Common Grounds Cafe

Julie Martinez opened Common Grounds Cafe on January 16th, 2008 as part of People For Care And Learning. The vision was to create a missional enterprise that would give poor and disadvantaged individuals in Siem Reap the chance to work. 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.

In 2008, Dalath Loeut was hired as one of our initial 13 employees. 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. Dalath was promoted to Common Grounds manager in 2015. He now oversees all of the day-to-day activities. He is now on a different side of the spectrum and providing hope to youth with similar backgrounds as himself.