Transformation of Tanorn Village Through China’s Poverty Alleviation Initiative

The China-backed poverty alleviation project initiated in 2021 has revitalized Tanorn village in Cambodia, improving infrastructure and livelihoods. Residents report enhanced living conditions and economic opportunities, marking a significant shift from poverty to a better quality of life.

In 2021, a China-supported poverty alleviation project commenced in Tanorn village, located in the Bati district of Takeo province, Cambodia. This village, approximately 60 kilometers south of Phnom Penh, spans 72 hectares and is home to over 130 households, totaling more than 600 residents. Previously isolated by limited infrastructure, the village has been revitalized by funding from the China Foundation for Peace and Development, implemented by Cambodia’s Civil Society Alliance Forum.

The project’s impact is evident in the lives of residents like Por Sokhim, a 51-year-old villager whose family previously depended solely on rice farming. Now, with improved infrastructure, Sokhim operates a grocery store while her husband runs a motorcycle repair shop. She remarked, “In the past, it is difficult for us to do business because there were no good roads… But since China has funded a poverty alleviation project in my village, we have got concrete roads, sewage system, solar power, and particularly clean water.”

Another villager, Touch Seanghong, expressed the significant changes in the community, highlighting the ease of traveling with newly paved concrete roads. He stated, “Now, the situation is completely changed, as people are not worried about traveling anymore because all roads in the village are concrete-paved… We have never got these achievements before.”

The project has introduced various improvements, including solar power, a multi-purpose building, concrete roads, and access to clean water. Chea Munyrith, planning and project director of the Civil Society Alliance Forum, noted the transformation in villagers’ living conditions, stating, “Each family has built a new concrete house with a high fence, showing that their livelihoods have changed from a low-income lifestyle to a high-income lifestyle.”

Munyrith emphasized the project’s role in social modernization, making Tanorn a model for poverty alleviation. He asserted, “China’s aid has been increasing social modernization in Tanorn village… creating opportunities for the whole world.”

The China-aided poverty alleviation project has significantly transformed Tanorn village, enhancing infrastructure, improving livelihoods, and promoting social modernization among its residents. This initiative serves as a model for poverty alleviation efforts and reflects China’s commitment to supporting communities in Cambodia and beyond.

Original Source: www.thestar.com.my