The Green Gecko Project (GGP) supports 33 chronically poor families in Siem Reap, Cambodia and aims empower them with skills and education to enable them to break the begging cycle and reintegrate positively into society.

GGP has evolved into what it is today through responding to the needs of it's beneficiaries. GGP was initially set up in 2005 up as a drop-in centre for street children; a safe place for them to eat, wash, learn and play a few hours a day. The majority of these children were the main breadwinners of their families and responsible for ensuring their younger siblings were fed and safe.

Late 2006, begging became illegal in Siem Reap and dozens of people were arrested and taken to a detention centre, including 3 children who had been attending the Gecko drop-in centre for 16 months. These children were eventually released on the proviso that GGP took a stronger, more permanent role in their lives to keep them off the streets permanently. With this new restriction and no formal form of social welfare GGP started providing micro-businesses, rental assistance and weekly nutrition packs to the families so as to keep these children from being forced to beg illegally or worse, sold into child prostitution like many of their older siblings.

The majority of these parents were unable to engage in labour markets; almost all are uneducated, many landmine victims and discriminated against. Understanding that long-term change is only possible through empowerment and participation, GGP now operates an Outreach program, based on offering support to the GGP Families who have themselves been victims of violence, trauma and abuse. Looking at the interrelation of social factors and individual thoughts and behaviours of the families, it aims to ease them into a healthier more sustainable life by helping them reduce the harms associated with the way they currently cope with these past and present issues; problematic gambling, alcohol and drug use which contributes to issues such as debt and domestic violence.

These afflictions were putting the children in harm's way, for this reason the centre was expanded to provide a second home that was safe from abuse and met all their basic physical and emotional needs to make education possible. By supporting their children - through their formative years and into their adult lives and through sustainable, long-term training and empowerment solutions, GGP hopes to provide opportunities for them to reach their highest potential.