* Any views expressed in this article are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.
FAMILIES have been forced to flee their homes in Cambodia after widespread floods in the north west of the country
Heavy rains and the opening of dams in neighbouring Vietnam and Thailand have caused the Mekong River to burst its banks and swamp villages.
Children’s charity Plan International has been providing sanitation kits to some of the worst hit families.
“Thousands of families have been forced to leave their homes for higher ground,” says Plan’s country director in Cambodia, Supriyanto.
“Thousands of hectares of rice farms have been destroyed and roads in the affected areas are impassable.”
At least 25 villagers are known to have died across seven flood-hit provinces.
Plan has worked in Cambodia since 2002, helping poor children to access their rights to education, health, sustainable livelihoods and protection.
The charity’s work benefits more than 600,000 children and reaches nearly 80,000 families in more than 580 communities.
As well as responding to emergencies, Plan works to increase primary school completion rates and reduce maternal and infant death rates.
Its work with the government to ensure all citizens have registered birth certificates has increased registration from five to 92 per cent.
For more information on Plan’s work or to make a donation call 0800 526 848 or visit www.plan-uk.org
