

SIEM REAP, CAMBODIA
We chose to address the educational and child labour issues in Cambodia, as they are worsening and encouraged in many different ways. Poverty, lack of education, tourism, a lack of employment opportunities, and the overall underdevelopment of the social infrastructure all contribute to children being taken out of school. One economic factor causing this is the increasing tourism in Cambodian cities such as Angkor Wat. Often not by their choice, parents send them out on the streets, hoping for them to bring money to support their family, not realising the dangers present on the streets. Children are exposed to drugs, trafficking, pollution, and many more risks, which Cambodian families do not realize, only paying attention to the short term benefits. Tourists purchasing items from these children encourage the vicious cycle of violence where perpetrators even break their children’s limbs for tourists to appeal to their sympathy. Long term benefits include raising educated children with jobs opportunities, providing their families with an ethical source of income which can be attained with an education incentive system based on the Ethereum blockchain technology. We find it meaningful to work on Cambodia’s education system as it provides many of the 17 United Nations Development Goals, to people in Cambodia, in addition to quality education.