Building stronger homes along Cambodia’s changing coast
Situated along Cambodia’s coastline, Boeng Kachhang in Koh Kong Province is a community shaped by life on and around the water. Around 155 families live in the informal settlement, where floating and elevated houses reflect generations of adaptation to the coastal environment.
Built with lightweight materials and adapted to life on the water, the houses are feats of engineering in their own right. Yet each year, an estimated 10 to 15 houses are affected by strong winds, sea-level rise and coastal erosion. Some are flooded for two to three hours during high water.
Limited resources and basic services add to the pressures facing families. The community has no connection to the electricity grid and relies on water supplied from the mainland, which is insufficient to meet its needs.
Now, 20 climate-resilient homes are being built in Boeng Kachhang, giving families the opportunity to live in structures designed to better withstand the conditions they face.
Elevated houses in the coastal community of Boeng Kachhang, Koh Kong Province, Cambodia, on 24 January 2026. Homes in the settlement are built along the water, reflecting the community’s close relationship with its coastal environment. © UN-Habitat/Sovannara Chea
The homes are among 60 climate-resilient houses being built across three vulnerable communities in Koh Kong, through an ongoing project led by the Ministry of Environment and National Council for Sustainable Development with support from the Adaptation Fund and UN-Habitat.
But in Boeng Kachhang, residents are not only receiving new homes. They are helping build them.
Building with the community
When the community was asked to choose who would lead the construction, residents selected Ms. Touch Lina from among three experienced builders.
“When the community members voted for me, I felt like crying,” Ms. Lina said. “I promised myself, ‘I won’t let them down. I have to build their houses to the standards.’”
Ms. Touch Lina, construction lead (right), oversees community members working on the construction of climate-resilient housing in Boeng Kachhang Community, Koh Kong Province, Cambodia. Selected by community vote to lead the construction of 20 climate-resilient homes across Boeng Kachhang’s three communities, Ms. Lina works with local builders as part of the project’s community-led approach. 23 July 2026, Boeng Kachhang Community, Koh Kong Province, Cambodia.© UN-Habitat/Sovannara Chea.
Ms. Lina went on to recruit 60 residents from the community to take part in the construction, including 20 women.
The approach reflects UN-Habitat’s People’s Process, through which residents participate directly in decision-making and implementation, building on skills and capacities already present within the community.
For some residents, the construction work is also providing an income and an opportunity to learn new skills at a time when climate and seasonal conditions can make existing livelihoods more difficult.
Among them is Ms. Pich Yon.
“I am so happy to have work to support our family, as we can’t go fishing during this rainy season, and training that helps me enhance my skills,” she said.
Fishing is relied on by around 70 per cent of residents, but rainy seasons can make it difficult, affecting household incomes. Women can face additional barriers to paid work and opportunities to develop skills.
Women community members carry construction materials while working on climate-resilient housing in Boeng Kachhang Community, Koh Kong Province, Cambodia. Local participation in construction is helping build resilient homes while creating opportunities for women to contribute their skills and earn additional income. 23 July 2026, Boeng Kachhang Community, Koh Kong Province, Cambodia. © UN-Habitat/Sovannara Chea.
For Ms. Yon and the other residents working on the homes, construction provides an opportunity to contribute to their community while gaining experience.
The connection between those building the homes and those who will live in them is also visible at the construction site.
Ms. Lina recalled that residents sometimes bring food for the workers, with builders and families sitting down together to share meals.
For Mr. Chom Hong, 70, the construction site has become part of his daily routine. He visits every day to follow the progress of his new home.
Community members participate in a refresher training on climate-resilient housing in Boeng Kachhang, Koh Kong Province, Cambodia, on 9 June 2026. Demonstration models of the climate-resilient houses are displayed during the training. © UN-Habitat/Sovannara Chea
“It feels like a dream to have such a strong and beautiful home. I came every day to see its progress,” he said.
The new homes are being built as part of efforts to help vulnerable coastal communities in Koh Kong adapt to climate-related risks while strengthening residents’ participation in the construction process.
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