Preaek Preah S’dach is home to 13,842 people, comprising 2,495 families, spread across eight villages on the outskirts of Battambang city. Blending the rhythm of village life with the energy of an expanding urban area, it’s a place where small farms, family shops and local markets sit alongside growing residential clusters. While its proximity to the city brings opportunity, many families face challenges linked to urban transition, including housing pressure and unstable incomes. In 2025, Preaek Preah Sdach became home to the fourth Village Hive in Battambang District, marking a key step toward stronger community resilience and equitable access to essential services.
13,842
people
8
villages
From where I sit, the Village Hive has been nothing but a blessing for our commune. People here judge a project by whether it changes daily life, and this one has. Families who were once struggling now have steady work. Children who were missing school are back in the classroom with books in their hands and lunch in their stomachs. That alone lifts a huge weight from parents.
When I first heard about the project, I felt immediate relief. It seemed obvious to me that this was exactly the type of support our poorest families needed. The goals were simple and practical. Help people find work, strengthen their livelihoods, give children what they need to stay in school, and offer basic support to households who cannot quite stay afloat.
Since the project began, the change in the community is very clear. Livelihoods have improved. People who had no stable income now have jobs. Some have learnt new skills and can contribute more consistently to their families. Children are returning to school because the barriers that kept them home have been removed.
Before the Village Hive arrived, many families were barely getting by and many children simply stayed home. Now families have proper work and school attendance is back on track.
I have no concerns about the project. It has done exactly what it promised and more. The strongest sign of success is the happiness of the residents. When people are working, when children are learning, the whole community feels lighter.
The Village Hive has proven to be one of the most effective initiatives introduced into our Sangkat. From a management perspective, it has been a well organised and genuinely useful program. It reaches families who were previously excluded from opportunity and gives them clear pathways to employment, skills development and education.
When I first reviewed the project and its aims, I felt confident that it would bring the kind of structural support our community has been lacking. It aligns closely with what we, as local authorities, have been trying to achieve. Employment for poor families. Vocational training. Capital for small businesses. School materials for students. These services work together to break the cycle of poverty rather than simply easing it for a moment.
After implementation, I saw rapid improvement among the most vulnerable groups. Families who had no income now have workable business ideas or jobs they can rely on. Children who had left school have returned with the support of lunch, learning supplies and follow up from the project teams. Livelihoods have lifted in a way that is visible in daily life.
Looking ahead, my hope is simple. I want the community to achieve long term stability. I want every family to have reliable work and the capacity to build their own livelihoods. Above all, I want every child in this Sangkat enrolled in school and free from the pressures of poverty. The Village Hive is helping us move in that direction.
Click below to see the past reports for the Preaek Preah Sdach.
