The Peaceful Children’s Homes were created in the aftermath of the devastating Khmer Rouge period (1975-79) and the subsequent Vietnamese occupation of Cambodia (1979-91). During this period, many Cambodians sought refuge outside of the country or in refugee camps on the Thai border. Following the Paris Peace Agreement (1991), Cambodia began to recover from this period of war and conflict. To the concern of humanitarian organizations such as UNICEF, large numbers of unaccompanied children, returning from refugee camps in Thailand, were in need of a home and assistance. In 1994, two prominent Cambodians, Son Sann and his son, Son Soubert, responded by providing the land and basic facilities that became the Peaceful Children’s Homes – one in Battambang, on the Thai border, the other in Kandal Province, outside the capital city of Phnom Penh. In 2020, the Peaceful Children's Home in Kandal was closed and the children were moved to PCH2 in Battambang.

The Executive Director of both Homes, and now of PCH2, is Veuk Chum who, together with his brother, grew up at The Peaceful Children's Home. Veuk holds a Bachelor of Management degree (2003) from Assumption University in Thailand. After several years of work in Thailand, Veuk came back as Executive Director of the PCH. The PCH is managed by the Khmer Foundation for Justice, Peace and Development (KFJPD) which has an international Board of Directors, including one Canadian.

Cambodia still struggles with poverty and development challenges. The Peaceful Children’s Home in Battambang continues to provide a permanent and nurturing environment to girls and boys who have been orphaned, abandoned or rescued from the street. Functioning like a big family, the Home provides the children with a safe and healthy environment. Although conditions in the Home are modest, emphasis is placed on values such as sharing, self-reliance and ethics, as well as education. The children attend local schools, receive extra classes at the Home, and many go on to technical studies or university. University graduates are encouraged to give back, through a revolving fund, to enable other students from the Home to pursue their university studies.

From the outset, the Homes emphasized traditional Khmer music and dance, which had been eradicated during the Khmer Rouge period. The children and young people at PCH1 had the privilege of being taught by Ms. Em Theay, Royal Ballet Dance Grandmaster, designated one of Cambodia’s “National Treasures”. Sadly, Em Theay died in 2021 at the age of 89, but the training she provided to generations of PCH young people lives on.

All proceeds go directly to the Peaceful Children’s Homes. Since 2006, through our fund-raising concerts, IC4C has raised over $125,000; these funds have gone towards food, health and educational needs of the children and youth at the Homes. Our contribution has also emphasized the importance of education, including university studies, with an emphasis on education for girls.