Prince Charitable Foundation, the charitable arm of Prince Holding Group ('Prince Group'), one of Cambodia's largest and fastest expanding conglomerates, has provided care packages to 500 families in Ong village, Prey Nob district, Cambodia. The community is close to the Ream City project, an 834-hectare development on reclaimed land near Sihanoukville International Airport that is planned to change the region. The gesture of goodwill occurred last week, when top management from Canopy Sands Development, a part of Prince Group, used the opportunity to speak with local leaders to better understand the community's needs. The aid campaign at Ong Village is Prince Group's most recent environment, social, and governance (ESG) effort.
Each care package included 25 kilogrammes of rice, a mat, a blanket, two pillows, a mosquito net, and a Khmer Krama (traditional scarves woven in the countryside). It will be the first of many initiatives to help the local community, especially since Prince Group envisions citizens playing a significant role in the development of the coastal project. Ream City, when completed, is expected to house up to 130,000 people and may potentially include housing estates, themed shopping centres, schools, and hospitals, boosting the local economy.
At a time when rural Cambodians are suffering significant economic issues, Prince Group has concentrated on delivering products to help inhabitants with their everyday necessities. “We are serious about engaging with local communities and establishing a good relationship with them – they are key stakeholders for the Ream City project. Not only do we consider it our duty as a responsible corporate actor to provide assistance in these challenging times, we believe local residents will play an important role as part of our workforce due to the scale of the Ream City project,” said Mr. Khong Weng Fook, Managing Director of Canopy Sands Development. “Currently, about 70 locals are employed at the Ream City project. In time, we will look to impart the necessary skills through upskilling and other human empowerment efforts to further engage local residents for the project.”
Throughout the relief effort, Prince Group management communicated with Mr. Sor Kakada, District Chief of Prey Nob, to better understand the needs of citizens. They were informed that greater healthcare facilities are required. Because Prey Nob is located outside of Sihanoukville, basic medical facilities are in short supply. As a result, Prince Group will look into the viability of creating healthcare outlets in the neighbourhood.
Ream City will create significant job possibilities for Cambodians and will contribute to the expansion of the Sihanoukville International Airport, which is planned to boost its capacity from 3.6 million to 10 million passengers by the end of the decade. Prince Group feels that through distributing basic aid, a healthy dialogue may be built between local populations and developers, ensuring a productive long-term relationship.
Prince Group's ESG strategy is divided into three components: healthcare, education, and community participation. Last year, the Group made a number of large-scale donations to aid in the fight against the pandemic and to flood victims in Cambodia. To date, Prince Charitable Foundation Organization has hosted over 240 charitable events and contributed monies and other items totaling more than US$11 million to over 320,000 people. The Chairman of Prince Group, Neak Oknha Chen Zhi, has also personally donated US$3 million to assist Cambodia in purchasing 1 million COVID-19 vaccines.
