In areas of extreme poverty, the most urgent needs are often ones that people in the developed world take for granted: water, food, shelter.

UCFV students are working to ensure that the widows and orphans of Cambodia have access to clean water to drink and also to grow food crops to eat and sell.

Decades of war, unrest, and its legacies, such as landmines and disease, mean that many women in Cambodia are widows, and in many cases, also orphans with no extended family to help them. There are four women for every man in Cambodia , which is in Southeast Asia .

The UCFV International Development Student Association is working with Hope International to raise funds to supply one Cambodian village with 46 water wells. John King, Director of Development for Hope International, will speak about the Water for Widows project at the UCFV Abbotsford campus on Monday, September 30, at noon in Room A421. Admission is free, but donations toward the project are encouraged. IDSA representatives will also be selling samosas to benefit this project.

Hope International is a small Western Canadian aid organization that focuses on the poorest people in the most neglected areas.

“By raising $5,000, UCFV students and the general community will be able to help make a whole village of 300 people self-sufficient,” says King. “There are a great many extremely poor people in Cambodia , but they respond very well to the kind of help we can give them and are very excited about building better lives for themselves.”

UCFV’s International Development Student Association, which is made up of Canadian and international students, promotes international relations and development within the UCFV community and the international community. IDSA is more than a development association. It is also intended to be a support group for international students. By participating in development projects and raising awareness on current world issues, students become involved in the community, which helps them to adjust to Canadian culture.

Douglas Okera, president of IDSA, learned about the project when attending a presentation facilitated by Hope International. He was fascinated by the idea of participating in a project of such international scope. “Our association has a very rich multicultural dimension with students and members from a variety of countries,” says Okera, who is an international student from Kenya . “We believe that with our diverse background and the resources Canada has to offer, we are compelled to also look beyond our borders when choosing projects that assist people in need.”

For more information see the Hope International website at:  www.hope-international.com