About us: history

Goutte d'eau Switzerland started to work in Cambodia in January 1997 under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Social Affairs, Vocational Training and Youth (MOSVY). It assisted in building up a center for vulnerable (street) children in Neak Loeung, Prey Veng Province. Since 2001, the programme in Neak Loueng is running independently as a local NGO registered with the Ministry of Interior.

In January 1999, following another request by MOSVY, Goutte d'eau Switzerland started a project aiming at the rehabilitation of substance-abusing street children in Poipet, Banteay Meanchey Province. Realizing that the Thai authorities deported several hundred trafficked Cambodian children back to Poipet every month, Goutte d'eau Switzerland started a collaboration with the IOM (International Organisation for Migration), UNICEF, MOSVY and other agencies to set up a structure offering support to these children and try to break the cycle of unsafe migration and trafficking.

In July 2000, UNICEF requested Goutte d'eau to work with vulnerable children and their families at a resettlement area 6 kilometers from Poipet city. The activities at both locations in Poipet have since been expanded and consolidated.

In 2003, Damnok Toek Poipet was officially registered as a local Cambodian NGO at the Ministry of Interior and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with MOSVY in April 2005. The MOU was renewed on the 30th June 2008.