Hagar, a Swiss Non Governmental Organization (NGO) , is one of Cambodia’s most effective poverty fighting organizations providing assistance to over 100,000 people over the past 10 years. This includes 20,000 destitute Cambodian women and their children who have gained tools for self-sufficient living at its homeless shelter and foster homes and through counseling, training programs and other initiatives.

In order to create economic opportunities for its target population and generate new revenues for its other charitable activities, Hagar started two for profit businesses: Hagar Soya and Hagar Design.

Hagar Soya is Cambodia’s first soy milk factory, and also the country’s first beverage manufacturer to use ultra-high temperature technology. Hagar Design is a legally-registered company that sews elegant handbags and other silk products for high-end customers in Europe, and generates more than USD$100,000 in annual revenues.

IFC’s Mekong Project Development Facility provided technical assistance and advisory services to both Hagar Soya and Hagar Design in areas such as product development, operations management, quality assurance, and marketing.

The International Finance Corporation’s (IFC) Grassroots Business Initiative (GBI) is working is with the Mekong Private Sector Development Facility (MPDF) to strengthen and expand the commercial initiatives developed by this social NGO in the following ways:

Strengthening of Business Processes: Providing a combined package of patient capital and technical assistance to complement the existing operations with additional support in marketing, distribution, and other key functions.


Capacity Building of Parent NGO’S Management Team. Facilitating a new management information system, corporate governance advice, and other initiatives to strengthen the management of the parent NGO.


Commercialization of Catering Businesses. Launching a third income generation project which will provide catering services for local factories in Phnom Penh.

Video (150 K, 56K)
PowerPoint Presentation by Pierre Tami, Hagar Director

Learn more about Hagar's products at Pangea Artisan Market & Cafe


For more information visit: www.hagarproject.org