Somaly Mam is a survivor of sex slavery. She was sold at a young age into the brothels of Phnom Penh and endured years of exploitation and abuse. Today, she is a renowned leader, recognized worldwide for her efforts to support Cambodian girls and young women who have been victims of rape, sex trafficking, and abuse.
The Association of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has supported Somaly’s mission with several significant donations to her center and dormitory for young victims of sex abuse in Phnom Penh. The facility was founded by Somaly in 1996 and is named “AFESIP Cambodia: Acting for Women in Distressing Situations.”
DOWNLOADThe center has aided thousands of young women with therapy, housing, food, education, career guidance and even support in court to bring their abusers to justice. The center provides all necessary help to give young women a chance to heal, attend school, get jobs and become productive members of society. It teaches the girls they are not victims, but survivors, and they have the ability to recover from their abuse and lead successful lives.
Elder and Sister Neal and Carol Ann Clinger, who are humanitarian missionaries in Cambodia for The Association of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said the Church has supported AFESIP with a variety of projects over the last few years.
During a recent visit to AFESIP, Elder Clinger said, “It has been a highlight of our mission to visit this center and provide help. This is really an excellent program. It is well-operated and very professional. The center and its staff are making a real difference in the lives of these children and young women.”
Some girls are in the AFESIP program for many years. Some 80 percent of AFESIP staff were victims of abuse themselves, and now work at the center supporting other young victims.
The program is currently helping 168 girls who have been sexually abused, raped, or trafficked. About 90 girls aged 6 to 18 are living in a dormitory at the center. Some older young women have already graduated from public high school and are provided long-term support off-site in apartments, usually with other graduates. They are attending college or receiving vocational skills training. A small amount of funding is even available to help young women start small businesses after they receive training.
A medical assessment is performed when the girls first arrive at the school to determine the extent of injuries they may have sustained from abuse. The girls attend public schools and receive health care and group and individual therapy. They are provided attorneys and are supported in going to court and testifying, if necessary, in the prosecution of perpetrators.
DOWNLOADThe aim of AFESIP is to empower the girls to be survivors, not victims. The goal is also to eventually reunite the girls with their families, if appropriate.
The AFESIP complex includes a health clinic with a part-time doctor and a full-time nurse. Counselors and therapists are available to work with the girls. One room is used for assessment and another one isolation if a girl gets sick with a contagious illness.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints helped pay for remodeling of the health clinic and has donated equipment to measure A1C blood glucose levels, a centrifuge and other needed instruments for the clinic.
The Church's involvement started in 2023. Initial donations included new laptop computers, 30 bicycles, 100 school uniforms, a medical trolley and bedside tray, hemogramme and biochemistry machines, various school supplies, library materials, including 200 books, bookshelves, table and chairs, other furniture, wall art and world globe, and security cameras.
Since then, the Church has donated additional new laptops and printers, repair of a leaky roof, and a heavy-duty pump to prevent flooding in the center courtyard.
On the January 15, 2025, visit to the center to deliver additional laptops and printers, Elder and Sister Clinger and other visitors were enthusiastically welcomed with a big “thank you” program from the girls and center leaders.
Lin Sylor, General Director, AFESIP Cambodia, and Sao Chhoeurth, Co-Program Director, provided a tour of the center and health clinic, highlighting the Church’s many donations. Somaly Mam, the center’s founder, was not at the center as she was traveling to another province to follow up with a former student and visit a student who was ill.
The guests were shown the library and classrooms where English and computer skills are taught. They saw how the girls are using computers to make movies telling their own stories as part of their therapy. The girls live on the second floor of the center in dorm rooms with 5-6 girls per room. On Sundays the girls are taught traditional Cambodian dancing. They enjoy a meditation period each day.
Lin Sylor told the visitors, “AFESIP Cambodia appreciates The Association of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints because high-quality equipment is donated and the missionaries learn from the directors what is needed before they decide on a donation.”
The young women receiving laptops expressed their gratitude and described their courses of study. A number of them said they wanted to be attorneys and one girl said she wants to be a clinical psychologist.
A group of some of the youngest girls at the center stood before the Church visitors and told their names, ages and what they wanted to be when they grew up. They then recited a charming poem in unison.
Missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Church, including more than a dozen young elders and sister missionaries, visited the center last December 25 for a Christmas party. The young missionaries brought cookies to eat and beads for stringing bracelets with the girls. They all enjoyed a fun party. The girls remembered the Christmas Day visit and were happy to see the senior missionaries again.
DOWNLOADThe visit ended with group pictures with the girls, teachers and directors – and lots of emotional hugs. “We really felt appreciated and loved for our visit and the Church’s support for the center,” said Sister Clinger. “This is one of our favorite projects ever.”
The missionaries said they appreciated the charitable contributions of Church members throughout the world, which makes donations to AFESIP and other worthy causes possible.