Between 1975 and 1979, the Khmer Rouge devastated Cambodian society. The Khmer Rouge, the name given to the followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, was a totalitarian government that implemented a brutal form of social order. In order to implement the policy of agrarian communism, the entire population was deported to the countryside and forced to work on collective farms. This insistance on agrarian reform and absolute self-sufficiency in every industry, even when it came to healthcare and medical supplies, resulted in widespread famine and deaths from curable diseases. Children were separated from parents thought to be ‘tainted by capitalism’. Anyone thought to be involved with capitalism or other subversive elements was brutally eliminated. About 1.5 million Cambodians are estimated to have died in waves of murder, rape, torture and starvation, aimed particularly at the educated and intellectual elite.

In the aftermath of the Khmer Rouge, Cambodians experienced civil war, internal displacement and economic devastation.  Currently, Cambodia has the highest rate of HIV in Asia and the majority of the population lives on less that $1 a day.

The Salvation Centre of Cambodia has been instrumental in creating real change in the lives of Cambodia’s most marginalized people. The HIV-positive, health-compromised, impoverished, rural-based women at Salvation Centre would otherwise be forced to work as farmhands or construction workers for very low-wages. SCC, with support from the Face-to-Face AIDS Project, provides these women with an alternative income generation program involving sewing, fruit farming and the craft of jewelry and decorative eggs. The Salvation Centre of Cambodia has provided the women of SCC with the healthcare they need, while giving them the opportunity to better their lives while working and learning beside others who relate to their struggle.

Varnished eggs and varnished bead jewelry are constructed in an intricate and time-intensive process. The crafting process for the varnished eggs begins with carefully cutting open, cleaning and gluing the eggs back together again. For the jewelry, a wooden bead is used as the base. The duck eggs and wooden beads are then covered with locally sourced fabrics and coated in up to 10 layers of varnish. They are then covered in various dilutions and sanded repeatedly. Lastly, a final layer of special varnish is applied to give the pieces their signature shine.

Region: Southeast Asia

Capital: Phnom Penh

Population: 14,753,320 (2010)

Size: Slightly smaller than Oklahoma

Languages: Khmer (official), French, English

Major religion(s): Buddhist (96.4%), Muslim, other

Literacy rate: Total 73.6%; Men 84.7%; Women 64.1%

Poverty rate: 31% of the population lives below the poverty line

Human trafficking: An estimated 20.2% of 20,829 sex workers are trafficking victims (2003)

Landmine victims: 1 amputee for every 290 people

Did You Know: Cambodia is the only country in the world that depicts a building on its flag: Angkor Wat. One of the oldest and largest surviving religious complexes in the world, Angkor Wat was built by King Suryavarman II in the 12th century! The name is derived from Sanskrit (“angkor” comes from the word for city, and “wat” comes from the word for temple).

All statistics from CIA World Factbook 2010

Its rich culture has made Cambodia a popular tourist destination; art, religion, and architecture thrived under first Hindu Funan, and later, Angkor rule, and this heritage today attracts visitors in droves. Cambodia was colonized by the French in the 19th century and obtained independence following World War II. It endured years of conflict both domestically and internationally with neighboring Vietnam; indeed, Vietnam occupied Cambodia from 1979 to 1989. In 1993, Cambodia finally re-attained self-governance through the establishment of a constitutional monarchy. However, the nation is still recovering from a dark history of war and genocide.

The Khmer Rouge Regime

From 1975 to 1979, Cambodians suffered under the Communist Khmer Rouge regime led by Pol Pot. Under his control, years of development were undone as Cambodia was turned into an agricultural society. Those with high levels of education or religious belief, associations with the former government, or different ethnicities were labeled "enemies of the state" and executed in what are now known as the "killing fields." The postal service, currency, hospitals, telephones, books, music, and art were banned or destroyed. In 1979, the Vietnamese invasion ousted the Khmer Rouge, but not before 2 million people were murdered and the country's infrastructure ruined. Cambodia has only just begun to recover from the devastation caused by the Khmer Rouge; many continue to fall victim to hidden landmines left over from the war.

Rural Poverty and Urbanization

Today, Cambodia is more stable politically, but still faces a number of challenges in its transition to democracy. Migration from rural areas to the cities is becoming a problem for the country, as in much of the developing world. Droughts, decreasing natural resources, and the rise of large business-style farms are making it very difficult for small subsistence farmers, who make up 85% of the population, to support themselves. As a result, many move to the cities in search of jobs. The large numbers of poor migrants creates slums, where violence, drugs, and the sex industry thrive. Human trafficking is a major issue; women and children are often either kidnapped or sold by their impoverished families out of desperation. To address the large-scale migration and its associated problems, rural poverty must be addressed at its source by creating strong and sustainable local economies in rural areas.

Labor Practices

Many migrants to cities find work in one of Phnom Penh's factories, producing exports for the U.S. garment industry. Previously, labor practices and sweatshops in the factory areas of Phnom Penh were major concerns. Women and children laboring in factories endured poor working conditions and low wages. In 2001, the International Labor Organization (ILO) created the "Better Factories Cambodia" program to ensure that all garment export industries follow labor standards and grant rights to workers. A 2005 World Bank study gave Cambodia good marks for its labor environment, higher than for any other Asian country. Although it still has a long way to go, Cambodia's people are taking great strides to rebuild their country.