Development is occurring fast in Phnom Penh but the poor are often still marginalized. Owing to the poor socioeconomic conditions of rural villages, many poor families have migrated to Phnom Penh; 40% of the population are poor families and children. Poor families have a minimum standard of living, and often have a minimal allowance for non-food and consumption; many live in slum areas or on the street. Children don't complete secondary school or have never accessed education. Health services are weak owing to corruption and lack of budgetary expenditure. Delinquency and domestic violence are prevalent. Under these conditions, children can become victims of domestic violence, homelessness, and abuse. Children are abandoned or are orphaned. Street children often persuade other children to join them on the streets and to share their lifestyle. Their numbers, partly because of increasing numbers of orphaned children, are growing rapidly from day to day.

Our Home Reception Home, Sakarach I and Sakarach II currently (2006) cater to 82 children, boys and girls, from Boeung Tompun and Phnom Penh generally. Children come from backgrounds of domestic violence, abandonment, abuse, and homelessness, among others. Children are aged from five to 22. The homes provide shelter, healthcare, clothing, nutrition, and access to education, either at the Global Humanitaria/Our Home Primary School, or at public schools in the area. Children also are provided with counseling and with awareness raising training to help them become more adjusted and to be less at risk of abuse in the future. Our Home staff are fully trained to assist children to develop and provide them with opportunities for the future, in a caring, non-judgmental and understanding environment.

Education

The Global Humanitaria/Our Home Primary School provides general education, equipment and opportunities to the children of Our Home organization centers and to many of the children from poor families in the surrounding area (Boeung Tompun). This education includes supply of materials and uniforms, transportation , and use of the mobile library of similarly focused local and international NGOs. Special focus is given to skills in foreign languages, computers and art, as well as general education. Teachers are fully qualified, and work part time at the school and part time in the national education system. At the same time, understanding is given to the special needs of the children involved, and efforts are made to help children who have missed out on opportunities to catch up with their grades.

Vocational training

Our Home Reception Home, Sakarach I and Sakarach II also offer the opportunity to older children to become involved in vocational training. This is usually carried out with private companies, with whom Our Home has made special arrangements. Training is carried out to enable children to become electrical technicians, motorbike/car repairers, hairdresser/beauticians, computer programmers, shoemakers, animal raisers, crop planters, tailors, etc), as desired. In addition, Our Home has run a successful and sustainable salon project in the past, which trained children to become hairdressers and also to learn microbusiness skills. This project has now been taken over by the children and is running successfully as a business. Our Home aims to run another similar project in the coming months.