People for Care and Learning

Land Mine Victims Wood Carving Business

Wood Carving of
King Jayavarman II, founder of the first Dynasty of Angkor

There are still an estimated 3 million landmines in Cambodia left over from Cambodia's struggle with the Khmer Rouge. It is estimated that 1 out of ever 250 Cambodians falls victim to a land-mine.

Under the direction of Matt Bohlman, PCL started a wood-carving program to assist some of these landmine victims to become self-sufficient in a craft skill instead of begging on the streets.

Each student is given a monthly stipend to stay in the program and off the street begging. One student has already gone on to start his own carving business and is doing quite well. A souvenir display shop has also been built at the land-mine center where the disabled can sell their carving and basket weaving products to visiting tourists.