Day 10 in Cambodia

I have been in Cambodia now for 10 days and I am sad to be going home tomorrow. I have had an amazing time being immersed in this country and culture and I have learned so much. The country has been through a lot over the last many years of war, which has resulted in the level of poverty that now exists. There is no war now, but the results from years of fighting are still very evident. I was never allowed to walk anywhere away from the road while in the country, due to the many landmines left from the war.(7) Because the country has a history of war and unsettlement, the crime is still very evident. I was informed that it is very easy for criminals to gain control of major explosives and military weapons. I was also told to keep a very low profile while I was out and about due to the frequency of armed robberies aimed towards foreigners.(7) I felt uneasy in big public crowds because of this.

Along with the large amount of malnutrition I have seen, disease is also a major factor in the health of people in Cambodia. AIDS, malaria, hepatitis A and B, and typhoid fever are some of the common diseases.(7) I was also informed that tuberculosis is also fairly common and 70,000 people are infected every year.(8) I asked some locals about the health care system and it turns out there isn’t much. There are very few doctors, dentists, and general health professionals to care for the people of Cambodia. From what I’ve been told, you are pretty much out of luck and on your own when it comes to health services if you live in rural areas of Cambodia.(6)

The education system is another area that the country could improve. The teachers are generally under qualified and under paid to start with. Many of the students cannot continue with their education because they have to drop out to help support their family.(9) This is probably related to the fact that more than 50% of the population is under the age of 21. Older siblings are forced to drop out so that they can work and put food on the table. It is unfortunate to see this cycle continuing to repeat itself. Agriculture is the main source of income for 80% of the population.(7) I mentioned earlier the many rice fields I had seen, but other agriculture such as corn, vegetables, and cashews are very common as well.(4)

From what I have seen and what I have been told during my time here, Cambodia’s reason for such poverty is due to the past war. With the help of other countries, they have been making the effort to rebuild the country and make improvements. They have made progress but they still have a long way to go. I would love to come back in 20 years to see how much changed.


4.) World Food Programme. (2010). Cambodia. http://www.wfp.org/countries/cambodia


6.) Rural Poverty Portal, (2009). Rural Poverty in Cambodia.http://www.ruralpovertyportal.org/web/guest/country/home/tags/cambodia

7.) Travel.State.Gov. (2010). Cambodia, Country Specific Information.http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1080.html

8.) Cambodian Communities out of Crisis. World Health Organization estimate, July 20, 2005.http://www.cambcomm.org.uk/ff.html

9.) Holiday in Angkor Wat. (2010). Education in Cambodia. http://www.holiday-in-angkor-wat.com/education-in-cambodia.html