The Significant of Community Mapping

Tomnob Tathlang Community is located in Champhous Kaek Village, Prek Thmey Sangkat, Chbar Ampov District, Phnom Penh. The community members settled there since 2024 but do not have land title to prove the ownership. The community used to request the land title from the local authority, but they refused that the community were an unorganized construction living on the state land. 
From the past to the present, the community participated in many trainings with Sahmakum Teang Tnaut (STT), especially the training on the community mapping that it helped community members to be more confident and well-understood on community data, history and location. In 2023, STT produced digital community mapping for the community. Through this mapping, it helped community members to know the number of households, families, boundaries.  The maps helped community to manage the data of community and especially, this map was one of tools for community to advocate for a better solution. 

Ms. Chea Sarom, a representative of the Tomnob Ta Thlang community, said, "If we didn’t have this map, the community’s issues might never be solved. The authorities needed detailed information about our community to plan for relocation. I shared the digital community map with them, and they were impressed by how well we had organized our data. They said it made their job much easier and allowed them to work more closely with us. In the end, they decided to relocate our community to a new nearby area and give land plots to families based on the listed names on the map. Honestly, without this map, I don’t know how we could have shown them our community data. 
In June 2025, the community accepted compensation for relocating for a new location, which is about half a kilometer away from the old location, located in Baek Angkanh Village, Prek Eng Sangkat, Chbar Ampov District, Phnom Penh. The community also expressed their joy and satisfaction with the compensation and relocation of the new location for the community. And finally, the community have thanked the local authorities and the Sahmakum Teang Tnaut (STT) for their helping for community in the past.