Our Background
Village Support Group (VSG)
Village Support Group (VSG) is a non-profit and non-governmental organization for individuals. VSG was established in Battambng in 1994 as a transition project after Cambodia’s civil war to help people in Battambang and those living along the Cambodian-Thai border through agricultural and healthcare projects. By the end of 1994 VSG was transformed by the goals of four researchers to continue social development work in order to help poor and vulnerable residents in rural areas, in particular to assist them to exercise their rights in a just means. The first fund amounting to $3000.00 from IWDA was used for short-term rice project and a variety of crops to help improve the living condition of poor people.
Because of the reputation and good fame of VSG, Oxfam GB in 1997 extended its assistance for formation and strengthening of self-help groups through trainings on development of saving-group project and rice bank to targeted groups of VSG. From then VSG has been expanding its development work, in response to social development issues in order to take part in application of rights and democracy, such as projects of healthcare, social economic education in support of civil society,
community-based organization and relevant institutions in exchange of society on the basis of its role performance, responsibility in an accountable and transparent way to respond to social requirements and provisions of social services over environment, human rights, rights and democracy at local levels. VSG has been working in partnership with five international institutions and two local NGOs in which VSG works in partnership with DPA, Forum Syd on rights and democracy for community forestry and community fishery, and community-protected areas over natural resources management and gender-sensitization project, and adaptation of climate change.
Promote Citizen Engagement in Democradic Development project (PROCEDD) of VSG in a process of under-national level democracy development works in partnership with Pact Cambodia/ SIDA and API/ EU. Integrated Community Development Project of VSG works with HelpAge International /EU. Community-protected area mapping and registration of land titles for natural resources management works with DED that focuses on activities of debates between people representative and vote owners with NDI and also natural resources management project, prevention of climate change, food security, nutrition and awareness of gender equality with USAID–Harvest Cambodia(Fintrac).
Fishery resource research project in rice field works with World Fish Center/USAID។ With the project of natural resources management, climate change prevention and food security with UNDP/EC for more than one decade starting with only five staffs, VSG increased its human resources reaching 8 staffs in 2005 and reaching 16 staffs then. In 2006 VSG had an increase in 23 staffs and between 2011 and 2014 VSG had an increase in 54 staffs (18 females), all of whom have been carrying out their projects in 38 communes. VSG is optimistic that it will expand its supports from outside when it strengthens itself and increases its partnership with poor people in rural areas in a sustainable way.
