Jesus said "See that you do not despise one of these little ones,
                       For their angels in heaven continually to behold the face of my
                       father who is in heaven. Thus it is not in the will of the Father
                       that one of these little ones perish" Matthew 18:10, 14

In the year 2003, the population of Cambodia was recorded at 12 million people. Only 35% of the nation’s population over 15 years of age is literate. 5 million people, or 42% of the population is under the age of 14.  Cambodia’s mortality rate of children under five is high. Almost one in every five children dies before reaching the age of five. Due to the high birthrates and with half the female Cambodian population under 18 years of age, the current population structure contains an unusually large percentage of young children and pregnant women.

A typical family in Cambodia

If young girls and boys  survive, poverty usually hinders them from going to school or they drop out of school in their early age; this is so that the girls can tend to the younger siblings and cook for their families, and so that the boys can assist their parents’ farm or find a job that is often difficult and dangerous. Less than 1% of children will persevere until high school graduation. Many of these girls age 7-12 may have her own baby on her hip in less 10 years.