a locally-led nonprofit in Cambodia, FOUNDED BY ANGELINA JOLIE.The Maddox Foundation supports communities in the Samlout region of Cambodia as they lead efforts to strengthen sustainable conservation, agriculture, health, and education infrastructure.
មូលនិធិ មូលនិធិ ម៉ាដក្សចូលី ផ្តល់អំណាចដល់សហគមន៍មូលដ្ឋាននៅតំបន់សំឡូតនៃប្រទេសកម្ពុជាដើម្បីកំណត់អនាគតរបស់ពួកគេតាមរយៈការអភិរក្ស កសិកម្ម សុខាភិបាល និងហេដ្ឋារចនាសម្ព័ន្ធអប់រំដែលដឹកនាំដោយមូលដ្ឋាន។
[ About ]40,000+ hectares protected in the Samlaut Multiple Use Area.
10,000+ residents served annually through public health facilities.
We have been working in solidarity with the communities we serve for over 20 years —
our staff is 100% local.
[ About ]យោងតាមការប៉ាន់ប្រមាណ ផ្ទៃដីព្រៃឈើដែលនៅសេសសល់ចំនួន ៤៦,០០០ ហិកតា កំពុងត្រូវបានការពារនៅក្នុងតំបន់ប្រើប្រាស់ច្រើនយ៉ាងសំឡូត។
ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋជាង ១០.០០០ នាក់ ទទួលបានសេវាថែទាំសុខភាពប្រចាំឆ្នាំតាមរយៈមូលដ្ឋានសុខាភិបាលសាធារណៈ ។
យើងបានរួមសុខរួមទុក្ខ និងធ្វើការងារយ៉ាងជិតស្និទ្ធជាមួយសហគមន៍ដែលយើងបម្រើ អស់រយៈពេលជាង ២០ ឆ្នាំមកហើយ ។
បុគ្គលិករបស់យើង១០០% ជាអ្នកមូលដ្ឋានផ្ទាល់ ។
Our impact, measured:
Conservation.
The Samlaut Multi-Use Area (SMUA) has a surface area of over 40,000 hectares, stretching across two provinces, one part in Battambang and another part in Pailin.
We work in partnership with the government to patrol and protect the SMUA with a special focus on strengthening law enforcement, community awareness and education on the importance of conservation of natural resources and protection of wildlife, and reforestation by planting trees.
Sustainable Livelihoods.
Through training provided by the Foundation, farmers gain skills and knowledge to implement sustainable agricultural practices, which allows them to increase crop yields, improve food security in local communities and ensure that farmers are able to make the best use of their land and livestock.
We also facilitate training for local community members to become beekeepers, who now collectively produce 800-1,500 liters of honey per year, earning $15 per liter.
Infrastructure.
We have established infrastructure and supported public health facilities that provide essential healthcare services to over 10,000 residents annually in rural areas, and we have constructed wells that provide clean access to water and sanitation facilities to improve hygiene.
Our health education programs have reduced the incidence of preventable diseases and improved overall community health — and we’ve built schools and education programs that up-skill teachers and students.
The Maddox Foundation collaborates with donors and local communities in Cambodia to create programs that help protect the nation’s natural resources and improve livelihoods of the Cambodian people.
Our organization is locally run and actively involves community members in planning and implementing programs to ensure our projects are centered around the needs and priorities of those most impacted by them.
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[ EDUCATION ]Field Notes
The Maddox Foundation trains local beekeepers in the forests around Samlaut, who produce between 800 and 1,500 liters of honey a year. In 2025, they produced 1,392 liters of honey.
Beekeeping as a Livelihood
But that number is only part of the picture. Through late 2025 and into 2026, our beekeepers made a deliberate choice: rather than extract as much honey as possible, they prioritized building up their colonies first.
The result was more than a doubling of hives, from 40 in September 2025 to 90 by January 2026
For the rural communities in Samlaut, climate change has arrived.
Climate Resilience
When your income comes directly from the land, a shifting climate — longer dry seasons, a less predictable harvest, and soil that gives less each year — is a direct threat to your livelihood.
Restoring the landscape bolsters biodiversity, but it’s also a way to rebuild the natural systems that hold water, hold soil, and keep farming viable as conditions get harder.
Meet the team.
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Munichan Kung
MANAGING ADVISOR
An economist and rural development specialist who has been with us for seven years. Prior to joining our community, he spent 11 years working with the UNDP program and 9 years with the Cambodia World Bank program. -
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Prasith Lon
COUNTRY DIRECTOR
Prasith has over 10 years of experience in NGO field program management and has been with Maddox Foundation for two years.
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Khemborang Tor
FINANCIAL MANAGER
Borang has a background in accounting and financial management. She has over 10 years of experience in NGO program management and has been with Maddox Foundation for over six years.
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Samel Vorn
CONSERVATION PROGRAM COORDINATOR
Samel has over 20 years of experience with NGO programs in Cambodia and has been with Maddox Foundation for 18 years.
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Sameth Moel
AGRICULTURE AND COMMUNITY INCOME PROGRAM COORDINATOR
Sameth is an agronomist and beekeeping specialist with over 10 years of experience. He has been with Maddox Foundation for three years.
[ FAQ ]FAQ
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Samlaut (also spelled Samlout) is a rural district in northwestern Cambodia, spread across parts of Battambang and Pailin Provinces near the Thai border. It sits within the Samlaut Multiple Use Area, a protected zone of 60,994 hectares of forest, and is home to around 57,000 people living across six communes.
The area was one of the regions hardest hit by Cambodia’s civil war, serving as both the first and last stronghold of the Khmer Rouge, and millions of landmines were cleared here over several decades.
It is also rich in biodiversity, with forests that shelter rare and endangered including the Sunda pangolin and the Asian elephant. wildlife including the Sunda pangolin and the Asian elephant.
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Communities face practical, everyday challenges: limited access to clean water, gaps in rural healthcare, and shortages of some medicines as demand grows.
The biggest pressure on the forest is land encroachment, along with illegal logging and hunting, which our rangers work to detect and stop.
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The simplest place to start is to stay informed. Follow the work here, share what resonates, and help others understand what's happening in places like Samlaut.
We also welcome partnerships. If you work in conservation, rural development, health, or education, or if you're in a position to provide essential equipment and resources, there may be real ways to work together. Reach out, and let's talk about what's possible.