The Riverkids Foundation began informally in 2002 as an outreach to children in the Bassac slums of Phnom Penh with a small school room to serve children. Since then Riverkids has expanded services and offerings to support over 400 Cambodian and Vietnamese children living in Phnom Penh who have been identified as highly at-risk for child and sex trafficking.
Riverkids was developed upon discovering the Toul Sang Ke community located along the Mekong River in Phnom Penh. There are approximately 230 families, including approximately 700 children, ages 4-23, at risk for human trafficking, forced labour, sexual exploitation, drug abuse and domestic violence living in this community. Having become aware of the suffering and vulnerability of these children, the Riverkids Foundation was formed in order to help prevent child trafficking and exploitation by providing education, life skills, food, healthcare, and vocational training to women, families, and children in the community.
Riverkids offers women a new chance at life by getting them out of poverty and sex work by offering them vocational training. The opportunity to create school uniforms, dresses, and jewelry for sale gives them a sense of importance and significance while using their new skills. Through their website Riverkids Fashions you can order necklaces, earrings, baby clothes, and more, for extremely low prices.
