Common Grounds Cafe

On January 16th 2008, Common Grounds Cafe was opened by Julie Martinez as part of our parent organization People For Care And Learning (PCL), with the vision of creating a missional business that gives poor and disadvantaged people in Siem Reap a working chance. We believe that instead of handing out handouts, we should give people the opportunity to work in the hospitality and restaurant industry.

We have trained and provided jobs to dozens Cambodian youths over the past 11 years. We have been ecstatic to see them succeed in their careers. Some of them have worked at some of the best hotels and restaurants Cambodia offers.

Dalath Loeut, one of the 13 initial employees, was hired in 2008. He comes from a poor rural family in Battambang Province and had no prior job experience in the industry. He began working for us as a waiter and, through hard work and dedication, he worked his way up to take on more and greater responsibility. In 2015, Dalath became the manager of Common Grounds, and today he carries out all of our day-to-day operations. He is now on a different side of the spectrum and providing hope to youth with similar backgrounds as himself.