Project AID Khmer: addressing the health impact of HIV/AIDS on Cambodia through rural capacity building
Chang, M.; Kong, N.B.; Phal, V.; Pugatch, D.; Allen, S.
Global Public Health 5(1): 75-86
2010
ISSN/ISBN: 1744-1692 PMID: 19479594 DOI: 10.1080/17441690902796696Document Number: 205786
HIV/AIDS prevention efforts in Cambodia have largely focussed on urban populations. This focus, however, has diverted attention from the impact of the disease on rural communities, where poverty and a lack of basic infrastructure forced many to migrate to urban areas. Rural communities thus play a crucial part in the understanding of HIV/AIDS transmission dynamics in Cambodia. This paper will provide an analysis of socio-economic and health-related needs of rural communities in Cambodia, giving a different context for understanding the national burden of HIV/AIDS. These concepts will be illustrated with experiences from Project AID Khmer, a Cambodian non-governmental organisation that is working to improve Cambodian health through education programmes and community capacity building in rural Takeo province.