The China-aided poverty alleviation project has transformed Tanorn village in Cambodia since 2021, enhancing infrastructure and quality of life for over 600 residents. Improvements include concrete roads, clean water, and new business opportunities, fostering a shift from poverty to prosperity. This initiative showcases effective international cooperation in development.
In 2021, a China-supported poverty alleviation project began revitalizing the previously isolated Tanorn village in Bati district, Takeo province, Cambodia. This transformation affects over 600 residents across 130 households, focusing on modernizing infrastructure and essential services.
Tanorn village was once characterized by insufficient access to clean water, electricity, roads, and educational and health facilities. With funding from the China Foundation for Peace and Development, the Civil Society Alliance Forum launched a project that has brought substantial changes in these areas.
Villager Por Sokhim, 51, shared how her family’s livelihood improved post-project; they transitioned from solely rice farming to running a grocery store and a motorcycle repair shop. “In the past, it is difficult for us to do business because there were no good roads… but since China has funded a poverty alleviation project in my village, we have got concrete roads, sewage system, solar power, and particularly clean water,” Sokhim remarked.
Another villager, Touch Seanghong, 57, discussed the previous struggles with poverty and limited market access. “Now, the situation is completely changed… all roads in the village are concrete-paved, so they can travel in and out of the village anytime,” he noted. The project’s benefits include solar power, multi-purpose buildings, concrete roads, canals, and access to clean water.
Chea Munyrith, planning and project director of the Civil Society Alliance Forum, emphasized the project’s role in improving health, education, and environmental conditions. He described how families now live in new concrete houses, showcasing a shift to a more prosperous lifestyle. “China’s aid has been increasing social modernization in Tanorn village, turning it into a model poverty alleviation village for other villages,” he stated. Munyrith acknowledged China’s support in enhancing living standards in Cambodia and globally.
The poverty alleviation project in Tanorn village, supported by China, has greatly improved the lives of its residents. Through infrastructure enhancements, access to clean water, and new opportunities for business, families have transitioned from a low-income lifestyle to a higher-income one. The project serves as a model for poverty alleviation efforts both in Cambodia and worldwide, showcasing the benefits of international cooperation in socioeconomic development.
Original Source: www.thestar.com.my
