Introducing the Shinta Mani Foundation
7 august 2023
Because, away from the temples, nightlife and luxury hotels that constitute most tourists’ experience of Siem Reap, Cambodia has some of the worst poverty in Southeast Asia. 62% of the population lives in substandard housing, with as many as 20% of Phnom Penh’s residents living in slums and over 4000 children living homeless across the country. 15% of the population is undernourished, with almost a third of the country’s children being malnourished. 2 million Cambodians lack access to clean water; 6 million lack proper sanitation.
The country’s increasingly successful tourism industry obviously goes some way to helping reduce poverty, but too little money trickles down to those who need it, especially those living away from tourism centres such as Siem Reap and Phnom Penh.
Hence the establishment in 2004 of the Shinta Mani Hotel, and the associated Institute of Hospitality Siem Reap. Two non-profit organisations designed to train young, underprivileged Cambodians in hospitality and find them employment in the tourism sector. The initiative proved so popular that two years later, operations were expanded beyond hospitality and into local communities, with initiatives to help lift Cambodian families out of poverty via programmes focused on health, development, education and more.
In 2011 the organisation was formalised and the Shinta Mani Foundation was officially established, focusing not only on hospitality training and community outreach but also in areas such as agriculture, wildlife protection and microfinance. The foundation pledges that 100% of all donations goes directly to those who need it most, so if you join the Bensley Art Trail, you can be sure that every last cent of your $10,000 will go to the Cambodian people.
What has the Foundation achieved since its inception? Here are a few figures:
In short, the Foundation’s mission is “To see a strong prosperous Cambodia where families are strong and communities become centers of activity and support escaping the devastation and cycle of poverty”, and by joining our Bensley Art Trail trip, you will be making a HUGE contribution to this goal.