Overview

As the NGO of the University of Louvain (UCLouvain, Belgium), Louvain Coopération au Développement (LD) applies academic know-how to resolve problems concerning developmental cooperation. Since 1981, the NGO has been battling hunger, disease and poverty alongside the most disadvantaged populations. With 23 projects and 140 partners in the southern hemisphere, Louvain Coopération is the most important university NGO in Belgium.

Background

Louvain Coopération started working in Cambodia in 2004 first in the field of mental health, jointly with Cambodian civil society organisations and state actors such as the National Programme for Mental Health, SSC and TPO. Over the years, these projects were involved in the creation of two hospital units, the opening of a consultation unit I Kompong Speu, supporting patients in the hospitals of Kampong Thom and Baray-Suntuk (Kampong Thom province). Since 2008, and in partnership with TPO-Cambodia, LD developed the organisation of mental health and psychosocial care in order to contribute to a National Programme on Mental Health, in accordance to the guideline of the Ministry of Health. Therefore it was decided to refocus the project on one province, Kompong Thom, linking hospital, health centre and communities and to extend it to other provinces in the future. Following the same partnership philosophy, LD extended since 2011 his activities in rural Cambodia to chronic Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) and to Food and Economic Security (FES). LD decided to partner with Mopotsyo organization for NCD and with MODE for FES. LD is now working in three provinces: Kampong Thom, Kampong Cham and Tbong Khmum.

Value

Solidarity, reduction of inequality Access to fundamental rights Richness of the exchange or the difference Tolerance, critical thinking Long-term commitment Responsibility Team and collaborative spirit Sustainable Governance Transparency Social commitment Strength of Dialogue Professionalism

Mission

Our mission is based on two axes : • Facilitate the implementation of actions to improve the living conditions and health of poor, marginalized or excluded populations. • Support initiatives aimed at improving the political, economic and social context, in other words, general well-being. Both sides are closely related to the promotion of sustainable development in the North as well as in the South and reflect our belief of “developing to liberate”.

Vision

Our vision of development is a continuous process of social change, in which the full cooperation of the different parties (NGO, University, and local partners) is necessary in order to build together a more equal society.

Goal

LD aims to contribute to the capacity building of disadvantaged / deprived populations of the South to meet their basic needs and have access to the realization of their fundamental rights. We work in partnership with local stakeholders to both identify