Cambodia: Shanty Town Spirit launches 'The Power of One Dollar', a dollar a month to change lives

Editorial team
6 hours ago
3 min read

In Phnom Penh, the Shanty Town Spirit Association is launching 'The Power of One Dollar', a monthly one-dollar donation campaign designed to support Cambodia's most vulnerable families, day after day.

*Visual of the 'The Power of One Dollar' campaign — © Shanty Town Spirit Association*

An association standing by vulnerable families

Founded by Princess Ermine Norodom, the Shanty Town Spirit Association was created to walk alongside the Kingdom's most vulnerable communities. For more than a decade, it has favoured steady, hands-on support for families living in extreme poverty over one-off aid.

Its work rests on five pillars: Health & Hygiene, Education & Youth, Sports & Leisure, Women's Empowerment, and Community Care & Safety. What began as a small initiative has grown into a genuine daily support system, now reaching more than 300 families every day.

The approach is built on a simple conviction: restoring people's dignity is the first step toward breaking the cycle of poverty. Beyond material aid, Shanty Town Spirit says it aims to offer these families hope and real prospects for the future.

'The Power of One Dollar': the strength of a small, recurring gesture

It is in this spirit that the association is launching its new campaign, 'The Power of One Dollar', inviting supporters to back its work with a monthly donation of just one dollar. The process is designed to be as simple as possible: an online registration form is enough to set up a monthly contribution, from anywhere in the world.

The campaign carries a strong symbolic dimension, summed up in one idea: Khmer people supporting Khmer people. The belief is that meaningful change can begin from within the Cambodian community itself, through a shared spirit of solidarity. At the same time, Shanty Town Spirit hopes the initiative will grow beyond Cambodia's borders into a global movement, open to anyone, anywhere, who wants to help build a better environment for those in need.

By pooling many small contributions, the association expects to unlock additional resources to expand its work and deliver support where it is needed most. Funds raised will also help develop the Community Empowerment & Learning Hub, a space currently being built to offer vocational training, education and new opportunities to the families it supports.

Join the movement

One dollar may seem small, but together, these small gestures can create lasting change. By joining 'The Power of One Dollar', donors become part of a growing community standing alongside Cambodia's vulnerable families — proof that real impact doesn't require a large sum, only a willing heart. Every dollar brings Shanty Town Spirit one step closer to its goal: brighter futures, stronger communities and lasting hope.

Registration is done through an online form available on the association's channels.

A network of committed partners

Shanty Town Spirit's work is made possible by a dedicated network of partners. On the strategic and programmatic side, the association works with Arya Vong Kim Beauty Academy & Salon and Education For Life. Volunteer and community engagement is supported by De Montfort University and the CamEd Community Club. In health and wellbeing, Animal Mama and the University of Puthisastra help ensure access to care for the families it serves. Advocacy and corporate backing come from BritCham and 7 River Concrete.