The top social enterprises and NGOs to visit in Cambodia

The top social enterprises and NGOs to visit in Cambodia

Interested in giving back while traveling in Cambodia? Visiting social enterprises can be a meaningful way to support local communities and make a positive impact. Here are some of the best social enterprises in Cambodia to consider:

Restaurants and Cafes

Phnom Penh

• Friends the Restaurant: A vibrant training restaurant near the National Museum that offers delicious Asian and Western-style tapas. It supports former street children and marginalised youth by providing them with vocational training and employment opportunities
• Connecting Hands Training Cafe: This cafe empowers vulnerable young women, many of whom are survivors of human trafficking and abuse, by offering them training in hospitality and life skills
• Lotus Blanc Training Restaurant: Operated by Pour un Sourire d’Enfant (PSE), this restaurant combines excellent service with a mission to empower underprivileged youth through vocational training in culinary arts and hospitality. Guests can enjoy Khmer and Western cuisine while supporting students’ education5.

Siem Reap

• New Hope Cambodia Vocational Training Restaurant: This restaurant trains unemployed and uneducated Khmers in hospitality skills. Dining here supports education programs, a health clinic, and agricultural projects1.
• Heartprint Community Centre: An Australian-founded NGO offering vocational training, employment for disadvantaged individuals, and community support programs. Visitors can engage with its initiatives or donate to its impactful projects3.
• Sala Baï Hotel and Restaurant School: This training restaurant is part of a program that provides free vocational training in hospitality to underprivileged young Cambodians, with a focus on empowering girls (70% of students). Dining here supports students as they practice their skills in a real-world setting while financing their education6.
• HAVEN Training Restaurant: A social enterprise offering vocational training based on the Swiss apprenticeship system. HAVEN supports disadvantaged young adults by providing practical culinary and service skills, life skills workshops, and internships at high-end partner hotels. Profits from the restaurant fund the program23.
• Spoons Café is a social enterprise that provides hands-on hospitality training for underprivileged Cambodian youth through its partnership with the SPOONS Cambodia Organization. The café serves authentic Khmer cuisine in a stunning bamboo pavilion, with all profits funding education programs and community initiatives. Guests can enjoy delicious meals while supporting vocational training and sustainability efforts.
• Sister Srey Café in Siem Reap collaborates with APOPO by donating profits to support its humanitarian demining efforts. Sister Srey Café is a vibrant social enterprise offering excellent coffee and healthy meals while empowering young Cambodians through training programs. Visitors can enjoy a meal here and learn about APOPO’s impactful work at their nearby visitor center.

Battambang

• Jaan Bai Restaurant: Operated by the Cambodian Children’s Trust, this restaurant provides employment for youth and reinvests profits into community projects. The menu features locally sourced ingredients and dishes crafted by renowned chefs.
• Kinyei Cafe: Known for its award-winning coffee, this cafe trains Cambodian youth in barista skills and offers a space for cultural exchange through workshops and art displays.

Other places

• Epic Arts Cafe (Kampot): Promotes inclusivity by employing individuals with disabilities while serving great food in a positive environment.
• Elephant Valley Project (Sen Monorom): Offers a unique opportunity to learn about elephant conservation while supporting ethical tourism practices.
• Stung Treng Training Restaurant: A social enterprise focused on training women in hospitality and tourism while providing employment opportunities. It serves the growing tourist market in Stung Treng Province, addressing poverty and inadequate job opportunities for women.

Boutiques, arts and textiles

Cambodia also has a wealth of social enterprise retail outlets that support women in arts, textiles, and crafts. These initiatives empower women by providing sustainable income, preserving traditional skills, and fostering community development. Here are some standout options:

Phnom Penh

• Daughters’ Boutique: Located in the Daughters of Cambodia Visitor Centre, this boutique features handmade fashion accessories, toys, and home decor crafted by survivors of human trafficking. Every purchase supports their rehabilitation and empowerment.
• Sentosa Silk: Specialising in luxury Khmer silk products, Sentosa Silk employs disadvantaged women and disabled artisans from rural areas to create exquisite silk articles. Profits directly support these talented craftspeople.
• Fair Weave: This social enterprise designs handwoven textiles using natural dyes and manual processes, empowering women artisans with training and sustainable income opportunities. Their products include scarves and home decor items.
• Mekong Blue: Operated by the Stung Treng Women’s Development Centre, Mekong Blue produces elegant silk scarves, bedding, and accessories crafted by disadvantaged women in rural areas. Purchases help break cycles of poverty and illiteracy.
• Cambodian Knits Toys and More: Cambodia Knits employs women in Phnom Penh to create eco-friendly knitted toys and accessories. This flexible work model helps women sustain their families while preserving traditional craftsmanship.

Siem Reap

• Colour Silk Enterprise: Focused on preserving Cambodia’s silk weaving tradition, Color Silk empowers rural women by providing training, financial support, and fair wages for their handcrafted silk products. Their work helps sustain families while reviving cultural heritage.
• Phare Boutique: Purchase artwork, handmade crafts, or music CDs by PPSA students, directly funding the education of disadvantaged Cambodians through arts education, vocational training, and cultural preservation. Phare runs a visual arts school, a performing arts school, and community outreach programs 
• Phare Performance: Not a boutique, but a nightly acrobatics performance – super entertaining and a real highlight of any visit to Siem Reap.

Battambang

• Phare Gallery in Battambang:  The Phare Gallery is more than an art space—it’s a testament to resilience, creativity, and community spirit. By visiting, travellers directly support education, cultural preservation, and sustainable livelihoods for Cambodian youth.

These retail outlets not only offer unique souvenirs but also provide a way to directly contribute to the empowerment of Cambodian women through arts and textiles.

 

What are your favourite NGOs and social enterprises to support in Cambodia? Let me know in the comments!

And if you’d like to join an upcoming Pip & Co Travel small group trip for women, check out the upcoming trips here.

Thanks for being here!

Penny