Padek-CHF

CHF, a Canadian NGO with more than 40 years of experience in international development, has entered into a partnership agreement with PADEK (Partnership for Development in Kampochea) for the purpose of working together on a Sustainable Livelihoods Project. The project, funded through grant assistance from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), is aimed at targeted poor in rural communities move towards attaining sustainable livelihoods.

The Livelihoods Approach to Food Security, Environmental Protection and Governance project will make it possible for poor rural farmers, particularly women and marginalized households, to access appropriate farming technologies, quality seed, affordable credit through community savings groups, irrigation, and other income generation opportunities (sewing, basket weaving, cooking, hair dressing, motor cycle repair). The project will also support diversification of farming practices to include animal rearing, vegetable and fruit gardening and other non-farm income generating activities. Another important component of the project will focus on establishing, mobilizing and building the capacity of community based organizations and local government structures. The project will concentrate its work in three communes within Aoral district directly benefiting 1,500 men and 2,000 women.

The project will use a hybrid approach, based on CHF’s asset-based Sustainable Livelihood Approach (SLA) and Padek’s Integrated Community Development (ICD) model, in order to effectively target and support poor households within Aoral district. During the month of February 2010 a project design workshop was conducted in Phnom Penh with the participation of Padek CHF staff and local community facilitators to exchange experiences and best practices around development approaches. This collaborative workshop resulted in the creation of a project methodology that draws upon CHF’s experience in Asia and Padek’s extensive community-based programming in Cambodia and includes tried and tested strategies that will ensure the project responds to the particular needs and challenges of the rural poor.