Share the Health Cambodia

01/31/2026

Share the Health Cambodia (SEHCO)

Cluster School Safety Training Program Proposal

Executive Summary
Share the Health Cambodia (SEHCO) proposes a five‑day, district‑cluster training program to strengthen emergency response capacity and drowning‑prevention knowledge among primary school teachers in rural Kampong Cham. This initiative aligns directly with UNICEF Cambodia’s national call to address child drowning—the leading cause of death for children aged 5–14—and with WHO’s Global Status Report on Drowning Prevention, which urges multisectoral, community‑level interventions.

SEHCO’s model delivers Medical Assistant Training (MAT), CPR basics, and drowning‑prevention education to four strategically selected primary schools within a single district cluster. The program reduces travel fatigue, maximizes reach, and builds a sustainable safety network through ongoing digital support communities and refresher opportunities.

Problem Statement
Child Drowning in Cambodia
UNICEF Cambodia identifies drowning as a silent epidemic, responsible for more deaths among children aged 5–14 than dengue, malaria, and traffic accidents combined. Rural children are at highest risk due to:
Proximity to rivers, ponds, and irrigation canals
Limited adult supervision during peak agricultural seasons
Lack of formal water‑safety education
Limited emergency response capacity in schools and communities

Global Context (WHO)
The WHO Global Status Report on Drowning Prevention highlights:
Drowning as a top 10 cause of death for children worldwide
The need for school‑based safety education
The importance of community‑level training in CPR and first response
The effectiveness of multisectoral partnerships involving education, health, and local authorities
Local Capacity Gaps

In rural Kampong Cham, teachers often serve as first responders during school hours but lack:
Basic first‑aid training
CPR skills
Knowledge of safe rescue principles
Access to ongoing support or refresher training

SEHCO’s program directly addresses these gaps.

Program Objectives
Equip primary school teachers with practical MAT skills (bleeding control, fractures, emergency response).
Deliver drowning‑prevention education aligned with UNICEF and WHO recommendations.
Establish a sustainable teacher safety network through WhatsApp/Telegram communities.
Reduce emergency response time and improve survival outcomes in rural schools.
Strengthen district‑level collaboration between schools, local authorities, and SEHCO.

Program Methodology
Training Model: 4 Schools in 5 Days
SEHCO deploys a mobile training team to four primary schools within the same district cluster. Each school receives:
3.5 hours of MAT and drowning‑prevention training
Practical CPR demonstrations
Risk‑mapping discussions
Teacher Q&A and safety‑community onboarding
Water is provided for all participants, and teachers receive access to SEHCO’s ongoing digital support community.

Daily Structure
Morning: MAT + drowning‑prevention training (08:00–11:30)
Midday: Light lunch + Q&A (11:30–12:30)
Afternoon: Travel to next school + equipment setup

Target Schools & Geographic Rationale
Suggested Cluster (All within ~20–35 minutes)
Cheung Prey Primary School – Cheung Prey District
Koh Sotin Primary School – Koh Sotin District
Batheay Primary School – Batheay District
Prey Chhor Primary School – Prey Chhor District
These districts sit close to Kampong Cham town, reducing fuel costs, minimizing staff fatigue, and ensuring efficient logistics while still reaching high‑risk rural communities.

Base Hotel
LBN Asian Hotel – chosen for: Central location Reliable electricity and early breakfast. Secure parking for NGO vehicles. Safe overnight equipment storage

Implementation Plan (Day‑by‑Day)

Day 1 – Arrival & First School Setup
Morning: Team arrival, hotel check‑in, equipment check (MAT kits, CPR mannequins, teaching aids, reporting materials).
Afternoon: Travel to Cheung Prey Primary School, meet authorities, set up training space, confirm attendance.

Day 2 – School 1 Training → School 2 Setup
Morning: Full MAT + drowning‑prevention training at Cheung Prey.
Midday: Lunch + Q&A + introduction to safety community.
Afternoon: Travel to Koh Sotin, equipment setup, teacher briefing.

Day 3 – School 2 Training → School 3 Setup
Morning: Training at Koh Sotin with practical demonstrations.
Midday: Lunch + discussion + local risk mapping.
Afternoon: Travel to Batheay, setup, community coordination.

Day 4 – School 3 Training → School 4 Setup
Morning: Training at Batheay with CPR rotation practice.
Midday: Lunch + peer discussion + safety‑champion encouragement.
Afternoon: Travel to Prey Chhor, final setup.

Day 5 – Final Training & Program Close
Morning: Training at Prey Chhor + review of key safety messages.
Midday: Final lunch + Q&A + onboarding to safety community.
Afternoon: Equipment pack‑down, team debrief, return travel.

Expected Outcomes
Short‑Term
80–120 teachers trained across four schools
Increased teacher confidence in responding to emergencies
Improved understanding of drowning risks and safe rescue principles
Establishment of a district‑wide teacher safety network

Long‑Term
Reduced drowning and injury risk among thousands of students
Stronger school‑community collaboration on safety
Sustainable capacity through refresher trainings and digital support
Contribution to national drowning‑prevention goals
Monitoring & Reporting

SEHCO will provide:
Daily attendance records
Pre/post‑training confidence assessments
Photo documentation (with consent)
End‑of‑program summary report
Recommendations for district‑level follow‑up
Alignment with UNICEF & WHO Priorities

UNICEF Cambodia
This program supports UNICEF’s national drowning‑prevention priorities by:
Delivering school‑based safety education
Targeting rural high‑risk communities
Strengthening teacher capacity as frontline protectors
Creating sustainable community‑level safety networks

WHO Global Recommendations
The program aligns with WHO’s call for:
Multisectoral partnerships
Community‑level first‑aid and CPR training
School‑based drowning‑prevention education
Scalable, low‑cost interventions

Budget Overview (Indicative)
A detailed budget can be provided upon request. Typical cost categories include:
Training materials (MAT kits, CPR mannequins, visual aids)
Staff deployment and per diem
Fuel and transport
Lunch for teachers
Hotel accommodation
Reporting and monitoring

Contact Information
Share the Health Cambodia (SEHCO)
Email: Sharethehealth@Sharethehealthcambodia.onmicrosoft.com
EIN: 26‑3197720
Founded: 2008
Mission: Strengthening Cambodia’s emergency‑care capacity through community‑based training, drowning‑prevention education, and sustainable partnerships.

01/29/2026

Why we do what we do. 300,000 unnecessary drownings. In Cambodia, that's 6 children every day. We're here to do better.

https://www.unicef.org/cambodia/stopping-child-drowning-cambodia

https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240103962

Every year, drowning kills 1,300 people in Cambodia, including children. With the right knowledge, skills, and preparation, these deaths are preventable.

01/28/2026

Proud of our great team and partners!
STHC/SEHCO and Cambodia Peace Forum bringing health all over Cambodia !

01/28/2026

Great partners bringing healthcare to rural Cambodia

01/28/2026

Glad to see my Share the Health Cambodia team joining our partners វេទិកាសន្តិភាពកម្ពុជា-Cambodia Peace Forum for a trip to Ou Te Reservoir Dam in Mondolkiri Province.
We want our health care training to reach all of Cambodia, especially rural areas with limited modern health care.
Visit our pages to learn more!

01/25/2026

When I say our team reaches some of the most remote places in the world- this is what I mean. We’re heading that way in the morning with most of our team to teach about health and safety. Follow our amazing work to save lives around the world!

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

01/21/2026

As a US registered non-profit, all of our activities are transparent and public record. Today's meeting discussed our goals. If you support our cause, please join us as we grow. If we succeed, we will need more trainers and volunteers. For US volunteers or Khmer partners, learn about our work and join our cause. We want to train your team to provide our skills class.

Meeting Minutes
Organization: Sharing Experiences for Health in Cambodia Organization (SEHCO)
Date: Jan 21, 2026 Time: 11:00 AM Location: Internal meeting
Attendees:
James Garcia, CEO
Thavy Chea, Director
Thorn Chantha, Lead Instructor
Tim Phillipson, Program Manager
Chantheara Bun, Business Manager
Not available: Socheat, Sopheap, Dr Zack, Seyla, Ingrid

1. Opening & Acknowledgements
James opened the meeting by introducing our new team members and thanking the team for their continued hard work and commitment.
Chantheara Bun will ensure all our paperwork is correct with the many ministries and partners. He will supervise grant research and collaborative opportunities.
Tim is a wizard at crafting and implementing our programs and growth. He is inspired by this opportunity to help people. We will in turn support his personal NGO, Children’s Charity Cambodia.
Our core MAT program will remain ongoing and expanding. We will try to align with four new partner NGOs we train to deliver the class. We will also be speeding up production of a Pool Safety Anti-Drowning Program to align with Ministry of Health and UNICEF.
James acknowledged the significant progress made and emphasized that the organization is now very close to securing funding through a combination of: Grants, Government donations, Paid water safety, hotel pool safety, and CPR training programs.
These paid programs are expected to fund further training delivery and allow the organization to begin paying staff salaries, strengthening long-term sustainability.

2. Funding & Governance
James confirmed that no donations will be accepted from opposition or politically affiliated sources. He reassured the team that all funding will remain strictly non-political. We support and respect the help of our government and private partners. We will be proactive in assuring there is no conflict of interest.
As a registered American NGO, STHC/SEHCO must maintain full financial transparency, with clear and auditable records of all income and expenditure.

3. UNICEF Engagement
Thavy and Seyla confirmed they are actively approaching their connections within UNICEF to explore collaboration and support opportunities.

4. DIB Club Pilot Program
The team discussed the DIB Club as a potential location for a pilot program rollout.
It was agreed that the next step is to identify someone who can attend in person to present and discuss the program with DIB Club representatives.

5. Upcoming Ministerial Visit
A visit is planned for 27 January, which Tim will attend.
The purpose of the visit is to meet with ministers and further discussions around program support and recognition.

6. Future Structure & Planning
The team discussed future roles and organizational structure as the program scales.
It was agreed that a shared team calendar will be set up to improve planning, coordination, and visibility of activities.

7. Next Steps / Actions
Continue pursuing grant, government, and paid training funding
Progress UNICEF engagement through existing connections
Identify a representative to approach and meet with DIB Club
Prepare for the 27 January ministerial visit
Research visit to Ministry of Health Dept of External Medicine for collaboration proposal.
Set up a shared team calendar
Begin outlining future roles and organizational structure

Thank you all. We have a great chance at success if we keep it going. Remember, we are all heroes and lifesavers because of this work we are doing. I am so proud of you. - James

01/19/2026

Support peace for Cambodia, and peace for all.

01/19/2026

Monks March through Lexington NC

01/19/2026

A few more shots with the Monks March for Peace through Lexington NC.
If they come within a days drive of your house, you really should go support their efforts.

09/17/2025

Share the Health Cambodia 2025

Who We Are
Share the Health Cambodia is a US-based 501 (c) (3) non-profit Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) dedicated to improving life and health across the world.
Share the Health Cambodia’s 2025 mission is to continue providing all of Cambodia with a simplified, culturally adapted medical program that can act as the foundation for emergency medical services training programs in the future.
Our program allows local Cambodian citizens, police, medical providers, teachers, religious members, and high school students to feel empowered to act quickly and confidently to provide basic prehospital emergency skills throughout the country.
In 2025, we partnered with the Non-profit Cambodian Peace Forum (CPF). Together with CPF, we hold approximately two training classes a week, with emphasis on border regions with limited medical services. Over 35,000 students have received our training classes, and share the skills with their local communities.
Colonel James D. Garcia is the CEO and founder of Share the Health Cambodia. James is a career Paramedic with 35 years of experience in emergency health care. After being struck while working at an accident in 1994, James wrote the ‘Slow Down, Move Over’ law to help protect emergency workers. He has advocated globally for roadway safety, with his SDMO Law adopted in dozens of countries. In 2008 James visited Angkor Wat and saw the need for improving medical care in rural Cambodia. He created his NGO and cooperated with the Cambodian government to operate a Community Medical Health Center in Chong Doung village, Kampong Thom Province that treated over 10,000 patients free of charge.
STHC has continued to collaborate with the Cambodian government and other non-profits to provide a variety of training and medical services to the poor of rural Cambodia. Our Cambodian office holds a nonprofit registration with the Ministry of the Interior, Department of Foreign Affairs, and a Memorandum of Understanding with CPF, in accordance with the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education.
The Need We Address
The devastation caused by the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s destroyed most of Cambodia’s infrastructure. Even with international support, over 70% of rural Cambodians still have reduced access to indoor plumbing, electricity, standard schooling, or modern medical services.
Even though the Cambodian government has made tremendous progress, there is still a lack of many services in rural areas. In the remote regions we serve, there is very little access to modern medical care or training. Over 1,800 children drown yearly, and our program is one of the few to seek to prevent these deaths.
The toll from roadway crashes, falls, drowning, farming accidents, and even minor medical issues are catastrophic without emergency medical services. The UN and WHO “Global Plan Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030” provides guidance for all countries receiving funding assistance to achieve road safety target goals for improving road safety and quality of life. Although there are many factors to road safety, our program has been created specifically to meet the needs outlined in Pillar 5, “Post-Crash Care” (pages 16 and 17). This calls for raising community awareness of simple emergency care and timely first aid, especially in areas where medical response is limited.
Our Classes
STHC has created two specific classes to meet the needs outlined in this plan.
The first program is a Medical Attendant Training class (MAT), which shows laypeople simple concepts to stop bleeding, splint broken bones, stop choking, and perform compression-only CPR. Over 35,000 students have taken this training all over Cambodia.
STHC Medical Awareness Training (MAT)
This is a 2 ½ hour course to address the four most common and basic medical emergencies likely to be encountered. Small details of treatments may change with time, research and cultures, but overall, being aware of these four simple concepts can provide the best response for the majority of all emergencies.
Our class details the top four critical skills that will save lives in 90% of all emergencies:
Stop bleeding with direct pressure, or a tourniquet for severe bleeding.
Broken bones are sharp and must be stabilized with improvised and available materials.
Any airway obstruction must be cleared quickly.
Compression-only CPR is the most effective method to restore a pulse.

These must be taught in a context that accurately addresses their use in rural areas of Cambodia, with realistic consideration of the limited supplies, access to care, and cultural barriers. It is critical this program is tailored specifically to meet the needs of rural Khmer. Our program was developed to be easily understood and shared in these regions, and incorporate local Theravada Buddhist principles into the care and training. It is realistic about limited education, the lack of materials available to provide care, the challenges of functioning within the local cultural norms, and the reluctance to become involved during an emergency.

Our second program is a “Post-Crash Response,” designed to teach community professionals- police, fire, medical providers, teachers, and religious leaders how to prepare in anticipation of the inevitable arrival of a mandatory 119 emergency service. This includes the basics and infrastructure of an emergency medical service, which does not currently exist in Cambodia.

Preparing for the Future
There simply is no 911/119 in Cambodia. There are a few untrained private hospital ambulances around Phnom Penh, but otherwise, they simply aren’t culturally aware of how a 911/119 system works.
The UN/WHO Plan directs agencies to “Build capacity of pre-hospital, hospital and rehabilitation care/services, and establish a basic package of emergency care services for each level of the health system.” Our program helps all stakeholders- police, fire, government, medical services, schools, community, and religious leaders- on all basic aspects of integrating future emergency services and post-crash response.
We are currently developing two additional advanced classes. “Conflict Region Skills” will cover additional actions helpful in areas likely to see combat injuries. Skills include rapid triage assessment, rapid extrication, blast injuries, and penetrating injuries. We are also finalizing a “Vital Signs Assessment” class to teach the basic diagnostic parameters of blood pressure. pulse, respirations, pulse oxygenation, blood glucose, level of consciousness and temperature. It will also cover heart attack and stroke recognition.
Our future goals for 2030 include increasing “Train the Trainer” classes to qualify more instructors, finalizing the new classes, adding additional volunteer staff to meet logistical needs, and reaching more rural and underserved areas of Cambodia.
Our Partnerships
Since 2008, STHC has successfully worked with many local, national, and international Non-profit groups, government, and religious agencies to promote improved access to medical care in rural Cambodia. We ensure transparency through partnerships with trusted NGOs and government oversight, and have a MOU with the Cambodian Peace Forum to provide our training throughout Cambodia. The class is free of charge and in cooperation with local officials.
Our partners have also included the Cambodian Red Cross, The Kampong Thom Ministry of Health, Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders), Jeremiah’s Hope, Samaritan’s Purse, Smile Train, Side By Side International, People’s Improvement Organization, The Lake Clinic, Mekhala House Orphanage, CAMSAFE, Surgeons for Cambodia, Lifeway International Missions, and many others.
STHC has maintained a GuideStar Gold or Platinum Star Non-profit rating since 2009.

Financial Reality
STHC is an official tax-deductible 501c3 international Non-profit, in good standing with outstanding ratings from all reporting services. Sponsoring our summer programs requires travel, medical supplies and training materials that typically cost $10,000, and provides training for up to 3000 students. Sadly, since the pandemic, all donations are down.
We are constantly seeking sponsorship, collaborative partners, and volunteers from every background to increase our goals and services. Please consider us as part of your charity giving. If you would like to donate to, volunteer for, or help promote our program, or simply would like more information, feel free to contact me directly
James D Garcia, CEO
Share the Health Cambodia
411 Mirror Lake Pl
Fayetteville NC 28303
(910) 709-7370
shadomoon2000@yahoo.com

Sharethehealthcambodia.org

https://www.facebook.com/ShareTheHealthCambodia/

Share the Health Cambodia is a US based nonprofit 501(c)(3) LLC with the purpose of improving access to qualified healthcare to the people of rural Cambodia. Our current project will train Ambulance workers toward a modern EMS system

09/09/2025

I’m grateful for the recent attention Cambodia has received, it’s just unfortunate that it’s due to war.
These children are orphans.
It’s a common fact of life in Cambodia- with limited health care and no social safety net, many children are left on their own. The Lifeway Lutheran Church in Kampong Thom is feeding and caring for them, but they have no money and limited donations.
My focus has always been on supporting improved healthcare, because this is the result of that need. So we frequently help churches and orphanages when we can. We are a legitimate tax-deductible 501c3 with a Platinum transparency rating.
If you’d like to make a donation to go directly towards feeding or clothing these children, contact me or donate through our many platforms.
Share the Health Cambodia
Share the Health In Cambodia