Micro-Businesses
The World Bank estimates that 80% of humanity lives on less than $10 a day. Poverty is rampant all over the world, and it is a determinant for much of the world’s corruption, including human trafficking.
Cambodia is filled with areas of great poverty, where many individuals remain hopeless, trapped in generational debt, corruption, and exploitation. Since poverty is one of the primary factors of human trafficking, creating and developing the economy is key to trafficking prevention. Providing job skills and more business opportunities is necessary to break cycles of poverty and restore individuals and communities.
Anti-trafficking efforts to protect children at-risk need to be more than just assisting vulnerable children – they need to also assist their families. Many parents enter into prostitution or choose to sell or exploit their children, because they have no other means to provide for themselves or their family.
Extreme Love Ministries has plans to develop several micro-businesses and training options in Phnom Penh. We have created a laundry business (Purity Laundry) as service to our Guesthouse visitors and have plans to start several more for at-risk families. As well, we plan on beginning a tuk-tuk taxi business (Kingdom XPress) to further assist families in need. Purity Laundry is a laundry business created by Extreme Love Ministries to provide on-the-job training for an at-risk family member while receiving a salary. The Purity Laundry business will not only provide the family with a reliable means of income, but at the same time they receive training in the skills necessary to run a business. The first Purity Laundry will provide fresh linens, towels, room cleaning services, and personal laundry service, as requested, to the guests at our Guesthouse. Later we will expand to several home-based business opportunities. Purity Laundry provides a way for families to support themselves and their family with dignity and break the cycle of poverty.