
  • Community engagement to foster self-reliance.

How the Children’s Garden Worked

A Global Roots representative collaborated with the schoolmaster to assess local needs, and a local review panel was established to oversee the project. A greenhouse was built, and a Master Gardener was hired to maintain it. Alongside the greenhouse, a chicken coop was constructed to provide fresh eggs for students. Local mothers played a vital role by cooking meals using garden produce, and the food was integrated into a school lunch program that dramatically improved child nutrition.

To measure the garden’s impact, we implemented an A/B testing methodology, tracking:

  • School attendance.
  • Academic performance.
  • Parental feedback.
  • Health check-ups.
  • Nutritional intake from the garden and chicken coop.

After six months, we analyzed the data, adjusted our approach, and shared the findings with donors, ensuring continuous improvement.

Expanding Innovation: The Floating Garden Project (2017)

As our work in Cambodia deepened, we encountered unique challenges in remote communities. One such challenge emerged in Moat Khlar, a floating village on Tonle Sap Lake, where families lived on water and relied almost entirely on fishing. With no land for traditional farming, fresh vegetables were scarce and expensive. Malnutrition was rampant, and families frequently fell into debt due to medical costs—creating a new cycle of vulnerability that led to child trafficking.

To address this, Global Roots partnered with The Lake Clinic (TLC) to launch the Floating Garden Initiative in 2017. This project introduced an innovative, sustainable farming solution tailored to the village’s unique conditions.

How Floating Gardens Worked

  • A bamboo frame was built to serve as a floating base.
  • Water hyacinths, an abundant free-floating plant, were used to fill the frame.
  • The hyacinths were compacted to accelerate decomposition, creating a soil-like structure in just three weeks.
  • Vegetables were grown and maintained just as they would be on land.

The project was community-driven—children, teachers, and village elders participated in constructing and maintaining the gardens, while TLC staff and schoolmasters provided ongoing farming and nutrition education. Some families even developed their own home-based floating gardens, proving that the model was scalable and sustainable.

Impact of Floating Gardens

By introducing year-round vegetable production, the Floating Garden Initiative:

  • Improved child nutrition, reducing malnutrition rates.
  • Decreased medical debt, eliminating the need for predatory loans.
  • Empowered families with self-sustaining food sources.

The Current Status & The Road Ahead

By December 2017, the first phase of the Floating Garden Project was completed, and families were ready to begin the planting and harvesting stage. However, due to funding limitations, the project was placed on hold.

  • Despite this setback, Global Roots remains committed to:
  • Breaking the cycle of poverty, malnutrition, and child trafficking.
  • Reviving and expanding the Floating Garden Initiative.
  • Scaling sustainable agricultural programs to support more communities.
  • Ensuring access to clean water to prevent illnesses.