Our Work in Cambodia

Pursat Cambodia

In 2006 Goodwill Industries of Northwest Ohio formed a partnership with the Khmer Children Foundation to open a skill training center at the orphanage in Pursat, Cambodia, one of the poorest provinces in rural Cambodia. Goodwill is paying the wages for an instructor who is teaching the fine art of tailoring and sewing skills to an average of 25 youth living in the orphanage.

Youth leave the orphanage at 18 years old, and have historically faced a bleak future without family support and no vocational skill training. Now, these youth will have the opportunity to set up micro-enterprises as tailors to support themselves and their future families. The annual cost to train a youth is $24.00 per year. If you would like to sponsor one year’s training for a youth , please go to Goodwill’s convenient online donation process or call our development department at 419-255-0070.


Goodwill Family Resource Center in Phnom Penh Cambodia


Goodwill Industries of Northwest Ohio partnered with Goodwill Industries International to open a Family Resource Center in Phnom Penh Cambodia on March 11, 2007. The center is serving people with disabilities, orphans, and rural migrants. The newest Cambodia Initiative will support existing employment, training, and education programs managed by Digital Divide Data (DDD), a non-profit social enterprise located in Cambodia and Laos. You can lean more about Digital Divide Data in Thomas Friedman’s book, The World is Flat.

The Goodwill Family Resource Center officially opened on March 11, 2007 with a 21/2-hour first-aid-training program attended by more than 300 Cambodians, followed by a cook out and swim party. Many who attended the event commented the first aid training certificate they received would enhance their employability. During 2007, the center served 550 individuals.

There are major expansion plans for the Family Resource Center in 2008. During January 2008, the center will open branches in Battambang, Cambodia and Vietiane, Laos, with all three sites expecting to serve a minimum of 1,000 individuals.

The center(s) expects to serve minimum 1,000 individuals in the following services.

• English as Second Language
• Job Seeking Skills
• Basic Budgeting Skills
• Life Management Skills
• Interpersonal and communication skills
• Administrative and secretarial skills
• Micro enterprise training
• Beginning this Fall, janitorial / housekeeping skill training

Individuals may enroll in any / all programs

The annual cost to train an individual is $28.37. To make a donation to support the annual training costs for an individual, contact Mark Harris, director of marketing or Deb Lagger, director of workforce development at 419- 255-0070.

You also can make a donation online on this web-site main page. Thank you.


THE LYNDA GOODREMONT CAREER RESOURCE PROGRAM
(Goodremont Fund)

The Lynda Goodremont Career Resource Program was established by Goodwill Industries of Northwest Ohio and is offered through the Goodwill Industries International (GII) Family Resource Center in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The program includes job search training, english as a second language and other career related skills.

Donations designated to the Lynda Goodremont Career Resource Program (Goodremont Fund) help support an internship program giving individuals opportunities to enhance employability as well as a resource library. It also includes job search training and courses on english as a second language.

Individuals served range in age from 19 – 47 with the majority being between the age of 21 – 27. Most of these people are disabled or disadvantaged and come from a family with an average size of six. Many of them have limited education and are impoverished coming from rural areas.

The Lynda Goodremont Career Resource Program was established in 2007 in honor and memory of Lynda Goodremont who served as an active member of Goodwill Industries of Northwest Ohio’s board of trustees. During her tenure on the board, Lynda held the position of secretary and was second vice chairwoman elect at the time of her death in 2007. Lynda was very excited about and supportive of Goodwill’s Cambodia programs.

Lynda was co-owner along with her husband, Mark, of Goodremont ‘s, Inc. their business machine company in Toledo, Ohio.

To make a donation in support the Lynda Goodremont Career Resource Program contact Mark Harris, Director of Marketing and Development, at 419-255-0070, or via email at mharris@goodwillnwohio.org, or through the online donation Form.