Who We Are

Child Protection Policy

Since the beginning, M’Lop Tapang has prioritized the safety and protection of children in everything we do, from policies to practice.

Our Child Protection services focus on prevention through community education, rescue and response with local authorities, and providing medical, legal, safe shelter, and emotional support for victims. We also support reintegration into families and advocate for children’s rights.

M’Lop Tapang is the implementing partner for the ChildSafe program in Sihanoukville, and our 24-hour Confidential Hotline ensures the community can always reach us. Additionally, all staff undergo mandatory annual training and testing on our Child Protection Policy to ensure ongoing compliance and safety standards

M’Lop Tapang’s Child Protection Policy (2024)

Our History

In 2003 M’Lop Tapang (MT) was created by a small group of foreigners and locals. It began as a simple initiative to feed and offer safety to six children who slept under a large Tapang tree on the beach every night, and who were extremely vulnerable to exploitation, but quickly blossomed into a much wider program. 

Today we work with over 5,000 children, youth and families in the Sihanoukville area, providing disadvantaged children and families access to the learning tools, specialized services, resources, and opportunities they need to build a better future.  

As M’Lop Tapang continues to grow the purpose of the organization remains to provide protection, just as the tree provided protection to those young children years ago who sheltered under its branches. 

Our Vision and Mission

Our Vision: M’Lop Tapang envisions an environment where all children are allowed to grow up in their families feeling safe, healthy and happy; a society where all children are respected and treated equally; a community where all children are given choices about their future.

Our Mission: M’Lop Tapang strives to provide a safe haven for the vulnerable children of Sihanoukville, offering care and support to any child at risk. We offer access to education, reintegration with families, life-skills training, creative and recreational activities, while ensuring protection from all forms of abuse. Our efforts allow underprivileged children to embrace their childhood so they can become responsible adults as well as positive, independent members of society.

 Meet Our Team

M’Lop Tapang has a well-established Management Team that oversees organizational operations. 

M'Lop Tapang remains very much a local NGO with local staff; of the approximately 200 paid staff at M’Lop Tapang, 98% are Cambodian. More than 50% of the M’Lop Tapang’s staff are female.    

 

Maggie Eno
Co-Founder/Co-Director

 

Roth Chanphalkun
Co-Director

 

Iv Sok
Admin Manager

Lao Bunnary
Senior Financial Officer

Dom Sinat
Monitoring & Evaluation Officer

 

Our Partners

M’Lop Tapang partners with the local and provincial authorities, local commune and village chiefs and community leaders, police, and ministries, in particular the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, and the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans & Youth Rehabilitation.

We also collaborate closely with other child-focused NGOs and remain partners in the UNICEF-funded Partnership Program for the Protection of Children (3PC) program of experienced child protection NGO’s in Cambodia, the GHR Foundation’s network of partners in Cambodia, and the ChildSafe Alliance Network.

We are very grateful for the assistance of several international medical and dental groups that typically volunteer throughout the year for short periods of time to work alongside our own Cambodian teams.  As well, we are honored to have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for continued collaboration with the School of Health and Society at the University of Salford (Salford, UK).

 

Board of Directors

  • Managing Partner, Mekong Strategic Partners

    Johnny is a co-founder of MT and advises our team on financial matters and donor relations.

  • Executive Director, NGO Education Partnership (NEP)

    Chetra helps our team here immensely with his advice from his years of experience working with child-focused NGOs in Cambodia, including previously serving as the 3PC Project Coordinator (Partnership Program for the Protection of Children) for 3+ years

  • Consultant in children’s emergency medicine, and Honorary Professor (Children’s Rights, Law, and Advocacy) at the University of Salford.

    Professor Rowland brings his skills as a paediatrician to contribute clinically and strategically as part of the medical team. He also uses his academic expertise to be an advisor for internal research projects, and to contribute to our systems designed to protect and promote children’s rights.

  • Training and Development Manager, NVC Corporation

    Prior to moving to the private sector, Sovann worked extensively in the NGO field and brings with him years of experience working in the area of vulnerable children as well drugs issues in Cambodia.

  • Independent Consultant

    Sophea is an experienced program manager, facilitator, trainer, qualitative researcher, event planner, and consultant with extensive record of work in child protection, maternal and child health and nutrition, livelihood and social change, environment, good governance, advocacy campaign, and Cambodian culture and religion

  • Control Room Operator of Sihanouk Autonomous Port

    Den was formally the Deputy Director of Field Operation at Action Pour Les Enfants [APLE] in Sihanoukville, an NGO assisting the police with child abuse investigations. His many years of experience in child protection is a tremendous asset for M’Lop Tapang

  • Project Manager, TONTOTON

    Chou brings extensive expertise in environmental stewardship through her work with TONTOTON, a valued partner in sustainable development. Her dedication to protecting the planet and her strategic vision in addressing environmental challenges make her an invaluable member of our board.