The Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Monday with 13 NGOs for a three-year project which aims to promote the wellbeing of children across Cambodia.

The ministry’s General Department of Technical Affairs director-general and spokesman Touch Channy, who led the signing ceremony, said the project has a $14,283,836 pooled budget and aims to improve the Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation sector.

“The organisations’ contribution is very crucial to promoting the social affairs sectors in Cambodia. The agreement mainly focuses on the welfare of children – its mission is to serve the children who are victims. It aligns with the ministry’s policy,” said Channy.

Channy called on the ministry and the organisations to display “utmost attentiveness” to the project. The ministry always welcomes relevant partnerships which aim to save victims, help vulnerable children, and offer them a better life, he said.

“All 13 organisations must fulfil their duties based on the conditions of the agreement. They can only join in social affairs but not in political affairs.

“If the ministry finds that any of the organisations work under a political agenda instead of a social one, the agreement will be immediately terminated,” he said.

Duong Sophea, the administrative director of Andorran NGO Llar d’Infants del Mon Cambodja, which also signed the MoU, said on Tuesday that his Banteay Meanchey province-based organisation will spend more than $300,000 of the budget to improve the wellbeing of children.

“Through this cooperation, our organisation will work for the children’s welfare. We will raise the homeless children living at our organisation in the long term. We will also organise extra classes to help poor students in the community,” said Sophea.

Sophea said the MoU is the third of its kind. Through the MoU, his organisation can save poor children and orphans and provide them with shelter, food, clothes and an education.