Women Development Association

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Building Peace, One Boy at a Time

“Cultivate a heart of love that knows no anger,” says a Cambodian proverb. Yet for boys and young men growing up in the vast slums surrounding the city of Phnom Penh, hardship and anger are familiar adversaries.

Cambodia is one of the world’s poorest nations. Its economy and political life are struggling to recover from a civil war that lasted two decades. Among the communities of rural migrants and refugees that populate Kandal Province, basic education and job opportunities are very limited. Garment factories around the capital offer some employment, but mostly only for girls and women. Boys and young men without schooling have few prospects. In their frustration, many turn to gang activity, fighting, substance abuse, gambling, crime, and gender violence.

Recognizing the interrelatedness of such social problems, a Cambodian women’s organization has stepped forward with creative solutions. Founded in 1994, Women Development Association (WDA) sponsors a variety of grassroots projects aimed at strengthening poor families. Projects include a preschool, reproductive health education, and women’s credit programs. But in recent years, WDA’s directors sensed that special work with vulnerable boys was increasingly needed.

To help design a plan for intervention, WDA conducted a survey of nine hundred families in fourteen area villages. The results were troubling. One third of the families reported problems with gambling, drinking, and theft involving local boys and young men. One-fourth reported domestic violence and other conflicts.

In response, WDA launched the Peace Building for Youth (PBY) project in 2004. With a grant from the Global Fund for Children, the effort targets boys and young men between the ages of thirteen and twenty eight in fifteen villages of Kandal Province.

The PBY project’s underlying assumption is that if boys understand the consequences of their actions — including those imposed by laws that punish violence, drugs, and crime — they are more likely to make constructive choices. Activities are simple but effective. Twice a month, WDA-trained peer educators hold group discussions to educate boys and young men about the civil code. Sessions cover basic legal issues, gender violence, divorce, drug abuse, HIV/AIDS prevention, and conflict resolution. WDA works closely with parents, village leaders, and local police to provide follow-up to the sessions. With modest resources, WDA created village libraries to provide continuity for the project.

With time, WDA hopes to expand its efforts to include job training and cultural activities. The goal is to provide the boys and young men of Kandal Province with healthy alternatives to negative behavior—and to replace anger with hope.

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