Long read.
Cambodia’s elders struggling without welfare or family support
Increasing labour migration and hurdles in the welfare system have left more older people in Cambodia struggling to get by without family support
Written By: Leila Goldstein
March 2, 2023

Inside the colourful interior of Brasat Mohor Pagoda outside the city of Kampong Thom, about 30 members of the local older people association gathered for a day of activities.

There was singing, a massage train and a raucous round of a variation on the game Simon Says.

But alongside the fun there were more serious discussions. As they sat in a circle, a few young children flopping down in laps, the group of older people talked about the benefits of getting vaccinated for Covid-19, applying for a national equity card and making contributions toward the community fund for funeral costs.

Uch Ith, a 63-year-old who looks after her grandchildren when her adult children are working in Phnom Penh, said the government assistance she gets for being low-income is not a lot, but at least it helps with some of her bills.

“The [government payments] help relieve me temporarily,” she said. “When I can’t earn enough, I have the money to sustain my family’s needs and keep some to buy medicine for myself.”

Ith represents many of the challenges older people in Cambodia face, juggling family obligations with poor health and little money to spare. As working-age people increasingly leave rural areas for places with higher salaries, from Phnom Penh to Thailand and beyond, more older people are in need of support outside of traditional family structures. Government programs benefit some, but experts say many are left behind without universal assistance targeting the old-age population.
In full: https://southeastasiaglobe.com/cambodia-elders-welfare/

Same can be said about the Cambodian public health system.

And the Cambodian public education system.

Not looking down at Khmer, but the leaders clearly have different priorities in mind.

Did anyone else notice the contradiction between the headline saying "without welfare" and then the quote from the old lady saying she appreciates the welfare? Maybe they should all move to California?