Brick factories: results exceeding expectations

The results of our mid-term evaluation illustrate the tremendous work carried out by Sipar and CWPD teams between October 2023 and March 2025 to enroll brick factory children in school, support their learning and improve the living conditions of working-class families.

Of the nearly 1,300 children benefiting from the program, 74% participate regularly take part in the educational activities offered by the four mobile libraries serving the 32 brick factories in Cambodia's Kandal province. Thanks to the tutoring in math and Khmer offered by the librarian-educators, and the personalized follow-up of each child, 96% of them claim to have improved their basic skills in these subjects.

The Sipar team's efforts are also paying off in terms of school enrolment rates. This has risen by 13% since 2024, and now stands at 91%. Work continues to ensure that every child enjoys his or her right to education. Another piece of good news is that 100% of primary school leavers have gone on to secondary school, compared with our target of 50%. This is a pivotal moment in the school life of every Cambodian child, which our work has helped to overcome.

They often left school early, or never had the chance to go. Today, they work alongside their parents, and the vast majority of them have no intention of returning to a traditional school career.

Thanks to the training sessions offered as part of the project, 90% say they have acquired useful skills for their daily lives and future careers: financial management, stress management, health and safety at work, learning to communicate well, etc.

Enrolment in the activities is almost twice as high as expected when the project was set up, proving the need and interest of this teenage audience for support.

Awareness-raising sessions run by our partner Cambodian Women for Peace and Development (CWPD) have enabled the workers to implement significant changes in their daily lives: healthier eating, better hygiene, less domestic violence, and better financial management by reducing overspending.

Men are particularly encouraged to attend the sessions, 74% of which are currently attended by women. Gender equality and the distribution of the domestic workload are at the heart of CWPD and Sipar's work.

The evaluation also shows a noticeable change in parents' attitudes towards their children's schooling and the importance of providing them with a quality education. 94% now actively support their children's schooling (versus 80% at the start of the project), and 30% help with homework (versus 6% previously).

The aim of the project is to encourage the active involvement of bosses and managers in educational and social initiatives, while gradually committing them to improving working and living conditions on site. Employers are gradually realizing that improving workers' well-being also benefits work stability and productivity.

The results are encouraging:
- 80% of managers actively facilitate project implementation (adapted working hours, support for peer educators, participation in awareness campaigns)
- 50% of bosses now provide free drinking water and electricity to workers, or improve communal shelters
- all brick factories provide space for reading sessions or workshops for young people and adults

In conclusion, the project has exceeded most of its objectives, particularly in terms of children's school enrolment, community involvement and changes in social behavior. The project's holistic approach, partnership work in the field and ongoing adaptation to local constraints make it an intervention with a strong human and educational impact.

Thank you to our partners The Comgest Foundation, Fondation Luciole, Fondation Cassiopée, French Development Agency, Sense Foundation, Fondation Azickia, Fondation Lama and DEMAIN  program for their support on this amazing project.