Phnom penh: Cambodia's First Lady, Lok Chumteav Dr. Pich Chanmony Hun Manet, Honorary President of the Cambodia Kantha Bopha Foundation, has expressed a strong hope that the "10,000 Riel, 10,000 People" campaign will evolve into a significant annual event dedicated to saving children's lives.
According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, Dr. Pich Chanmony made these remarks during the official launch of the 2026 fundraising drive, held on Thursday morning. The event included a gathering with the foundation's supporting committee and a ceremony to accept financial donations from the private sector.
In her welcoming address, the First Lady conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet to the dignitaries and guests present. She expressed deep gratitude to the Royal Government ministries, institutions, the private sector, and individual citizens for their ongoing financial and moral support.
Dr. Pich Chanmony highlighted that the solidarity among Cambodians, irrespective of time or place, shows a consistent commitment to care for and support one another. The campaign, timed to coincide with International Children's Day on June 1, seeks to mobilize charitable funds and foster national unity under the theme, "Cambodians Help Cambodians under Any Circumstances." It aims for participation from all societal sectors, including students, civil servants, and both public and private institutions domestically and internationally.
The First Lady further expressed her vision for the "10,000 Riel, 10,000 People" campaign to grow into a major annual movement. She believes that such an event would be crucial in reminding the public to continue supporting the Kantha Bopha Children's Hospitals, which provide high-quality, non-discriminatory, and free medical care to mothers, infants, and children, particularly those from impoverished and vulnerable families.
Since its revival in 1992 by the late Swiss pediatrician Dr. Beat Richner, the Kantha Bopha Children's Hospitals in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap have offered free, high-quality treatment, saving millions of Cambodian children and pregnant women over the past thirty years.
To secure the long-term sustainability of this humanitarian mission, former Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen and his wife, Samdech Kittiprittpundit Bun Rany Hun Sen, established the "Cambodia Kantha Bopha Foundation" in 2018. This step enabled the legal acceptance of charitable donations from both domestic and international sources.