Connecting Communities and Boosting Opportunity – Resilient Roads Transform Rural Cambodia

In the heart of rural Cambodia, where muddy tracks once isolated villages and hindered progress, a quiet transformation is underway. Thanks to a World Bank-supported initiative, resilient roads are now weaving communities together, unlocking access to education, healthcare, and economic and jobs opportunities for over 1.2 million people.

Story Highlights

• A World Bank-supported project is connecting over 1.2 million people to schools, health centers, and markets across three northern provinces of Cambodia.
• New roads boost education and livelihoods, with students attending schools more regularly and farmers accessing broader markets.
• The roads strengthen the country's transport network, supporting trade, agricultural productivity, and job creation.

From hardship to hope: Connecting Rural Cambodia

Cambodia has around 50,000 kilometers of rural roads, but only about 17% are paved and resilient to climate impacts. Many rural roads connecting communities with National or Provincial Roads are unpaved and prone to flooding, standing out as 'missing links' for rural connectivity and agricultural logistics. These challenges make development difficult in the poorest areas, as farmers struggle to get produce to market, and families face barriers to access schools or hospitals.

"In the old days," Doung Samnang, Principal of Tompor Secondary School remembers, "the journey to school was often fraught with challenges." Flooded roads, thick mud and choking dust make travelling to schools exhausting and unsafe.

On wet, muddy mornings, teachers and students would arrive at school with soiled uniforms and sometimes needing to return home and miss class. The hardships of the road not only stained their clothes but also dampened their spirits. Some teachers had requested transfers to other schools, while many students were so discouraged by the daily struggle of getting to school.

Addressing the situation, the World Bank-supported Cambodia Road Connectivity Improvement Project is enhancing climate-resilient road access across three provinces, Kampong Cham, Tbong Khmom, and Kratie, where 80 percent of people live in rural areas. Using a network approach, the project connects key rural roads with National and Provincial Corridors.

Applying international environmental standards and best practices in road improvement works, as of October 2025, over 130 km of highway has been upgraded, including parts of National Road 7 and Provincial Roads 377 and 377A, while 145km km of priority rural roads has been enhanced, with another 130km being improved. The upgraded roads now provide all-season access to 78 schools, health centers, and markets, benefiting more than 1.2 million people living along the improved roads. Farmers can now transport rice, rubber, cassava, and other cash crops to markets more efficiently. This opens new opportunities for job creation in farming, trading, and logistics, while increasing household incomes in rural areas.

Mrs. Ho Sovannika, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Rural Development and Project Director, says these roads are of vital importance to rural communities.

"By upgrading local tracks into paved or concrete roads that connect to provincial and national routes, we can bring significant benefits to local people," she said. "Thanks to construction that meets climate resilience standards, these connections reduce travel time and provide year-round access to schools, health facilities, markets, and more."

A Village Reborn

Khin Chea, 52, serves as both community representative and head of the Tompor Secondary School support committee in Tnout Bak village in Kampong Cham province. Here, a newly paved road has transformed life in the community, bringing renewed hope and opportunity. "This is the first time in my life I've seen a paved road in my village. I am proud to have it," he said.

The impact of the new road is far-reaching. Young children can now attend school regularly, no longer hindered by impassable, muddy paths during the rainy season. Residents can easily travel to health centers for medical care, and older people can get to the temple without difficulty. The new road has also made it possible for traders to come directly to the village to buy rice, rubber, and other products, boosting local livelihoods. With better access to schools, more children are in education. This lays the foundation for a more skilled future workforce, enhancing long-term employment prospects and economic mobility.

Doung Samnang, Principal of Tompor Secondary School, agrees on the benefits paved road has brought. Children and teachers now arrive at school on time, and the risk of accidents has been reduced. The new road, he says, has made a significant difference to the daily lives of everyone.

In addition, the project has installed a dedicated safety zone in front of Tompor School for students as they enter and leave school, for parents and relatives to drop off and pick up their children, creating safety and peace of mind for families in the community. Principal Samnang adds that the project team gave road safety training at the school, equipping the pupils with essential knowledge on how to navigate their daily journeys more safely.

Building Resilience and Economic Growth

The Project channels road network investment into provinces identified as extremely exposed to climate risks by the World Bank's Country Climate and Development Report for Cambodia. Such improvements also contribute to national policy to move rising volumes of goods more efficiently along the transport network as Cambodia's export-driven growth continues. As Tania Meyer, World Bank Country Manager for Cambodia, has noted, "A comprehensive approach to transport network development will help improve Cambodia's competitiveness, unlock its export potential and promote trade in the region."

Paved roads like that through Tnout Bak village are improving connectivity, safety, and resilience in rural communities across the country. Traders and service providers can now reach previously inaccessible villages, leading to growth in small businesses, such as shops, transport services, and food vendors. This creates new jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities within rural communities.

Mr. Pheng Sovicheano, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, says the roads will also boost local agricultural productivity, giving farmers access to markets within the country and beyond. "The three provinces served by this project have high potential for exporting rice and cash crops like cassava, cashew nuts, bananas, and rubber," he says. "These crops can provide more jobs and boost incomes."