Friends international is a leading social enterprise saving lives and building futures for the most marginalized children & youth, their families, and their communities in south east Asia and across the world. They initiated the now region-wide ChildSafe program.

Friends International is based in Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh –the country’s center of economic activity and a magnet for migration from rural areas. These poor rural families seeking higher living standards often end up in poverty and marginalization. Currently, one quarter of the city’s population of 1.7 million people live in slum communities. Children in these communities are highly vulnerable to falling into life on the street and becoming victim to abuse and exploitation. Friends works in Phnom Penh to respond to the harsh living conditions of street living and working children. Today, it works in seven zones of the city, providing holistic social support to around 17,000 children, youth, and families per year so they can claim their rights to health, safety, family care and education.