John Lalor

CHA (Cambodia Handicraft Association) provides life skills and handicraft training to women affected by polio, landmines injuries, deafness and mental trauma. CHA's aim is to boost members' self-esteem and bring meaning to their lives by providing them with a job, a home, new skills and a supportive sense of community. CHA is located in Phnom Phen, all the students come from poor rural areas.

Currently, CHA does not receive any state support, reflecting social attitudes where -by disabled people are often viewed as burdens on their families. CHA works to counteract this stigma, and is funded entirely through the sale of silk and cotton handicrafts produced in the trainee workroom.

Besides individual donations CHA survives on sales of their products - bags, scarves, toys or other gift items.

CHA was founded in 2000 and has survived on revenue from  the sale of their products and the generosity of individuals.  The cost of living is going up in Cambodia but like so many countries is a growing gap between the rich and the poor.  CHA struggles each year to keep pace with the increased costs of utilities, training materials and day to day essentials.

Donating will directly contribute to the longevity of CHA's work, which has so far aided 300 young women with disabilities to return to their communities with new skills and new hope.

Learn more about CHA at www.cha-cambodia.org