Family Package: Aid for Children with Disabilities Like Piseth
Exploring how Cambodia's Family Package aids children like Piseth through financial support, access to education, and healthcare improvements.
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10 January 2025, Preah Vihear—In the hard concrete schoolyard of a primary school in Preah Vihear, a football flies through the air. Piseth, standing with his crutches planted in the ground, eyes the ball, his face tight with focus. The crutches make it harder for him to move quickly, but as the ball comes near, he swings his leg and kicks it far. His classmates cheer as he smiles proudly.
Piseth, a 16-year-old born with a physical impairment, has been raised by his grandmother after his parents could no longer care for him. Life in rural Cambodia has been hard for Piseth, but in April 2024, there was a sign of relief when Cambodia launched the Family Package, a national programme supported by UNICEF. The Family Package provides financial assistance to low-income families, especially those with children, older adults, and people with disabilities like Piseth.
Growing Up Without Parents
Piseth’s life has been filled with challenges. His mother was imprisoned for drug trafficking, and although she was released last year, Piseth hasn’t seen her since he was three. "I’ve never seen a picture of my mother," he says softly, sadness filling his voice. His father, now remarried, works as a soldier patrolling the Thai-Cambodian border and is unable to care for him. This left Piseth and his younger brother, Visal, in the care of their grandmother, Kim Yan, 61, who works as a cleaner at a temple to support them.
Caring for two teenagers on a small income is tough for Grandma Yan. "It’s hard," she says. "Every day, we worry about how to pay for medical bills, school supplies, and food." Yet every morning, Piseth balances on his crutches, climbs onto his aunt’s motorbike, and heads to school, eager to learn.
Despite being 16, Piseth is still in grade 3 because he missed many years of school due to his disability and financial struggles. His teacher, Ra Lida, admires his dedication. "He never gives up," she says. "Even when the roads are muddy and he can’t make it to school, he studies at home.” School ended several weeks ago and Piseth is now moving up to the fourth grade—a milestone that fills him with pride.
Family Package: A Safety Net for Families Like Piseth’s
The Family Package, launched in April 2024, helps families like Piseth’s by providing financial support. The programme, in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Affairs and National Social Assistance Fund, uses the IDPoor system to identify Cambodia’s poorest families. Over 2.6 million families are classified as IDPoor, making them eligible for this assistance. UNICEF contributed by providing 1700 tablets and custom software, allowing field officers to efficiently register families like Piseth’s. In addition to technology, UNICEF spearheaded training programmes for field officers, ensuring they have the skills to accurately identify eligible households and manage the programme effectively. With funding from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), and the European Union, UNICEF’s work helped enroll more than 640,000 families, including 1,900 children with disabilities, benefit from the Family Package.
Buor Sak, a field officer, ensured that Piseth received a disability card, making him the first child in the village to get one. Piseth now holds a disability card that provides him with $7 a month to help cover school supplies and medical care. Starting in January 2025, if he attends school regularly, he will receive an additional $5 a month. Altogether, his annual support will amount to $246—a small but crucial sum that will go towards school fees, a new backpack, and sturdier crutches. Piseth qualifies for this assistance due to his physical disability and the financial hardships his family faces, making him eligible through Cambodia’s IDPoor system.
"We used to have nothing," Grandma Yan says, her voice breaking. "Now, I can afford to send him to school and buy him food."
UNICEF’s ACCESS II Programme
But it isn’t just the Family Package that has transformed Piseth’s life. In June 2024, UNICEF’s ACCESS II, funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), began making schools, hospitals, and social services more accessible for children with disabilities. The programme focuses on early identification of disabilities and improving referral systems so children get the support they need. By working closely with schools, ACCESS II ensures that children with disabilities are recognized early and can access the education and healthcare they deserve.
For Piseth, the programme means his school is becoming more inclusive. "The teachers are more patient with me now," he says. "There’s a girl with autism in another class, and she’s getting help too."
According to a 2023 UNICEF report, 89 per cent of children without disabilities in Cambodia attend school, but only 20 per cent of children with disabilities aged 6 to 11 are enrolled. Piseth knows these challenges well. Despite the difficulties he faces, he remains determined to stay in school. "These crutches are my magic," he says. "They help me move forward, even when life gets hard."
His teacher, Ra Lida, has seen how Piseth has grown, not just as a student, but in his confidence. "Before, other students would tease him, but now they see how hard he works and how much he’s achieved," she says. "His determination has earned their respect."
The Magic of Determination
For Piseth, his crutches are more than mobility aids—they're symbols of his determination. Like Harry Potter’s wizard wand, they give him the power to overcome obstacles. Where others might see limitation, Piseth sees opportunity. His crutches allow him to navigate school, play football, and dream of a future where he can support his family.
"These crutches are my magic," Piseth says with a smile. "They help me stand tall even when life is tough."
As the football game ends, Piseth moves swiftly on his crutches and heads to the snack shop down the street. A photographer, Scott Rotzoll, who is documenting life at the school, calls after him, “Wait for me!” But Piseth is already halfway to the school gate by the time Scott finishes packing his camera gear. “That boy can walk fast,” Scott remarks, impressed by Piseth’s speed.
In the game of life, Piseth has already shown that he can keep up—with each step, he moves closer to leading.
"One day, I'll repair phones and computers," Piseth says with a hopeful smile, despite never having owned a smartphone himself. "These crutches are my magic now," he laughs, "but soon, I’ll use my hands to build a better life for my grandmother, my little brother, and me." He pauses, then adds with a grin, "But first, I’m buying a new backpack to replace this old, ripped one."
