The Reception Centre opened in Poipet in 2001, as part of the Return and Reintegration of children trafficked to Thailand-Project (supported by IOM), The centre focuses on repatriating Cambodian children from Thailand. The reception center offers effective and sustainable remedies for victims of human trafficking, with an emphasis on assistance delivery by grassroots organizations; including, but not limited to, housing, food, legal aid, access to justice, psycho-social support, medical care, training and sustainable livelihoods. Since January 2017 RC welcome new children 12 and in average we able to load 35 children.
Transitional Care center
DT’s recovery shelters are designed primarily for children and youth that were victims of trafficking to Thailand, victims of child labour, or to children living on in the streets. These centres welcome children for between 6 and 12 months, and emphasis is put on counselling, trauma rehabilitation and family tracing. Our longer-term shelters offer the possibility for the children to re-build their lives and access education. Each placement within a shelter is carefully considered; DT believes institutionalisation must come as last resort, and only if it is in the best interest of the child.
Find us on field work
Learn more about how DT’s poipet work to assist vulnerable children
2017 Damnok Toek was awarded by Child 10 Organization in Switzerland
2018 Damnok Toek was awarded by Prix Caritas.
Read More about Prix Caritas
Prix Caritas goes to Cambodia
The Prix Caritas 2018 was presented in Lucerne to the Cambodian doctor Sovannarith Sam. Yves Serra, CEO and President of Georg Fischer, paid tribute to the award winner’s commitment. He has been actively engaged in promoting child protection and children’s rights in Cambodia for decades. At the core of his efforts are disadvantaged children who have become victims of enslavement, human trafficking and prostitution.
Yves Serra, CEO of Georg Fischer, Sovannarith Sam and Hugo Fasel, director of Caritas Switzerland. Photo: Priska Ketterer
Sovannarith Sam is the executive director of the child protection organisation ‘Damnok Toek’. It takes care of around 3,500 marginalised children each year in the cities of Phnom Penh, Poipet and Neak Loeung. In Poipet, on the border with Thailand, Sovannarith Sam runs various drop-in centres in which approximately 750 children, who live and work on the street, find refuge. They keep themselves and their families afloat – by carrying heavy loads, collecting waste, as beggars or, in the worst case, as child prostitutes. In the drop-in centres, the children can recover from the strains of their work. They are given a hot meal and can have a shower.
‘Damnok Toek’ also offers these children a basic education. Wherever possible, they are prepared for admission to a mainstream state school. In cooperation with public authorities and private business, the aid organisation also enables the boys and girls to gain a vocational qualification and helps them to get apprenticeships, work placements or jobs.
Yves Serra, CEO and President of Georg Fischer as well as President of the ‘Clean Water’ Foundation, praised the award winner’s commitment as pioneering: ‘Sovannarith Sam is always guided by a threefold perspective. By giving children and young people a roof over their head in the drop-in centres, he is providing life-saving protection. But he doesn’t stop at that. Through education and training, he endeavours to reintegrate the children into society and to give them a future. And lastly, by raising awareness, he wants to prevent children from being deprived of rights and protection.’
Human beings with an inviolable dignity
According to Yves Serra, the commitment of the Cambodian doctor is shaped by his conviction that first and foremost, children are human beings with an inviolable dignity and with fundamental rights. The award of the Prix Caritas 2018 is intended to encourage him to continue his commitment to child protection and children’s rights.
The Prix Caritas is awarded each year to persons who distinguish themselves by their great professional expertise and humanity, as well as their long-term and innovative engagement. The prize money of CHF 10,000 goes to one of the award winner’s projects.
Their smiling is our commitment in mission to assist them.
Alternative Care
Reception centre
The Reception Centre opened in Poipet in 2001, as part of the Return and Reintegration of children trafficked to Thailand-Project (supported by IOM), The centre focuses on repatriating Cambodian children from Thailand. The reception center offers effective and sustainable remedies for victims of human trafficking, with an emphasis on assistance delivery by grassroots organizations; including, but not limited to, housing, food, legal aid, access to justice, psycho-social support, medical care, training and sustainable livelihoods. Since January 2017 RC welcome new children 12 and in average we able to load 35 children.
Transitional Care center
DT’s recovery shelters are designed primarily for children and youth that were victims of trafficking to Thailand, victims of child labour, or to children living on in the streets. These centres welcome children for between 6 and 12 months, and emphasis is put on counselling, trauma rehabilitation and family tracing. Our longer-term shelters offer the possibility for the children to re-build their lives and access education. Each placement within a shelter is carefully considered; DT believes institutionalisation must come as last resort, and only if it is in the best interest of the child.
Find us on field work
Learn more about how DT’s poipet work to assist vulnerable children
2017 Damnok Toek was awarded by Child 10 Organization in Switzerland
2018 Damnok Toek was awarded by Prix Caritas.
Read More about Prix Caritas
Prix Caritas goes to Cambodia
The Prix Caritas 2018 was presented in Lucerne to the Cambodian doctor Sovannarith Sam. Yves Serra, CEO and President of Georg Fischer, paid tribute to the award winner’s commitment. He has been actively engaged in promoting child protection and children’s rights in Cambodia for decades. At the core of his efforts are disadvantaged children who have become victims of enslavement, human trafficking and prostitution.
Sovannarith Sam is the executive director of the child protection organisation ‘Damnok Toek’. It takes care of around 3,500 marginalised children each year in the cities of Phnom Penh, Poipet and Neak Loeung. In Poipet, on the border with Thailand, Sovannarith Sam runs various drop-in centres in which approximately 750 children, who live and work on the street, find refuge. They keep themselves and their families afloat – by carrying heavy loads, collecting waste, as beggars or, in the worst case, as child prostitutes. In the drop-in centres, the children can recover from the strains of their work. They are given a hot meal and can have a shower.
‘Damnok Toek’ also offers these children a basic education. Wherever possible, they are prepared for admission to a mainstream state school. In cooperation with public authorities and private business, the aid organisation also enables the boys and girls to gain a vocational qualification and helps them to get apprenticeships, work placements or jobs.
Yves Serra, CEO and President of Georg Fischer as well as President of the ‘Clean Water’ Foundation, praised the award winner’s commitment as pioneering: ‘Sovannarith Sam is always guided by a threefold perspective. By giving children and young people a roof over their head in the drop-in centres, he is providing life-saving protection. But he doesn’t stop at that. Through education and training, he endeavours to reintegrate the children into society and to give them a future. And lastly, by raising awareness, he wants to prevent children from being deprived of rights and protection.’
Human beings with an inviolable dignity
According to Yves Serra, the commitment of the Cambodian doctor is shaped by his conviction that first and foremost, children are human beings with an inviolable dignity and with fundamental rights. The award of the Prix Caritas 2018 is intended to encourage him to continue his commitment to child protection and children’s rights.
The Prix Caritas is awarded each year to persons who distinguish themselves by their great professional expertise and humanity, as well as their long-term and innovative engagement. The prize money of CHF 10,000 goes to one of the award winner’s projects.
Their smiling is our commitment in mission to assist them.
Beneficiaries speeches