Danish support to Cambodian flood victims

Life With Dignity (LWD), supported by Denmark, recently distributed more food, water purifiers and mosquito nets worth US$55,000 to 1,424 families affected by flood in Battambang and Kampong Chhnang provinces.

This is the second time that LWD pooled resources locally and internationally in order to help Cambodian flood victims.

The humanitarian aid was donated by the Royal Danish Embassy, Danida upon an appeal for emergency relief made by ACT Allinace’s members in Cambodia namely LWD, Church World Service (CWS), DanChurchAid/Christian Aid (DCA/CA) and FinnChurchAid (FCA), all of which formed ACT Cambodia Forum.

The aid, which was administered by LWD in cooperation with DCA/CA and under the strong support of the Provincial Committee for Disaster Management (PCDM), aimed to release sufferings of the flood-affected people.

As the aid was limited, families who were mostly affected by flood and received less donations to date were selected as the recipients. They included 743 families from 3 communes in Kampong Laeng and 2 communes in Chulkiri districts of Kampong Chhnang and 681 families from 3 communes of 3 districts of Thmarkoul, Ek Phnom, and Sangkae in Battambang.

Speaking at the distribution ceremony at Tapon commune of Sangkae district, Dr. Sam Inn, LWD Executive Director, expressed his sympathy for the flood victims and advised them to take care of their health during the flood, especially taking care of small children who are the most vulnerable.

"Despite losing houses, properties, and animals, please don’t lose hope. We have to overcome any difficulty caused by flood," he said.

"We will try our best to raise more funds in order to restore flood damage. We will cooperate with local authorities at all levels to explore top priorities in order to improve the livelihood of the affected people," he added.

Tom Barthel Hansen, Head of Representation of the Royal Danish Embassy, Danida, in Cambodia, said today’s donation was from the Danish government as well as the people of Denmark. “The huge part of today donation is the international solidarity of Denmark and Cambodia,” he said, adding that Cambodia faced a lot of poverty and political challenges, but Khmer people are strong to overcome these challenges.

He also deeply thanked LWD for channeling the donation of the Danish government to help the flood-affected people in Kampong Chhnang and Battambang.

H.E. Uy Ry, Battambang Deputy Governor, expressed his deep thanks to the Danish government for their generous support to help Cambodian flood victims. He also thanked LWD and DanChurchAid/CA for their efforts in managing the distributions.

At the distribution ceremony in Peam Chhkaok commune of Kampong Chhnang’s Chulkiri district, H.E Hy Nat, Kampong Chhnang Deputy Governor, deeply thanked and requested LWD to provide more emergency aid for the remaining victims and continue its support to recover the damaged rice farms.

Mr. Chhuon Vuthy, LWD Human Resource Manager, expressed his sincere thanks to the Royal Danish Embassy and the Danish people for their generous support to help the Cambodian flood victims in a timely manner. “Though the donation is small, this is the culture of sharing sufferings and helping each other,” he said.

Each family received a kit of 25kg of husked rice, 1 liter of cooking oil, 1kg of ionic salts, 400g of detergent, 1 set of 13-liter water purifier, 1 mosquito net for those who live in malaria-prone areas, and 1packet of Diarrhea Treatment (Orasel) for those who didn’t receive it before.

The floods hitting Cambodia since August have affected 1.2 million people, killed 247 people, and destroyed 230,000 hectares of paddy fields, according to National Committee for Disaster Management.