Location and Setting
Boeng Salang is located in the north part of Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital. The residents live in extreme poverty along an old abandoned railway. This railway connection is significant as it represents Cambodia’s disrupted transportation infrastructure – rail service in Cambodia ceased during the war but resumed in the early 1980s, with the last regular service between Phnom Penh and Battambang suspended entirely in early 2009.
Living Conditions
Accommodations are usually very unsanitary, with entire families living in overcrowded, non-isolated and floodable slums. Phnom Penh is a city of 2 million inhabitants experiencing important demographic growth, as many Cambodians try to escape extreme poverty and leave the countryside for the city, hoping to find better living conditions. However, these people are often unable to pay rent in the capital and are marginalized in slums on the outskirts.
Health and Social Impact
The living conditions severely impact residents’ health. Children are very often malnourished and in poor health, with chronic malnutrition affecting 37% of children under 5 years in Cambodia, reaching 70% in some vulnerable areas such as slums. Most children have never been vaccinated and do not benefit from any medical care, making them even more exposed to diseases.
Community Support
The primary organization working in Boeng Salang is Taramana, a French-Cambodian NGO that supports education and improves the lives of around 200 children living in the slum. Taramana set up its center in 2005 in the heart of the shantytown, welcoming children from age five through the end of their schooling. About ten Khmer employees and three to four European volunteers work at the center.
Economic Context
Cambodia remains one of the poorest countries in South-East Asia, with a GNI per capita of $1,230 in 2017 – 30 times less than the French average. Children are often called upon to go out and bring money home, making their education very succinct, and many can’t access higher education.
This information should provide valuable context for your photographic documentation of Boeng Salang, highlighting both the challenges faced by the community and the efforts being made to support its residents, particularly children.
