Jesuit Mission Australia is collecting Christmas donations to assist poor Cambodian families to start a chicken farm to overcome poverty and hunger. (Photo: Jesuit Mission Australia)
A Jesuit-run charity in Australia has started a Christmas fundraiser to assist vulnerable families in Cambodia who are struggling amid poverty and hunger.
The Jesuit Mission Australia urged Catholics to shun traditional gifts this Christmas and instead support the Gifts for Change Program to provide a family in Cambodia with everything they need to start a chicken farm, to give them access to sustainable food and income.
“The chicken farm is a gift for tomorrow. Your support can empower women, men, and children to live sustainably and ensure that food is on the table going forward,” Helen Forde, CEO of Jesuit Mission Australia, said in a press release on Dec. 13.
The chicken farm is one part of a community development program to assist farmers in remote areas to gain knowledge and skills.
Run by Jesuit Mission Australia’s project partner in Cambodia, Karuna Battambang Organisation (KBO), the knowledge and skills are passed on to develop sustainable agriculture techniques that enhance the livelihoods of farmers and resilience to climate change.
This year 480 farmers from 18 different remote villages have received support from this project.
With 73 percent of Cambodia’s population living in remote areas, enhancing the agricultural skills of farmers is vital to prevent hunger and reduce the constraints of living in poverty.
The latest data from the World Bank shows about 17.8 percent of Cambodia’s estimated 17 million people live below the poverty line. The Covid-19 pandemic and an economic meltdown pushed about 460,000 people into poverty since 2019.
Cambodia was ranked 75th out of a total of 121 countries in the 2022 Global Hunger Index. With a score of 17.1, the country has a ‘moderate’ level of hunger.
Helen Forde said that US$70 support can empower rural families to build their own chicken farms, and live a sustainable lifestyle.
The donors will get an instant e-card to share with their loved ones this Christmas.
In addition to supporting families with chicken farms in Cambodia, Jesuit Mission Australia’s Gifts for Change Program includes many other projects that empower vulnerable people across 14 countries with the gift of nourishment, independence, and education, the release said.
Jesuit Mission Australia, an international development organization of the Australian Jesuit Province, operates in over 14 countries across Asia and Africa to uphold the innate dignity of people living with the effects of poverty, especially the most marginalized and vulnerable.
The charity funds various projects to break cycles of poverty through teaching and education, to protect the health of communities by providing medical care and programs that improve access to clean water and toilets, and develop independent, sustainable communities through livelihood training and income-generating projects.
It also offers vulnerable individuals with pastoral care, social inclusion, and advocacy; supports refugees in crisis, and enables effective disaster response and relief.
