Daughters of Cambodia Cafe and Visitor's Center
Esta presentción ha sido seleccionada como finalista del desafío
Preventing Violence Against Women .
At present, there is no public space dedicated to awareness and education about sexual exploitation in Cambodia, there is little outreach and public information available. The Cafe will fuse valuable on-the-job training and vocational skills with information about a prevalent human rights abuse. The space will also provide a highly valuable opportunity to retail product made at the Daugthers' center; an increase in sales will allow the program to expand to include more 'clients'.
Sobre ti
Sección 1: Sobre ti
Nombre
Allie
Apellido
Hoffman
Correo electrónico
Organization
Pari
Country
Camboya
Sección 2: Sobre tu organización
Is this initiative/innovation linked to any established organization?
Sí
Nombre de la organización
Daughters of Cambodia
Sitio web de la organización
Teléfono de la organización
+ 855 (0)12 576 852
Dirección de la organización
PO Box 1219, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
País de la organización
Camboya
Tu organización es
CSO/NGO
How long has this organization been operating?
1-5 years
tu idea
Name Your Project
Daughters of Cambodia Cafe and Visitor's Center
¿En qué fase está el proyecto?
Fase de idea
When was the project initiated? or When are you planning to begin?
The mission of Daughters Cambodia is to eradicate enslavement in sexual exploitation by offering employment opportunities, and a wide range of social and psychological services to former sex workers. The long-term goal of the organization is to ensure that all women who participate in Daughters’ programs will remain out of the sex industry for the rest of their lives, supporting themselves instead through self-directed and rewarding work.
Always looking for new, innovative ways to provide job opportunities to women who want to leave sex work, Daughters now looks to expand its fair trade business schemes by opening a centrally located Cafe and Visitors Center in downtown Phnom Penh. The center will serve breakfast, lunch and coffee, in addition to providing space to sell the home wares and clothing produced at the Daughters' center. The center will provide job opportunities to up to 15 trained 'clients' from the Daughters program. The space will also act as an information center, designed to educate the general public about the sex industry and the prevalence of sexual exploitation in Cambodia.
Describe your idea and explain why it is innovative
At present, there is no public space dedicated to awareness and education about sexual exploitation in Cambodia, there is little outreach and public information available. The Cafe will fuse valuable on-the-job training and vocational skills with information about a prevalent human rights abuse. The space will also provide a highly valuable opportunity to retail product made at the Daugthers' center; an increase in sales will allow the program to expand to include more 'clients'.
What kind of beneficiaries is your initiative addressed to?
Women, Girls, Society in general.
Describe the profile of the beneficiaries of this project
The primary beneficiaries will be the 15 'clients' (former sex workers) who will be gainfully employed by the Cafe, plus the projected 5000 visitors a year to the cafe. Secondary beneficiaries will be clients' families, estimated at approximately 70 people (taking into account average family size is 4.7).
What is your initiative’s implementation strategy?
Space has already been secured in Phnom Penh for the Cafe. Training has commenced; clients are working in the kitchen at Daughters' center to create the baked goods and menu items that the cafe will sell. A Cafe Manager has just been hired; their initial tasks will include outfitting the interior, and creating a look/feel for the marketing.
Funding for the required materials, equipment and supplies is still needed before the Cafe is ready to open.
In your opinion, what are the main barriers or obstacles in connection with this theme?
Obstacles include the risk that Daughters' clients will return to sex work if their new salary is not sufficient to support their families. Other obstacles include slow sales due to the economic downturn and a reduction in tourist activity to Cambodia.
What type of partnerships you have or intend to generate strategic alliances with for the development of this initiative? Choose all that apply
International organizations, Non-Government organizations, Private companies, Social organizations.
Describe with whom you have generated these alliances and how
Daughters works with organizations such as Samaritan's Purse, TraidCraft, and Khmer Creations to develop its Fair Trade Business Schemes, which currently employ over 60 women full-time. Daughters' works with volunteer organizations such as ABV and Outreach International to place long-term volunteers.
What are the main results generated and/or expected to generate by means of this initiative?
The main results are the provision of highly valuable, empowering job opportunities to former sex workers, plus the dissemination of information about exploitation of women and the nature of sex work in Cambodia.
What is the main impact that your initiative might generate?
The Cafe and Visitors' Center will open dialogue about exploitation of Khmer women, the many dimensions of sex work, and serve to educate both foreigners and locals about the women who engage in this kind of work. The sharing of information will give a 'human face' to an issue that is widely reported on, but often misunderstood.
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Comentarios
I worked with Daughters in Cambodia along with a team of 5 women from my University in 2008. We were blessed beyond imagination to work with this organization. They truly are making a tangible difference in the lives of victims of human trafficking! I am SO excited to see them nominated for this competition - they deserve it!
but I don't see a vote button. But I echo the comments and the need for this....They do incredible work. I read a study in which 90% of girls who did not recieve care and job training--the type of holistic care that Daugthers does--ended up back in the streets.
What the new Shop means to the girls and young women of Daughters:
Note: Daughters clients are girls/young women who have voluntarily left the sex industry. The current age range at the center is 15 to 27, and the majority of clients are Cambodian. Typically they are uneducated and come from poor and dysfunctional families who live off their earnings. Sex workers are often stigmatized in their local community and have minimal chance of getting married or finding another job due to the stigma attached to sex work. The young women who have given testimony below have been given false names; Daughters takes the privacy and safely of our clients very seriously.
Noun, Age 27, 1 son of 7 years
Noun has been at Daughters for 3 months now. When she first came to the center she didn’t know about the Shop, but soon began to hear about it from the staff. Once Noun found out more information about the Shop, she decided that it would be a safe place for her to work. To prepare for her new job, Noun started taking some workshops offered at the Daughters center. She has entered into the English program and is learning how to package homemade soap. At Daughters, Noun works in the Sewing Program; she makes coasters, cushions, bags, and placemats. Noun says that all of the Sewn products and the soap will be sold in the Daughters shop.
Noun is happy that she has a chance to work in the Shop; she is excited and looks forward to the opening. What Noun likes best about Daughters is the variety of work and programs. Noun feels that the type of work Daughters offers is good for her. In the past, she felt rejected by society and didn’t value herself. Now she has many good friends at Daughters and she is happy, she doesn’t feel looked down upon any longer. Noun feels freedom for the first time in her life; she feels that she has been given a new beginning.
In the next four years Noun plans to open a shop of her own selling clothes. This is her plan for the future and she wants to save money towards this goal. Noun thinks that working at the Daughters Shop will teach her new skills and help her prepare for her future plan.
Sopheap, Age 26, no children
Sopheap has been at Daughters for 2 years, and she has heard many things about the new Shop. She heard that the Shop will contain a café, and will have space to exhibit photographs and sell the products made at Daughters. Before, Sopheap did not know how to work in a Shop, but she has been taking different workshops at Daughters to prepare. Sopheap is learning English language and conversation, how to answer the phone and talk to foreigners, how to serve customers, and how to cook. Sopheap not only has been learning these new skills, but she and other Daughters clients have been practicing. After the girls take workshops and learn in the center, they go out together into the city to observe different shops and cafes. Sopheap says that she and the other girls see how these businesses are run and try to learn from other people’s mistakes.
Sopheap has learned many new skills to prepare her for work in the Shop. She has learned to cook many different types of foods, like soup and French fries, and how to makes salads and drinks. Sopheap has even been learning how to make desserts like Brownies.
When Sopheap first heard about the Daughters Shop, she felt very excited and wanted to go and work there right away. Sopheap feels that this will be a very good opportunity for her, though she is nervous about making mistakes.
Sopheap works at Daughters making lace and sewing, and also baking cakes. Some of these products will be sold at the new Daughters Shop. Sopheap says she does not really like sewing that much, but she does like baking and she loves to take pictures. The photography workshop is her favorite program at Daughters.
Sopheap feels that her life has changed 90% since she started working at Daughters. In the past, she did not have any skills and she never expected to be able to take a photo or learn to cook foreign food. In the past, Sopheap did not want other people to see her because she felt she had no value; she wanted to hide her face all the time. Now Sopheap feels strong enough to interact with other people, she has learned many skills and she feels very hopeful for the future.
In the future, Sopheap hopes to be able to take photos with great skill, and she wants to become a good chef and work in a famous restaurant. She is excited for her new job at the Daughters Shop because it will give her the opportunity to meet new people and develop her skills.
Hi, my name is Susan, and I have entered this competition as well. While I feel called to what I am doing, your entry is the next closest to my heart. I've already made contact with Pari via email.
The reason I love what you're doing is I believe it's practical, and could be done all over the world. Sitting in cafe's will never go away, even with the downturn of the economy in Cambodia. Perhaps different social business could sponsor one week out of the year for FREE coffee, to draw more customers in. Where they can get that all important education.
I hope we can further talks together. I want to see the "OPEN" sign in your 1st cafe. Regardless of win or lose, I would like to be a part of helping with funds to purchase future needed cafe items.
I was thankful for the comment that shared the stories of 2 gals involved in daughters. Beautiful stories of hope!
I love all the jewelry making (for instance) by former, now freed slaves. But once I have one, I have one. But tomorrow, I shall drink more coffee!
Susan
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