VCAO (Vulnerable Children Assistance Organization) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization established on June 27, 1994. This organization was created by a group of post-Khmer Rouge orphans out of their own concern for other younger children left abandoned and homeless to fence for themselves. These children are often neglected by society, with on one they can turn to for help. Due to extreme poverty, they are at risk for labor exploitation and child sex trafficking. Some children are forced into prostitution for their survival. This puts them at great risk for HIV/AIDS. Two decades of war have created multiple generations of orphans, who receive little or no education. It is in every child’s right to enjoy the comfort of a home and family, but the reality for Cambodian children is often harsh, full of struggles for survival. They have to work in extreme hardship in places that make them vulnerable to diseases, malnutrition and even death. For example, thousands of children work at municipal dumpsites in Phnom Penh and in other cities in the country. Some get run over by garbage truck or get buried in the heap as they fight for recyclables. This is why members of VCAO, who are themselves orphans, work with great determination to become big brothers and sisters to these children by providing them with education, love and emotional support.
The VCAO aims to ensure all children live with care and development, in a secure and safe environment, without violence, sexual abuse, trafficking, and exploitation.
