AHF Cambodia Cares proudly launched in 2005 to provide critical HIV/AIDS testing and treatment defined by unique campaigns like the Water Festival on World AIDS Day, the first Asia Bureau Girls Act program, and early tuk tuk mobile testing models, successfully reaching and retaining clients on antiretroviral treatment (ART) as an early leader in the field.
The first Cambodia Cares clinic opened its doors on March 10, 2006 in collaboration with the Cambodian Ministry of Health as one of five clinics in the country providing ARTs. Dr. Sarath Chhim, AHF Asia Pacific Bureau Chief, made the launch possible through his tireless dedication and his professional relationships with the Cambodian government and local communities. He achieved starting Cambodia Cares without an office or team of staff, and when his team was built they quickly established themselves as cutting-edge with the novel Continuum of Care approach to increase client retention, collaborating with peer ART clinics within the country while respectfully integrating into the existing HIV care landscape.
The team celebrated the first ribbon cutting with prominent medical and governmental leaders and just two years later in 2008 Cambodia Cares expanded to seven clinics. The year 2009 also marked Cambodia Cares’ early kick-off of AHF’s second “Testing Millions” campaign. The events traditionally took place on World AIDS Day, but the country team tailored it to local values by starting their efforts during the Cambodian Water Festival in November, the largest and most celebrated holiday in the country. For the previous year’s campaign Cambodia Cares exceeded their testing goal by 5,000 tests, reaching over 35,000 tests.
In the following decade after launching, Cambodia Cares further innovated their treatment models by introducing methods of reaching underserved communities nationally, such as rural towns, youth, and gay men. A tuk tuk delivery service and mobile testing van were fully operational by the mid-2010s and the first Girls Act program in Asia started reaching Cambodian young women and girls in 2019 while an Impulse chapter launched shortly before. Over the years the team aided the works of partners, such as the Happy Tree Orphanage in Phnom Penh during the early 2000s.
Today, AHF serves over 57,000 clients and supports over 40 HIV treatment sites in the country and the Cambodia Cares team continues to succeed in their original 2005 goal of providing cutting-edge medicine and advocacy regardless of ability to pay with cultural competency and local innovations.
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