What's it for?

MaD – Making a Difference for Good! is a community based non profit organization registered in Australia, Cambodia & the USA.  They work with isolated and impoverished rural communities in Reul Commune of Siem Reap Province, Cambodia.

Why does Cambodia need help?

According to the World Bank, 75% of the World’s Poor live in rural areas. This is no less true of Cambodia than it is in other developing countries. To cite one statistic of many, the average earnings per worker are five times lower in rural areas than they are in the towns and cities (UNDP 2007).

In rural areas, malnutrition, dehydration, poor hygiene, lack of sanitation, in-efficient agricultural techniques, environmental degradation, low levels of education and vocational training, inadequate healthcare provision, tropical infectious diseases, limited access to credit/insurance and non-existent welfare provision for orphans, widows, homeless and disabled people is common place.

With such a huge array of obstacles impeding their human development, the rural poor are trapped in a vicious cycle of poverty the likes of which most of us in the West cannot even begin to comprehend.

How does MaD help?

MaD focus their work on two main programme areas:

Rural Communtiy Development. Working in partnership with impoverished rural communities, the primary aim of this programme is to empower individuals, families and villages with the knowledge and resources they need to build themselves a sustainable future free from poverty.  We currently have the capacity to help give villagers access to clean water, hygienic sanitation facilities, decent standard of housing and assistance in sustainable agriculture.

Children’s Welfare. Working with schools, children’s centres and pupils to identify how they can best help improve the welfare of children and young people in the local area.  At present, MaD has the capacity to assist the community in healthcare and hygiene, English language tuition and childcare. 

The MaD Tuk Tuk Challenge was the brainchild of a former MaD volunteer (thanks Rob, UK!).  The whole point behind the Challenge is to raise money for MaD’s charitable work in Cambodia.

How will money raised from the MaD Tuk Tuk Challenge help?

The main programme MaD is seeking funding for is the Rural Community Development Programme.  With the help of teams and their sponsors, we hope to help raise valuable funds to help MaD to help the rural communities they serve.  Here are some examples of what money raised from the Challenge could pay for:

$36 / £24 pays for a Water Pump to be Repaired

There are hundreds of broken water pumps across our community – most only a few spare parts and thirty minutes of a mechanics time away from providing fresh water.

$45 / £30 pays for a Bio Sand Water Filter

Manufactured by a local charity, these filters remove 99% of harmful bacteria and viruses, making drinking water considerably safer.

$100 / £65 pays for 50 – 100 food crops to be transplanted to rural households

Malnutrition and food insecurity remain to be huge issues in rural parts of Cambodia. MaD helps this by transplanting highly nutritious crops such as Moringa Oleifera trees or amaranth grain to rural households and gives them assistance in cultivating them so that they can provide them with nutritious food for life.

$280 / £190 pays for a UNICEF Water Pump

One of these UNICEF approved pumps can provide several households with access to safe and clean water.

$480 / £320 pays for a Compost Ablution Block

According to the BBC, "...diarrhoea caused by poor sanitation is killing many more children than HIV/Aids, tuberculosis and malaria combined.”  This toilet / shower block provides a hygienic way to dispose of human waste, and convert it into valuable fertiliser to improve agricultural productivity.

$2,000 / £1,350 pays for a New House for a Family

Many of the poorest families in the community lack access to even the most basic standard of housing.  A new house provided to the right family can be the difference between life and death to those households who have no means to provide for themselves.

$13,500 / £9,000 pays for a 3,500 Tonne Flat Bed Dumper Truck

At present we have to rent expensive vehicles in order to have materials delivered, and usually they are huge trucks - too big to navigate the dirt roads.  A small dumper truck would permanently cut our running costs and allow us to deliver materials closer to the work site.

$18,000 / £12,000 pays for a Four Wheel Drive Tractor

Roads can become impassable during the monsoon season.  This versatile vehicle will help us and the community in many ways – moving materials over rough and muddy terrain, agricultural work, clearing fallen trees from paths and repairing roads.

So friends, family members, work colleagues and random visitors – please do sponsor one or all of the MaD Tuk Tuk Challenge teams.  It is for a good cause!

For more information about MaD, or to ask any questions visit MaD Cambodia or email info ‘at’ madcambodia.org (remember to replace the ‘at’ with ‘@’ first).