In Cambodia extreme poverty hits a large section of the rural people, maybe more than 40% in poor provinces like Svay Riêng. One aims at a large section of the population: microcredit with cowbanks and pigbanks (the loan is refunded with a calf or a piglet), farmers' groups for agriculture and livestock, reforestation...
In Cambodia the approach focuses on the community, because the vast majority is so poor. Just like in the early nineties in Vietnam.
In Vietnam the extremely poor are 5-10%. One obtains the list of the poorest households very easily from the local authorities, too happy to receive help for this shared goal, they targets to meet.
Vietnam grows quickly and the authorities have a strong policy to reduce poverty. The poor are fewer than before: about 40% survived with approximately 10 euros/month 15 years ago, today they are "only" about 10%. Since 2003 our priority is to work with this segment of the population, covering 4080 extremely poor households. We give 3300 scholarships to very poor children. Till today 2255 households have graduated out of poverty.
