Reconnecting Cambodia Project

In Cambodia, where there are very few official records or archives from before the 1980s, even a distant DNA match can provide an important clue and help rebuild family connections.

Through our project, we have already identified 21 close DNA match pairs, including 4 immediate family connections, 5 first cousin matches, 10 second to third cousin matches, 6 matches between project participants, and 5 known family relationships confirmed through DNA.

💙 If you or someone you know is searching for a missing family member, visit www.reconnectingcambodia.org or contact us at [email protected] to learn how we may be able to help.

One family's search became hope for many others. 💙

Meta Meulenbelt-Hörz's journey with Cambodia began in 2002 when she and her husband adopted their daughter, Mean. Wanting to find her daughter's birth family and understand her origins, she began the search and soon realised that some of the information she had been given was incomplete. Rather than giving up, she and Mean turned to DNA as one tool to continue their search.

Today, that journey has grown into DNA Cambodia - ឌីអិនអេកម្ពុជា and the Reconnecting Cambodia Project, helping Cambodian families around the world reconnect with missing loved ones.

We aim to inspire. Help us bring Cambodia's lost children home. Please share and keep the donations coming!
https://donate.stripe.com/5kQfZj2o2e0Q6KU9h2eIw00?fbclid=IwY2xjawS0S4BleHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEe5Qmeb0AaYk5DF1bIEc6xluNBbD2miblat60RdQ1VxRFj4vNg4rV349MdCOg_aem_-33UjpxdwNaR6IX949Ok-A

Across countries and continents, our lives may take different paths, but family connections can endure across generations, borders, and time.

In 2025, DNA reunited Suzie, a Chinese Cambodian adoptee in her 70s, with her brother Soksan—73 years after separation. Their children, worlds apart, had independently tested their DNA, driven by the need to know their roots. Suddenly: a mystery aunt in California, an unknown uncle in Arizona. Matches pinged across continents. Their children connected the dots, linking relatives from Texas to California to Cambodia. The discovery brought Suzie home—to an emotional reunion with siblings she never knew she had.

What once felt impossible became a new beginning. Stories like these remind us that there can still be hope, healing, and new possibilities for belonging, wherever Cambodian families are in the world. First seen on Missing People of Khmer Rouge Regime💙

Watch their full story here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzw7JkuojWs&t=3s

Happy Birthday, Co-founder Meta Meulenbelt-Hörz💙

What began as one mother's search to find her daughter's birth family has grown into a community helping all Cambodians reconnect across generations and borders.

For many families, finding lost or missing relatives can feel like a distant dream. Through her work with the Reconnecting Cambodia Project, Meta is giving people hope every day to find the answers they want and ultimately be closer to a family reunion.

Want to celebrate with Meta? Please consider donating or sharing our mission. Help us bring Cambodia’s Lost Children home.
👉Donation link: https://donate.stripe.com/5kQfZj2o2e0Q6KU9h2eIw00?fbclid=IwY2xjawS0S4BleHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEe5Qmeb0AaYk5DF1bIEc6xluNBbD2miblat60RdQ1VxRFj4vNg4rV349MdCOg_aem_-33UjpxdwNaR6IX949Ok-A

Cambodian families are part of communities across the globe--some journeys were chosen, others were not. Yet wherever we are, questions about our roots and the loved ones we’ve lost remain close to our hearts.

This is why we focus on restoring lost family connections through DNA. Every reconnection brings hope, healing, and a stronger sense of identity. ❤️

Curious about reconnecting with a missing loved one or how DNA can support your search? Visit our website to learn more: https://www.reconnectingcambodia.org/

Amazing work from our KFCO Cambodia team, with Po-Thai Khin () leading the way!

Every conversation in Tuol Snuol, Kampong Treas, and Peam Chileang brings new hope to families still searching for answers about missing family members, while every test brings a family closer to dreams being fulfilled.

Thank you for connecting with communities with such care and dedication - by starting with local leadership, we can build trusting relationships throughout the wider community.

With huge thanks as always to MyHeritage, our generous DNA test sponsor, and the Dutch Government, whose support has made this outreach possible. Our STEAR approach in action: educating communities about DNA and supporting families searching to reclaim their family unit - their cultural DNA.

If you or someone you know is searching for family or would like to learn more about DNA-supported family finding, we invite you to connect with us. https://www.reconnectingcambodia.org/contact

នេះពិតជាបេសកកម្មដ៏អស្ចារ្យពីសំណាក់ក្រុមការងារ​ KFCO​ របស់ពួកយេីងនៅប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា​ ដែលមានលោក​ថៃជាអ្នកដឹកនាំសកម្មភាពការងារ។ រាល់ការសន្ទនាជាមួយប្រជាជននៅឃុំ​ ទួលស្នួល​ ឃុំ កំពង់ទ្រាស​ និង​ ឃុំពាមជីលាំង​ បានពាំនាំមកនូវក្តីសង្ឃឹមថ្មីមួយទៅកាន់ក្រុមគ្រួសារដែលកំពុងតែខិតខំស្វែងរកសាច់ញាតិបងប្អូនដែលបានបាត់ខ្លួន​ ហេីយរាល់ការធ្វេីតេស្ត​ DNA អាចជួយអោយក្រុមគ្រួសារសម្រេចបាននូវក្តីសុបិន្តក្នុងការមានឱកាសជួបជុំគ្នាឡេីងវិញ។
សូមអរគុណ​សម្រាប់ការផ្សារភ្ជាប់ជាមួយនឹងសហគមន៍នានាដោយការយកចិត្តទុកដាក់​ និងការលះបង់ខ្ពស់​ ដោយចាប់ផ្តេីមចេញពីការដឹកនាំប្រជាជននៅក្នុងមូលដ្ឋានដែលអាចអោយយេីងកសាងទំនុកចិត្ត​ និងពង្រីកវិសាលភាពនៃទំនាក់ទំនងជាមួយនឹងសហគមន៍បានកាន់តែទូលំទូលាយ។
យេីងខ្ញុំក៏សូមថ្លែង​អំណរគុណ​យ៉ាងជ្រាលជ្រៅ​ចំពោះ​ ដែលតែងតែជួយឧបត្ថម្ភដល់ការធ្វេីតេស្ត​ DNA និងរដ្ឋាភិបាលនៃប្រទេសហូឡង់ដែលបានជួយគាំទ្រធ្វេីអោយការងារចុះជួយសហគមន៍មួយនេះអាចប្រព្រឹត្តទៅបានដោយរលូន។
វិធីសាស្ត្រ​ STEAR របស់​យើង​នៅក្នុងការអនុវត្តគឺជាការអប់រំសហគមន៍អំពី​ DNA និងជួយគាំទ្រដល់ក្រុមគ្រួសារដែលកំពុងស្វែងរកការជួបជុំគ្នាឡេីងវិញតាមរយៈ​ពត៌មាន​ DNA របស់គាត់។ ប្រសិន​បើ​អ្នក​ ឬនរណាម្នាក់ដែលអ្នកស្គាល់កំពុងស្វែងរកសាច់ញាតិបងប្អូន ឬចង់ស្វែងយល់បន្ថែមអំពីការស្វែងរកក្រុមគ្រួសារដោយប្រេីប្រាស់ DNA សូមទំនាក់ទំនងមកកាន់យេីងខ្ញុំតាមរយ

Together we’ve done it! Chanserey Sothea’s fundraiser has raised $577.06, surpassing her $310.00 goal!

Your donation will go directly to our operations on the ground in Cambodia, primarily raising awareness about DNA, assisting family searches, and covering operational expenses in providing free DNA testing.

Thank you for making this possible. Together, we can reconnect even more families. Follow our work and see the impact you're making.
https://www.reconnectingcambodia.org/dna-testing

💙 It's the FINAL DAY of Chanserey's birthday fundraiser, and we're so grateful.

Together, we raised $577.06 to support families searching for answers about missing loved ones. Thank you for helping bring hope and new possibilities for reconnection.

Every single donation helps reunite Cambodian families separated by war, displacement, and migration. Through our STEAR (Science, Testing, Education, Assistance, and Restoration) work, these aren’t just numbers—they're real lives, real stories, and long-awaited reunions.

If you'd like to join us, there's still time to donate or share today. Every act of kindness makes a difference. ❤️🙏
https://khmercare.com/en/raise-funds/19995d47-5d14-4fe4-b1e2-59b51b031040

⏳ Just 3 days to go!

Our wonderful volunteer, Chanserey Sothea, has now raised an incredible $577.06 in support of our work in restoring lost family connections. 💙

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who has donated and shared this fundraiser so far. Your donation, will go directly to our operations on the ground in Cambodia, primarily raising awareness about DNA, assisting family searches, and providing free DNA testing

There's still time to be part of this special birthday fundraiser. Please donate, share, and help us give hope. ❤️🙏

Donation link: https://khmercare.com/en/raise-funds/19995d47-5d14-4fe4-b1e2-59b51b031040?fbclid=IwY2xjawSqHb1leHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEenU4vplRNSVFwNREHIt8BYlxiVWt8CNa5fvuWOvEttF3HXOOzkjbiGyxMeuY_aem__e6jddEsSn9Kpncw0KDnUw