Project AID Khmer: Addressing the health impact of HIV/AIDS on Cambodia through rural capacity building

HIV/AIDS prevention efforts in Cambodia have largely focussed on urban populations. This focus, however, has diverted attention from the impact of the disease on rural communities, where poverty and a lack of basic infrastructure forced many to migrate to urban areas. Rural communities thus play a crucial part in the understanding of HIV/AIDS transmission dynamics in Cambodia. This paper will provide an analysis of socio-economic and health-related needs of rural communities in Cambodia, giving a different context for understanding the national burden of HIV/AIDS. These concepts will be illustrated with experiences from Project AID Khmer, a Cambodian non-governmental organisation that is working to improve Cambodian health through education programmes and community capacity building in rural Takeo province.