ded | cambodia

Close to the people –

Cooperation among partners
Editorial
Close to the people, cooperation among
partners – these are the principles of
Deutscher Entwicklungsdienst (DED,
German Development Service) in
Cambodia.
We send professionals: rural develop-
ment, the improvement of health ser-
vices and good governance are at the
centre of our attention.
Our trademark is knowledge transfer
through professionals who cooperate
at the provincial or local level with
their Cambodian partner organizations.
Further advantages: DED employees are
not only based in the capital, but also
in various provinces throughout the
country. This network of expertise, pro-
fessionalism and competence is what
makes our operation special.
What part do we play as part of the
German development cooperation
with the Kingdom of Cambodia? In this
brochure you will find examples of our
work for the sustainable development
of the country. For more detailed infor-
mation please visit our website
http://cambodia.ded.de.
Thank you very much.

Wolfgang Möllers
Country Director
Deutscher Entwicklungsdienst (DED)

2
Contents

Deutscher Entwicklungsdienst
in Cambodia
Locations .......................................4
Close to the people .......................5
German Development
Cooperation with Cambodia ........8

Sectors and Projects

Rural Development .....................10
Health .........................................18
Good Governance .......................22
Civil Peace Service ......................28

Weltwärts volunteers ..........34

Partners ....................................36

3
Deutscher Entwicklungsdienst in Cambodia

Locations

Topics of DED Cambodia

Rural Development

Health

Number of DED Experts

Good Governance

Civil Peace Service

6 13
12
12

4
Transfer of knowledge
by personnel

DED is one of the leading European develop-

ment services for personnel cooperation. It
was founded in 1963. Since then, more than
16,000 development experts have committed
themselves to improving the living conditions
of people in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Close to the people
Almost 2,000 development experts and local
staff are currently working in 47 countries. Close to the people, cooperation
among partners – these have
Deutscher Entwicklungsdienst been the principles of Deutscher
Entwicklungsdienst (DED) since
• Places experienced and committed 2000, the start of its operations
specialists in developing countries; in Cambodia.
• Supports local organizations by counsel- DED responds to requests from
ling, financing small programmes and the Cambodian government
promoting local specialists. and other organizations. Ap-
proximately 40 development
experts from Germany and other
European countries are working
DED’s field of expertise is the transfer of
in Cambodian projects providing
knowledge by personnel – professionals who advice to DED’s partners.
work closely with their partners. They co-
operate with their Cambodian counterparts in
the capital Phnom Penh as well as in the pro-
vinces Battambang, Kampong Cham, Kam-
pong Chhnang, Kampong Thom, Kampot,
Siem Reap and Takeo. This network of exper-
tise, professionalism and competence is what
DED offers.
With 40 development experts DED’s country
programme in the Kingdom of Cambodia is
one of the biggest of all DED programmes
worldwide.

5
Deutscher Entwicklungsdienst in Cambodia

Priority areas
DED’s activities are part of the overall
German development cooperation with
Cambodia.
At the centre of attention are:
• Rural development
• Health
A cross-cutting task for cooperation is
“Democracy, civil society, public adminis-
tration and good governance”.

Sectors
DED’s activities in Cambodia focus on rural
development, the health sector and good
governance. The major target group is the
population in rural areas.

Rural development
The DED programme on rural development
concentrates on the promotion of economic
productivity in rural areas. Another key area is
the support of stone conservation in Angkor,
world cultural heritage site in Cambodia.

6

Health
DED’s focus on health includes training and
supervision of paramedic personnel, training
nurses and midwives as well as improving care
services.
Good governance
DED supports the urban and regional plan-
ning processes on all administrative levels and
contributes to reforms in decentralization and
public administration on the local level.
Civil Peace Service
Ziviler Friedensdienst (ZFD, Civil Peace
Service) is a special programme within the
German development cooperation for the
settlement of conflicts and peace building. The
programme in Cambodia supports activities
related to the ongoing Khmer Rouge tribunal.
Pressing land issues
The pressing land issues in Cam-
bodia which threaten political
stability and the process of
democratization are very much
of DED’s concern.
Rapidly increasing popula-
tion and economic expansion,
ongoing land speculation and
a concessionary system which
leaves out large parts of the
rural population are some of
the main reasons for migration
to the cities.
This results in further destruc-
tion of natural resources and
uncontrolled growth in urban
areas. The planning administra-
tions of Phnom Penh and most
of the provincial towns are
facing major tasks concerning
the provision of urban infra-
structure and new building
areas.
As the large majority of people
earn their livelihood in the
agricultural sector, access to
land is of profound importance.
The legal position in this area is
very ambiguous. Land conflict in
Cambodia is an everyday issue.
7
Deutscher Entwicklungsdienst in Cambodia
German Development Cooperation with Cambodia
German development cooperation
combines bilateral and multilateral
efforts. It operates in many countries
throughout the world in accordance with
the “Millennium Development Goals”
of the United Nations and the specific
“Poverty Reduction Strategies” of the
individual partner countries. Germany
is a key supporter of the Paris Declara-
tion which aims at the harmonization
and alignment of international support.
Germany concentrates on a number of
specific countries worldwide. Among
them is the Kingdom of Cambodia.
In Cambodia, the offices of the German
Technical Cooperation (Gesellschaft für
Technische Zusammenarbeit, GTZ),
the KfW development bank (KfW)
and the German Development Service
8
Country directors
Heinrich-Jürgen Schilling (GTZ),
Wolfgang Möllers (DED)
and Volker Karl (KfW), l to r
(Deutscher Entwicklungsdienst, DED)
are located under one roof. This setup
in the “German House for Develop-
ment Cooperation” allows an excellent
exchange of information, good coordi-
nation and improvement of the overall
efficiency of Germany’s development aid
to Cambodia. In addition, there is a close
cooperation with the German Embassy.
German development cooperation in
Cambodia rests on two pillars: it is either
initiated and organized by the German
government, or devised and implemented
by non-governmental organizations.
Official development assistance embraces
all technical and financial cooperation
projects which are agreed on in contracts
entered into with the government of the
Kingdom of Cambodia.
 Deutscher Entwicklungsdienst (DED,
German Development Service) is a
specialist in preparing and seconding
development experts.

The Federal Ministry for Economic

Cooperation and Development (BMZ) Technical cooperation with partner
commissions the implementing orga- countries is the responsibility of the
nizations to realize the projects, which Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische
are entirely funded from the German Zusammenarbeit (GTZ, German Tech-
national budget. nical Cooperation).
To date some 250 million Euro have
been provided for programmes in
Cambodia. For the years 2007-2008, the
German Government has committed a
total of 34 million Euros in grants for
technical and financial cooperation in The KfW development bank is respon-
Cambodia. sible for financial cooperation.

For further information please visit

http://www.gdc-cambodia.org

9
Sector | Rural Development

Improving life in rural areas

Cambodia is one of the poorest coun-
tries in the world. An estimated 35 per-
cent of the population lives below
the poverty line of 1 US-Dollar per day.
Agriculture is an important economic
sector in development and the relief
of poverty in Cambodia. Around 84
percent of the population work and live
in the rural agriculture sector, which is
still mainly characterized by subsistence
farming and some plantations. The
existing agricultural system is slowly but
steadily moving from subsistence farm-
ing towards a market-oriented economy.
Legal uncertainty and a lack of trans-
parency in land titles lead to conflicts
that hinder agricultural productivity.
The private sector contributes only a
quarter to the gross domestic product.
Strong economies in Thailand and
Vietnam, expensive production costs,
difficult registration procedures and high
credit costs are the major shortcomings
for development. DED supports small
and medium entrepreneurs, business as-
sociations and chambers on local levels.
The DED programme on Rural Develop-
ment concentrates on two key areas:
Promotion of economic productivity
in rural areas and stone conservation in
Angkor, world heritage site in Cambodia.

10
Activities of DED
Agriculture
• Value chain development
• Market-oriented, sustainable agriculture production
• Certification and marketing of agriculture products
• Diversification of products
• Training and further education of local experts

Private Sector Promotion

• Support for small and medium entrepreneurs
• Support for business associations
• Marketing of value added or new products
• Market information system

Stone Conservation in Angkor

• Establishment of a Stone Conservation Unit within
APSARA, a Cambodian organization.

11
Projects | Rural Development
Vegetables for sale on the new market in Siem Reap
Increasing market share to reduce poverty
Political reforms and economic develop-
ment in Cambodia are steadily advancing
but the reduction of people living below
the poverty line is still too slow. The
province of Siem Reap in the north of
Cambodia is one of the poorest in the
country. Even though there are more and
more tourists coming to visit the temples
of Angkor, the poor in rural areas gain
little from the potential benefits from
tourism.
12
German Development Cooperation with
Cambodia in collaboration with local
organizations are reducing poverty in the
province with a regional economic de-
velopment programme. DED’s contribu-
tion to this project helps to increase the
revenue and the market share of fruits,
vegetables and handicraft products made
in Cambodia at the markets of Siem
Reap.
 Traditional weaving of
silk cloth

Silk farming

Growing of vegetables in
Siem Reap province

13
Projects | Rural Development

Organic rice from Cambodia

In collaboration with the Cambodian zation is also planning to help farmers to
organization CEDAC, a NGO in the export their certified rice to Europe.
area of rural development, DED sup-
CEDAC envisions a Cambodian society
ports farmers in the production of high
where small farming households enjoy
quality rice. Applying a method called
good living conditions and mutual co-
“Systematical Rice Intensification” (SRI)
operation. To achieve this vision, CEDAC
farmers are increasingly producing their
is committed to work for the improve-
rice without agrochemicals.
ment of lives of small farmers and other
The project is focused on improving rural poor by enabling them to increase
quality and the support of farmers and food production and income while en-
their associations in marketing and certi- suring environmental sustainability and
fication of rice. CEDAC is concentrating maintaining strong social cooperation.
on the Cambodian market. The organi-

14
CEDAC’s organic food
outlet in Phnom Penh

Farmer harvesting
rice for transplant

Organic rice

15
Projects | Rural Development

Conservation of a 1000 year old elephant statue at the East Mebon Temple in Angkor

Stone conservation in Angkor

About 23 international teams from
15 countries are working on the con-
servation of Cambodia’s unique world
heritage site, Angkor. Since 2007 DED
has been supporting the Cambodian
authority APSARA (Authority for the
Protection and Management of Angkor
and the Region of Siem Reap) to set up
a stone conservation unit.
The project is conducted in cooperation
with the German APSARA Conserva-
tion Project under the direction of
the University of Applied Sciences of
Cologne, financially supported by the
German Federal Foreign Office.
Activites so far concentrated on conser-
vation of elephant and lion statues at
East Mebon Temple and demon statues
at the Angkor Thom Victory Gate. At
Angkor Wat Temple there was a co-
operation with the World Monument
Fund to restore the roof at one of the
galleries.

16
Replacing an ancient god’s
head at the Victory Gate

Inspecting a new discovery

Training of stone
conservators on the site

17
Sector | Health

Rights on health
Public health services in rural areas in
Cambodia are of low quality. Private
health care is very expensive. This limits
the access of the rural poor to basic
services. Health indicators in Cambodia
are among the worst in Asia. The high
costs faced by private households in the
case of illness due to payments to private
and public health care providers and loss
of earnings due to illness are among the
main causes of poverty and impoverish-
ment in Cambodia.
For this reason, the German develop-
ment cooperation concentrates on
improving the health situation of the
poorest members of the population.

18
 Surgeon instructing personnel at the Angkor Hospital for Children
Practical training for medical personnel
DED provides practical training to
medical personnel in selected hospitals
and health centres in the provinces of
Battambang, Kampong Cham, Kampot
and Takeo. This includes training and
supervision of paramedic personnel,
training nurses and midwives as well
as improving care services. The DED
experts bridge the gap between a more
theoretical education at the regional
training centres and the hospital’s needs
related to practice. The work is part of
a major cooperation between GTZ and
the Ministry of Health. An ideal addi-
tion to the training programme in the
hospitals is the support of mother and
child advice in assigned health centres.
This has been achieved successfully in
Kampong Thom province and will soon
commence in Kampot.
19
Projects | Health

Organizing daily training in Battambang hospital

Training of midwives
In Kampong Thom and Kampot pro-
vince DED supports the work of the
health centres, working together with the
Provincial Health Departments. Experts
are training and providing further educa-
tion to midwives to reduce mother and
child mortality. Courses to improve the
qualifications of midwives in the health
centres are being well accepted and are
leading to more expectant mothers to
seek advice from the midwives.

20
 Boy receiving treatment for
malaria in the children’s medical
unit of Kampot hospital

Mother and child attend

vitamin A campaign
in Kampong Thom

Training of midwives
in Kampot

21
Sector | Good Governance

Good Governance
Good Governance is one of the key
issues of German development coopera-
tion with Cambodia. Decentralization,
support for the Cambodian land reform
and promotion of women’s rights are
some of the topics.
What is needed, above all, are reforms
that fight corruption, strengthen ad-
ministrative institutions and increase
awareness of democracy. This is vital to
economic growth and poverty reduction.
Activities of DED:
• Reforming the public administration
• Decentralization
The main focus in this area is on land is-
sues. DED offers its Cambodian partner
organizations additional expertise in the
field of urban and regional planning.
DED also supports the relevant orga-
nizations of Cambodian civil society
financially and by deploying experts.

22

Promoting civil society
DED supports local organizations. They
are active in the fields of civil society and
the promotion of local democracy. DED
provides assistance in financial form as
well as advice on capacity building. The
aim is to enable civil society to articulate
their interests, hold government account-
able and thereby implement their ideas
for a democratic Cambodia in a sustain-
able manner. The thematic focus of the
small scale grant programme is on land
issues and thus strongly related to the
country programme.
Empowered
communes
Even though at the commune
level democratic representation
was established after the local
(Commune Council) elections in
2002, an outright local admin-
istration as such still does not
exist.
To support the process of decen-
tralization, the democratically
elected communal bodies need
to be supported. Furthermore,
the public institutions that are
already in place need to be
strengthened.

Programme objectives
• Enhance participation in local demo-
cratic processes
• Raise awareness on land and housing
rights
• Promote human rights
• Empowerment of women

23
Projects | Good Governance
Urban and regional planning
DED supports their Cambodian part-
ners on different administrative levels by
supplying personnel who focus on urban
and regional land use planning aspects.
To establish democratic planning proce-
dures in Cambodia in the long term, it
is essential to decentralize the planning
administration and to introduce par-
ticipatory methods and environmental
approaches into the planning system.
24
In Battambang and Siem Reap provinces
programmes are underway for decen-
tralization and administrative reform.
This is taking place in cooperation with
the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung and their
Cambodian partners. Further activities
are planned in the provinces of Kampot
and Takeo. This is how DED through
the work of its professionals at a local
level has a direct influence on the shap-
ing of the laws on decentralization.
On the national level
DED supports the Ministry of Land
Management, Urban Planning and Con-
struction with one urban and regional
planning expert. This includes con-
tributions to set up a functional plan-
ning system and democratic planning
procedures.

On the provincial level

DED supports the Provincial Depart-
ment of Land Management and Urban
Planning in Battambang in the field of
regional planning. Furthermore, the
provincial administration of Battam-
bang is being advised in the setting
up of a regional plan for Battambang
province.
Assistance is being provided to the
Provincial Department of Land
Management and Urban Planning in
Battambang in setting up a Commune
Development Plan for Samlot Com-
mune in cooperation with the Maddox
Jolie Pitt Foundation.

25
Projects | Good Governance

Battambang master plan team meeting

Master plans on district level

DED supports the district administra-
tion of Battambang with one urban
planning expert in setting up a master
plan and one administration expert for
implementing the administrative reform.
Another DED expert supports the Dis-
trict Administration Battambang on the
issue of informal settlements.
In Siem Reap DED advises the district
administration in implementing the ad-
ministrative reform. All projects on the
district level are focused on decentraliza-
tion.

26
 The conservation of urban
heritage buildings is one of the
tasks of the master plan team.
The picture shows the old
Provincial Hall in Battambang.

Master plan team at work

Digitising the master plan

for Battambang

27
Sector | Civil Peace Service
Rebuilding
Cambodia
It is the task of the nation to
master the consequences of
decades of armed conflict.
During the 70’s, the reign of
terror by the Khmer Rouge cost
the lives of over 1.7 million
people, about one quarter of
the population. After thirty
years the country is on the way
to freedom and stability.
28
Development needs peace
Ziviler Friedensdienst (ZFD, Civil Peace Ser-
vice) is a programme within the German
development cooperation, established and
financed by the German Federal Ministry for
Economic Cooperation and Development.
The central goal of ZFD is to support mecha-
nisms for the settlement of conflicts and the
building of peace in order to support the
development efforts of partner countries.
Since 2001 the Civil Peace Service has been
represented in Cambodia and is today one of
the largest ZFD country programmes world-
wide. It is focused on the topic of "National
reconciliation and justice in Cambodia". DED
experts together with their local counterparts
are working in partner organizations and sup-
port them in realizing diverse activities around
the Khmer Rouge tribunal.
The Khmer Rouge Tribunal
In 2006, the Royal Government of Cam- ZFD and its partner organizations are
bodia in cooperation with the United supporting various activities to enable
Nations established the “Extraordinary the process of national reconciliation
Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia” through activities related to the trial.
(ECCC). 30 years after the defeat of
Information and discussions about the
the Khmer Rouge regime the tribunal
proceedings at the ECCC are spread via
aims to take the main perpetrators of
public events, radio programmes, televi-
the Khmer Rouge regime to court for
sion features and other media. Legal aid
the homicide of more than 1,7 million
is offered to civil parties. A monitoring
people.
process of the trials is running and wit-
Only with the active participation of nesses and complainants as well as other
surviving victims and perpetrators will survivors suffering from trauma are
it be possible to spread the message of psychologically supported.
justice and reconciliation within Cambo-
dian society.

29
Projects | Civil Peace Service
Looking for justice
The Cambodian Human Rights and
Development Association (ADHOC)
organizes seminars about the Khmer
Rouge tribunal in Cambodian provinces
and supports surviving victims in their
application to participate as a civil party.
The DED expert who is advising AD-
HOC is at the same time the first inter-
national lawyer for civil parties. ADHOC
also lobbies the Cambodian government
to change the national criminal law to
conform to international standards.
30
Khmer Rouge survivor with a questionnaire
The Cambodian Human Rights Action
Committee (CHRAC) is Cambodia’s
most important human rights network.
It facilitates the coordination among
its members and their activities around
the Khmer Rouge tribunal. CHRAC is
supporting active participation of civil
parties to the ECCC. It is broadcasting
radio programmes about the course of
the proceedings and is monitoring the
trials in collaboration with its interna-
tional partner organizations.
The Victims Unit of the ECCC is also Youth for Peace
supported by DED. The Victims Unit
accepts complaints of surviving victims The Cambodian organization
and applications for participation as a Youth for Peace is realizing
village dialogues in seven
civil party. The documents are proceeded
provinces in Cambodia and
and remitted to prosecution or the co- is advised by a DED expert.
investigative judges. The Victims Unit In the course of the village
supports acknowledged civil parties and dialogues surviving victims
their lawyers and provides a network for and perpetrators are talking
coordination amongst them. to young people about their
experience with the Khmer
Rouge past. The adolescents
are encouraged by Youth for
Peace to commit themselves
for national reconciliation and
democratic development in
Cambodia.

Visit to former torture prison Tuol Sleng

with Khmer Rouge survivors 31
Projects | Civil Peace Service

Visitors from the provinces at former torture prison Tuol Sleng in Phnom Penh

Emotional support for victims

Supported by DED the Center for Social
Development organizes public forums in
Cambodian provinces to inform about
the work of the ECCC. Surviving vic-
tims and perpetrators have the opportu-
nity to talk in public about their personal
experience. A special team which is
advised by a DED expert is offering
emotional support for the participants
to better cope with trauma.
Another partner organization work-
ing in the area of psychosocial support
and education on trauma is the Trans-
Cultural Psychosocial Organization. This
organization is offering psychological
care to witnesses and civil parties before,
during and after the proceedings at the
ECCC and is advised by a DED expert.

32
Free media – good journalists
At the Department for Media and Com-
munication of the Royal University of
Phnom Penh one DED expert is training
journalism students and teachers in the
area of electronic media. The main topic
of the classes is how the media deal with
the Khmer Rouge past and responsible
reporting on the tribunal.
A radio programme made by the Wom-
en’s Media Center (WMC) reports on the
Khmer Rouge regime and the proceed-
ings at the ECCC. The programme is
broadcast over large areas of Cambo-
dia. Journalists and media students are
taught how to report responsibly on the
tribunal.
33
Weltwärts volunteer programme

German and Cambodian volunteers in Battambang

Weltwärts volunteer programme

In 2007, the Federal Ministry for Eco-
nomic Cooperation and Development
started its new volunteer programme
“weltwärts”. DED is one of the major
German organizations placing German
volunteers in developing countries.
DED is offering young people between
18 and 23 years the chance to spend
one year working and “learning through
active involvement” at Cambodian
partner organizations in the areas of
environment, youth & peace and social
services. Every year there will be around
23 German “weltwärts” volunteers in
Cambodia.

34
 Volunteer in action

Teaching and
learning English

Tooth brush lesson

with weltwärts volunteer

35
Partners
Cambodian partners
Rural Development
• Authority for the Protection and Man-
agement of Angkor and the Region
of Siem Reap (APSARA)
• Buddhism for Development (BFD)
• Cambodian Center for Study and De-
velopment in Agriculture (CEDAC)
• Faculty of Agronomy (RUA)
• Department of Agriculture, Siem
Reap Province
• Department of Commerce, Siem
Reap Province
• Department of Commerce, Kampong
Cham and Kampong Chhnang Prov-
ince
• Department of Industry, Mines and
Energy, Kampong Cham and Kam-
pong Chhnang Province
36
Health
• Provincial Health Department Kam-
pong Thom and Kampot
• Provincial Referral Hospitals Battam-
bang, Kampong Cham, Kampot und
Takeo
Good Governance
• Ministry of Land Management, Urban
Planning and Construction, Phnom
Penh
• Provincial Department of Land Man-
agement and Urban Planning, Battam-
bang
• District administration Battambang
• District administration Siem Reap
Civil Peace Service
Local partner organizations supported
by DED experts

• Cambodian Human Rights and Devel-

opment Association (ADHOC)
• Cambodian Committee of Women Global commitment –
(CAMBOW)
• Cambodian Human Rights Action
local partnership
Committee (CHRAC) Close to the people, cooperation
• Center for Social Development (CSD) among partners – these have been
• Department for Media and Commu- guiding principles of DED Cambo-
nication (DMC) and Department for dia. DED is responding to requests
of the Cambodian government and
Psychology of the Royal University of
other organizations.
Phnom Penh
• Trans-Cultural Psychosocial Organiza- DED’s development experts are
tion (TPO) part of Cambodian projects and
• Victims Unit (VU) of the ECCC offer advice to Cambodian partner
• Women’s Media Center (WMC) organizations.
• Youth for Peace (YfP)
Other local partners
• Cambodian Defenders Project (CDP)
• International Center for Conciliation
(ICFC)
• Khmer Community Development
(KCD)
• Khmer Kampuchea Krom Human
Rights Organization (KKKHRO)
• Legal Aid of Cambodia (LAC)

37
 Imprint
Deutscher Entwicklungsdienst gGmbH

#17, Street 306

P.O. Box 628
Boeung Keng Kang I
Chamkar Mon
Phnom Penh
Kingdom of Cambodia

Tel: +855 (23) 219 397

Fax: +855 (23) 994 103

E-Mail: ded@ded.org.kh
http://cambodia.ded.de
http://www.gdc-cambodia.org

Editors
Wolfgang Möllers (responsible)
Mira Nürnberg

Print
JSRC Printing House, Phnom Penh

Pictures
Adrian Bolliger, Lars Düerkop, Klaus
Glatzel, Urte Heitmann, Kerstin Kasten-
holz, Stefan Kiesel, Walter Koditek, Edwin
de Korte, Anja Krbanjevic, Tanja-Elisabeth
Lenz, Rabea Möllers, Wolfgang Möllers,
Mira Nürnberg, Olga Platzer, Katinka
Preiss, Isabel Rodde, Eva Pfannerstill, Jens
Richter, Birgit Schindhelm, Anisha Schu-
bert, Judith Strasser, Silke Studzinsky,
Elke Tigges, Karien van Veggel, Matthias
Witzel, Sandra Ziegengeist

Phnom Penh, June 2009

38
39
#17, Street 306 Tel: +855 (23) 219 397
P.O. Box 628 Fax: +855 (23) 994 103
Boeung Keng Kang 1, Chamkar Mon E-Mail: ded@ded.org.kh
Phnom Penh http://cambodia.ded.de
Kingdom of Cambodia http://www.gdc-cambodia.org