AKP Phnom Penh, May 28, 2026 -- First Lady Lok Chumteav Dr. Pich Chanmony Hun Manet, Honorary President of the Cambodia Kantha Bopha Foundation, expressed her strong hope that the "10,000 Riel, 10,000 People" campaign will become a landmark annual event dedicated to saving children's lives.
 
Dr. Pich Chanmony made the remarks on Thursday morning while presiding over the official launch of the 2026 fundraising drive. The event also featured a gathering with the foundation's supporting committee, alongside a ceremony to accept financial donations from the private sector.
 
Delivering her welcoming address, the First Lady conveyed warm greetings from Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet to the dignitaries and guests in attendance. She extended her deep gratitude to the Royal Government ministries, institutions, the private sector, and individual citizens for their enduring financial and moral support.
 
Dr. Pich Chanmony emphasised that this solidarity demonstrates that Cambodians, regardless of time or location, consistently care for and support one another.
 
Organised to coincide with International Children’s Day on June 1, the campaign aims to mobilise charitable funds and foster a spirit of national solidarity under the theme, "Cambodians Help Cambodians under Any Circumstances." The initiative targets participation from all sectors of society, including students, civil servants, and public and private institutions both within the country and abroad.
 
The First Lady added that she envisions the "10,000 Riel, 10,000 People" campaign growing into a major annual movement. Such an event would serve as a vital reminder to the public to continue funding the operations of the Kantha Bopha Children’s Hospitals. The hospital network provides high-quality, non-discriminatory, and free medical care to mothers, infants, and children – particularly those from poor 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 provided free, high-quality treatment, saving the lives of millions of Cambodian children and pregnant women over the past three decades.
 
To ensure 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, initiated the establishment of the official "Cambodia Kantha Bopha Foundation" in 2018 to legally accept charitable donations from domestic and international sources.

 
By K. Rithy Reak