GlobeMed at UW-Madison partners with Cambodian Organization for Women's Support (COWS) in Kampong Thom, Cambodia to increase awareness of reproductive health issues.
GlobeMed at the University of Wisconsin - Madison + COWS
Chapter
GlobeMed at the University of Wisconsin – Madison | Madison, Wisconsin
Partner
Cambodian Organization for Women’s Support (COWS) | Kampong Thom, Cambodia
Key Fact
Pol Pot, leader of the Khmer Rouge and the Cambodian genocide, grew up just three kilometers from COWS’ office in the Kampong Thom Province.
“I hope your university and my organization will have good relationship, close cooperation and become a strong partner by sending your students as representatives to work with my organization. Once again, I thanks for your collaboration and being my organizational partner.”
– In Sophat, Program Coordinator at COWS
About the Partnership
Cambodian Organization for Women’s Support (COWS) was founded in 1993, right after the first UN-facilitated elections, by five women seeking to bring women’s health and community development to the Kampong Thom Province. COWS believes that by focusing on natural resource management, good governance at the grassroots level, and promotion of health education, they will be able to support and empower the most marginalized Cambodians to bring them a better life.
The GlobeMed chapter at University of Wisconsin–Madison felt immediately connected with COWS’ emphasis on community development and grassroots efforts when their partnership began in the fall of 2011. Since beginning its partnership, the GlobeMed chapter has raised over $9,000 for COWS’ reproductive health education program.
Project
This year, GlobeMed at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the Cambodian Organization for Women’s Support are working together to implement a program to encourage youth in the Kampong Thom Province to develop small businesses. COWS will match youth with local tradesmen to learn vital and business skills. Each participant will receive seed money with which they can start up their own small business. The goal is to increase the number of local jobs and reduce the need for emigration to find work.
Impact
COWS and GlobeMed at University of Wisconsin–Madison hope to provide long-term economic empowerment to rural youth, in hopes of stabilizing and improving the health of families in the Kampong Thom Province.
Get Involved
Read GlobeMed at University of Wisconsin–Madison’s annual report and donate to their cause. Interested in joining the chapter? Contact uw-mad@globemed.org.
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