This is an innovative solution to trafficking and exploitation of girls in Cambodia. It offers leadership opportunities, training, mentorship, and educational support so girls at risk of being trafficked can build the skills and confidence to do remarkable things in their own lives and in the way that they work with other young women to be a sisterhood of Change Agents who are driving behavior change that protects their peers from online exploitation.
Girls and young women have historically been undervalued in Cambodian society, often leading to them becoming collateral when their family's economic situation is vulnerable. "Quick jobs" and karaoke bars in Phnom Penh fuelled a temptation for families to pressure girls into dropping out of school to earn money, only for the girls to then be tricked, trafficked, or left traumatized for life. In 2022 UNICEF research showed that online exploitation was rampant, impacting 11% of children.
AusCam offers adolescent girls (ages 14-24) psychosocial counselling, leadership-building opportunities, training, mentorship and educational support to help girls overcome the barrier to education while staying safe from trafficking and growing in their leadership and capacity to actively protect other girls too.
In the long term, we plan to look back and see a generation of girls in Cambodia that was not only prevented from being trafficked, but also full of girls who were given the opportunities, choices and freedom to realise their potential. We are seeing that many of these amazing young women see that innovation, leadership and community service are a core part of their vision - so we are equipping them to be leaders for the future, as they engage in social impact now.
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