NIKHUM
The community of Nikhum, which is 38km from Battambang, is located in a very poor area. Up until the construction of a small wooden church in 2002, the community did not have a place to gather to pray.
With the construction of the church, a new sense of community has been established by providing a place in which young children can be taught the catechism as well as a space where the church committee can assist the poor, sick and elderly, whether they are catholic or not. In this place people in need are listened to and assisted with their needs and concerns.
One of the lines of action pursued in Nikhum is to help them with micro-loans, so that they are able to start small businesses. By offering these micro-loans, they are helped locally and encouraged to stay instead of migrating to Thailand or to other areas of Cambodia.
A kindergarten was built in 2008 in the church compound and is were children from nearby villages come to play and learn a variety of subjects and values. In addition, the Church assisted in the construction and continues to maintain the local primary school.
The primary School has two one-storey buildings one of which was built by the Catholic Church, Sister Cecile and the Jesuit Service in 2001.