we believe that there is hope, even amidst the darkness of human trafficking in Cambodia.

We believe that there is hope, even amidst the darkness of human trafficking in Cambodia.

Over 261,000 Cambodians are living in modern-day slavery.

Genocide and civil war left countless Cambodian families traumatized, living in extreme poverty, desperate for income and vulnerable to exploitation. Today, we see a new generation of young Cambodians tenaciously seeking out a better future for their families. Social structures and supports are still being rebuilt throughout the country, leaving many young people unprotected, uninformed and at risk of falling prey to exploitation.

Traffickers promise well-paying jobs abroad, but instead, young Cambodian men and women are sold into modern-day slavery. They endure brutal working conditions, physical and sexual violence, and are trapped with no way home.

Survivors who miraculously escape come home destitute, traumatized, ashamed and broken. But they are not alone.

Our Work

Ratanak is working collaboratively with vulnerable communities, NGOs and Cambodian government agencies to end exploitation and support trafficking survivors on their journey to healing.

We focus on 4 key areas.

Equip Cambodians to Prevent Exploitation To stop exploitation before it starts, Ratanak equips Cambodians to teach vulnerable communities how to identify the tactics of human traffickers. We work with local leaders who want to learn how to further protect their communities. Ratanak staff also directly support vulnerable families with economic empowerment services to reduce their risk of being exploited.

Work Collaboratively to Protect the Vulnerable Ratanak is passionate about working hand-in-hand with others to confront the larger systems that make trafficking and exploitation possible. We engage in research, encourage knowledge sharing and directly support the improvement of national systems that protect the vulnerable, identify victims and care for survivors.

Help the Trafficked Return Home

Ratanak works alongside Cambodian government agencies to help trafficking survivors come home to their families after being held captive in another country. We connect them to programs and resources that can help them recover and reduce their risk of being re-trafficked.

Persevere in Love to Restore Survivors

Ratanak empowers survivors to live with dignity and hope. With trauma counselling, life-skills training, education opportunities, vocational training and family support, young women and men have the emotional and physical tools they need to live their lives free from exploitation and achieve their full potential.

YOU CAN OPEN THE DOOR TO FREEDOM

YOUR STEADY MONTHLY SUPPORT ENABLES SURVIVORS TO RECEIVE RELIABLE SERVICES ON THEIR JOURNEY TO HEALING

BECOME A PARTNER IN HOPE

Programs

Community
Heroes Prevention
Project

Community Heroes Prevention Project

Traffickers have many ways they trick desperate men and women into modern-day slavery. Often, they target poverty-stricken young people with limited education and no other options, promising them good jobs overseas and a better life for their families.

The Community Heroes Prevention Project equips local leaders with the tools to teach prevention, intervention and awareness training in at-risk communities. The curriculum provides education about human trafficking, sexual abuse, unsafe migration and ways to protect children and their rights.

Trafficking Vulnerability Prevention Project

Raising awareness about the tactics of traffickers is important and can prevent men and women from being exploited, as we continue to witness through our Community Heroes Prevention Project. However, through our ongoing research efforts, it became clear that desperate times drive some vulnerable men and women to take significant risks in order to protect their families and ensure their survival, despite awareness that they could be exploited.

The Trafficking Vulnerability Prevention Project identifies vulnerable families and connects them with our skilled Ratanak team of social workers, therapists, and economic empowerment specialists. Engaging with local churches and community leaders, vulnerable families are provided with a care network alongside personalized economic improvement plans including job skills training, and micro-enterprise or agricultural startup support, reducing their desperation to migrate unsafely or take unnecessary risks to secure their livelihood.

Transitional Care Project

Due to limited opportunities, many young women are persuaded to leave home to pursue work abroad. They are then sold into forced marriage or domestic slavery where they suffer abuse, sexual assault and forced labour with little to no pay.

The Transitional Care Project assists women who are survivors of sexual exploitation, forced labour and human trafficking. With your help, we provide safe transitional housing for women who are not ready or safely able to return to their home community. Our skilled team provides individualized care for each young woman, including access to life skills and vocational training, education opportunities, and trauma and family counselling.

Community-Based Care Project

After escaping modern-day slavery and finally returning home to Cambodia, trafficking survivors often can’t wait to get to their village and reunite with their family. But a difficult reality quickly settles in as they dive deep into struggles with their emotional, psychological and physical health in the aftermath of their terrifying trafficking experience. Arriving home in debt and still without promising job options, they are extremely vulnerable to being re-trafficked.

The Community-Based Care Project assists men and women who have survived exploitation, forced labour and human trafficking after they have returned to their home community. Your generosity gives men, women and their families access to medical care, trauma therapy, social workers, and economic empowerment specialists who secure job skills training, micro-enterprise support and educational opportunities to help survivors start afresh.

Entertainment Hostess Empowerment Project

Young women with no education or employment opportunities often take jobs in beer gardens or karaoke bars because they have no other options. Many bars in Cambodia’s “entertainment industry” are fronts for prostitution where vulnerable women are sexually harassed and exploited.

Our Entertainment Hostess Empowerment Project gives women the life skills and support they need to make informed decisions, avoid exploitation, and build strong futures. This project empowers vulnerable entertainment workers to identify the high-risk working conditions in karaoke bars and beer gardens and connect them with steps towards safer employment.

National Technical Support Project

The causes of trafficking are both varied and complex. Most Cambodians are left vulnerable due to poverty, lack of education and gaps in both social and government systems of protection and support.

The National Technical Support Project focuses on protecting Cambodia’s vulnerable for the long-term. Ratanak collaborates with various NGOs and ministries in the Cambodian government to strengthen and refine national and regional policies, protocols and systems for the identification of victims and protection, repatriation, and rehabilitation of human trafficking survivors.

Freedom Stories

20 Years a Slave

Rith’s story

I will not give up hope to continue my journey of life. Finally, I have my own family. I express my gratitude to Ratanak for giving me a new life.” -Rith

At just 17, Rith longed to provide for his impoverished family. He dreamed of owning his own farm, but when he was told he’d make a good income on a fishing boat, he couldn’t refuse the opportunity. But instead of being paid what he was promised, he was beaten, abused and underfed — spending the next 20 years as a slave at sea, sold from boat to boat.

One day, Rith finally saw his chance to escape. The shoreline looked close, so he leapt overboard and swam for his life. On land, he was apprehended by Malaysian police who thankfully brought him to the Cambodian Consulate—he was finally able to return home! From there, he was connected to Ratanak. After counselling, job training and ongoing support, Rith now runs a small farm with his loving wife and child by his side. His lifelong dream fulfilled, Rith is endlessly thankful to Ratanak.

…And finally, love

Veata’s story

“After eight months trying to search for Veata’s family members, we’re now celebrating with joy as we finally found her mother.” —Chantha, Ratanak Case Manager

Veata spent her life feeling unwanted and unloved. After being diagnosed with epilepsy, her father and stepmother abused her and tried to abandon her. When they died, Veata became homeless at just 15. After months on the street, a stranger offered her a fresh start through a restaurant job overseas. Veata agreed!

In Malaysia, she joined a house filled with girls from Cambodia. Things didn’t feel right. Her instincts were confirmed when the traffickers forced her to have sex to earn her stay. Soon, the trauma triggered her epilepsy. When her captors realized her condition, they kicked her out, leaving her homeless in a foreign country.Incredibly, Veata managed to find the Cambodian embassy and return home where she was introduced to Ratanak.

Ratanak staff dedicated themselves to finding Veata’s long-lost mother. After eight months of searching, mother and daughter were joyfully reunited, after a lifetime apart. Today, Veata is loved, safe and cared for thanks to Ratanak supporters!