In brick factories, Sipar is expanding its impact for children and families
Since 2018, Sipar supports families living in brick factories in Cambodia. Thanks to the continued support ofFrench Development Agency (AFD), a second phase of the project will be launched in October 2026, bringing the number of brick factories served to 40. Children’s education and support for families will be at the heart of this new phase.
Since 2018, Sipar has been active in brick factories
Since 2018, families living in brick-making villages have been supported by Sipar. In 2023, support from the AFD made it possible to launch an initial three-year phase. This pilot project has yielded encouraging results that have exceeded our expectations.
However, lasting change is still needed. In brick factories, workers face difficult living and working conditions. Low wages, health risks, and situations of debt bondage leave families vulnerable. These hardships can also be passed down from one generation to the next.
To break this cycle, long-term educational and social support must be provided. That is why a second phase of the project was developed.
A second phase beginning in October 2026
From October 2026, Sipar team and their local partner, Cambodian Women for Peace and Development (CWPD) will be able to support 780 families, or more than 4,000 beneficiaries. Eight new brick factories will be included in the program. As a result, the total number of supported sites will reach 40 in the provinces of Kandal and Siem Reap.
This expansion will help strengthen the initiatives already underway. It will also provide support to new families, particularly the most vulnerable children and youth.
Three priority areas for families in brick factories
- Promoting children's enrollment in school and academic success
Access to reading and education will be improved for children living in brick factories. Reading activities will be offered by Sipar’s mobile libraries. Academic support will also be provided in collaboration with nearby schools.
In addition, community micro-libraries will be established in villages and at bricks factories. This will give children easier access to books and help them develop their reading skills.
- Supporting adolescents and young adults who have dropped out of school
A personalized educational program will be offered to adolescents and young adults who have left school. The goal will be to strengthen their independence and their personal and social skills.
The fundamentals of reading and math will also be covered. Thanks to this support, new opportunities will be opened up for young people who are most disconnected from education.
- Strengthening social cohesion and defending the rights of families
Social cohesion within families will be strengthened through initiatives tailored to the needs of the communities. At the same time, advocacy efforts will be undertaken to help bring about sustainable improvements in living and working conditions at the brick factories.
Testimony
Phat Phuon is 32. The fifth of seven siblings, she is married and the mother of two children. She has been living and working for the past 10 years as a brick collector and truck loader.
Because of her family situation and the fact that she had to take care of her brothers and sisters from a very young age, she never had the opportunity to go to school or learn to read and write. When she heard that Sipar was going to offer a literacy class right at her workplace, she immediately decided to sign up.
After a month of classes, her progress is already clear: “I’ve learned to spell and read simple words, write basic sentences, and add two-digit numbers. I can finally play a more active role in helping my child with schoolwork in first grade.”