Disability Rights Cambodia Project #69113

Create Change: Support Disability Empowerment

by Epic Arts

Create Change: Support Disability Empowerment

Project Report | Oct 29, 2026
From the stage to the commune plan

By Sam McLaughlan | Fundraising and Marketing Manager

Photo: Ponlok Chomnes Program

When floods come, people with disabilities are too often the last to be warned and the last to reach safety. This year Epic Arts Dance set out to change that, starting with a performance.

The Ripple Effect is a 30 minute piece created by our inclusive dance company about how people with disabilities experience flooding. It premiered at Epic Arts in Kampot in April 2026 to an audience of 100, including the Deputy Australian Ambassador, Bridget Collier. On 3 October our dancers took it to Phnom Penh for Disability Performance Day, the closing event of Ponlok Chomnes Disability Week.

The performance opened conversations, and we made sure those conversations went somewhere. Through our Climate Resilience for All project we brought people together around disability and disaster preparedness. Our Inclusive Dialogue on 8 April gathered 82 people, including 21 young people with disabilities. In July we held school events at Bos Trabek and Moha Samki. Together, these three events reached 344 people.

Then came the step that matters most. In July, 17 local authority representatives from Trapeang Pring, Kandoul and Stoeung Keo communes met with us at the Epic Arts Centre. All three communes now have an accessibility action plan for 2027. Stoeung Keo has committed to budgeting for ramps and accessible toilets at its flood shelters, and Trapeang Pring and Kandoul have pledged to do the same.

Cambodia already has strong laws protecting the rights of persons with disabilities. The challenge is turning them into practice at local level, in budgets, buildings and services. These commitments are a real step in that direction, shaped by the voices of people with disabilities themselves. Nothing about us without us.

Next month Epic Arts celebrates 25 years. We began in 2001 and have worked in Kampot since 2006. Thank you for being part of our story and for helping us build a future where every person counts.

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Discover More about Epic Arts

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Jul 6, 2026
Beyond the Numbers: An Inclusive Workforce

By Sam McLaughlan | Fundraising and Marketing Manager

Mar 9, 2026
Student Becomes Barista: The Impact of Vocational Training

By Samantha McLaughlan | Fundraising and Marketing Manager

When Rasmey walked through Epic Arts' doors as a shy, deaf student he didn't know what to expect. Over two years later, he's a professional barista at Epic Arts Café, earning income, supporting his family and building the independent future he once thought impossible.

The Journey

Rasmey joined Epic Arts' Inclusive Arts Course, our vocational training program, bringing students with disabilities from across Cambodia to learn marketable skills: dance, arts, hospitality, Khmer sign language and computing.

His path wasn't instant. First came friendships, 14 classmates who became his support system. Then skills stacked one on another: contemporary dance (his passion), sign language, hospitality, baking. Each skill opened new doors. Each door led closer to employment.

Then came the opportunity: Epic Arts Café needed a barista. Rasmey was ready.

The Impact

Today, Rasmey:

Earns regular income supporting his family
Works professionally alongside deaf and non-deaf colleagues
Has close friends and community
Experiences zero discrimination in his workplace
Communicates better with his family than ever before
Dreams of opening his own cake business one day

Why This Matters

Rasmey's story demonstrates what's possible when people with disabilities receive proper vocational training and employment opportunities. He didn't need charity, he needed skills, support and a chance to prove himself.

Epic Arts Café is more than a coffee shop. It's a social enterprise proving that:

People with disabilities are capable employees when given appropriate training
Inclusive workplaces benefit everyone- customers, staff and communities
Financial independence transforms not just individuals, but entire families
Societal attitudes shift when people see disability employment succeeding

Your Support Makes This Possible

Rasmey's journey from student to professional barista was funded by donors like you. Your contributions to "Create Change: Support Disability Empowerment" directly support:

Vocational training programs preparing students with disabilities for employment
Epic Arts Café operations providing real job opportunities
Ongoing skills development ensuring employees continue growing professionally
Expansion of inclusive employment models across Cambodia

Since 2006, Epic Arts has been transforming lives in Kampot by fostering financial independence, shifting societal attitudes and creating inclusive communities where people with disabilities don't just survive, they thrive.

What's Next

Rasmey is mastering advanced baking techniques with dreams of entrepreneurship. Soon, Epic Arts will be recruiting the next cohort of students for our Inclusive Arts Course, young people with disabilities from across Cambodia who will follow in Rasmey's footsteps, learning skills that lead to employment at Epic Arts Café or other inclusive businesses. But we can only continue this work with your support.

Thank you for believing that every person, regardless of ability, deserves the chance to work, earn, create, and build futures on their own terms.

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