Committed to its mission to help those in distress, PPCBank quickly extended its assistance to flood-affected victims, both at home and abroad, by rolling out fundraising campaigns last month.

Unexpected weather conditions damaged dozens of homes and livelihoods in Cambodia and faraway Japan, forcing many to live in horrendous conditions.

PPCBank took time from its usual banking business to embark on community-centric initiatives - providing humanitarian support for those trapped in recent tragedies.

On the home front, PPCBank mobilised its team to provide aid to Cambodians devastated by the recent flooding, especially in Kampong Speu and Koh Kong.

Adding to the bad weather, the collapse of the hydropower dam in southern Laos on July 22 evening piled further misery in the northern part of Cambodia, mainly in Stung Treng province.

Thousands of villagers had to flee their homes and were forced to live in tough conditions without proper shelter, drinking water and food.

According to local authorities about 4,000 hectares of rice paddy and other crops such as corn have submerged in the floods, making it hard for farmers to survive in the coming months.

PPCBank initiated a fundraising project and donated US$9,000 and within a week it managed to raise US$1,869.66, which was generously donated by the bank’s staff and its customers. 

The money was used to procure drinking water, rice and canned fish, which was immediately despatched by its team to two flood-hit  areas - village Phnom Sruouch in Kampong Speu (July 24), and village Sre Ambel in Koh Kong (July 26).

The bank’s effort managed to cheer up 750 affected families in these areas.

PPCBank did not end their corporate social responsibility work in Cambodian villages alone.

The bank launched a similar fundraising drive, by donating US$5,000, to help victims affected by weather-induced disaster in Western Japan.

In early July, torrential rain in Western Japan triggered landslides and flooding that killed almost 200 people - one of the deadliest flooding tragedy in recent decades.

The magnitude of the disaster was so critical that more than 1.6 million people were ordered to evacuate their homes.

The fundraising was successfully completed on July 25 and the next day, the US$7,078.98 collected from donors were wired to the Red Cross in Japan, which was involved in flood relief operations.

Again generous donors - families with low income, students and faculty members of the Cambodia Mekong University; and Japanese expatriates living in Cambodia - contributed to PPCBank’s campaign. About US$2,078.98 were donated by over 50 donors.

In addition, the bank absorbed all international charges related to transfer of the money to Japan.

Coming to provide aid aftermath of natural disasters is one way PPCBank connects with the grassroots, remembering them during crisis and providing some relief to those in distress.

Its efforts transcend beyond its banking business, just to serve humanity in the need of the hour.