In light of the current crisis taking place in Cambodia and around the globe regarding the COVID-19 virus, we want to update you about the local issues, Chab Dai’s staff, and our response.
This page will be updated as the situation develops and we take steps to respond.
Last updated: May 2, 2020
General Information
WHAT is going on in Cambodia?
Cases of coronavirus have been reported across Cambodia. In response, the Royal Cambodian Government has put into place travels bans on many affected countries. They have also closed all schools and kindergartens, discouraged large social gatherings, and canceled many highly attended events in effort to slow the spread.
WHO is affected?
In addition to those impacted by the virus itself, these measures are affecting everyone living in Cambodia. Due to mandates for school closures and a lack of childcare options, families are some of the most affected, including our staff, of whom many have young families.
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Our project response to COVID-19
May 2
April 21
How we are responding to this situation as it unfolds and changes:
We are continually evaluating every team’s activities and identifying which need to be urgently changed to serve survivors and those at risk.
New activity responses so far: organising cash payments to vulnerable clients, identifying who, within our extensive partnerships, can assist with community based work (such as local authorities), as well as reviewing how to integrate messaging around the Covid-19 virus and its impact on increasing vulnerability factors.
We are up-skilling our staff in relevant areas such as telephone counselling and how to develop online trainings and meetings.
We are looking for and requesting unrestricted funds to ensure staff, stakeholders and our beneficiaries can be protected and supported as much as possible under these crisis conditions.
Our Global Learning Community team recently brought together 30 NGOs from around the world to share and speak about their current key challenges and responses to the Covid crisis. Organisations from the Caribbean, India, Thailand, Hong Kong, Philippines, Uganda, and Europe presented, networked, and shared resources.
March 31
Each of our active projects on the ground in Cambodia are tracking and assessing all of their project activities. They will begin to identify activities that can be continued as normal, ones that need to be changed or postponed, and ones that must be cancelled until the COVID-19 situation has abated.
Once this assessment has been completed, our teams will be able to shift their focus from activities that can not be carried out to how they can help with humanitarian efforts in Cambodia to address COVID-19 as it intersects with modern slavery.
March 18
Chab Dai has decided to enact a work-from-home policy in the wake of these events. Our teams will only be traveling out to the provinces in order to deliver critical services to survivors and communities.
The health and safety of our staff and all people in Cambodia is our highest priority, so we continue to follow advice set forth by medical experts in the field and government during this crisis.