Lakhon Komnit Organization

Our vision:
An unheard voice at the centre of every theatre performance in Cambodia.

Our mission:
To expand opportunities to create, perform, witness and participate in theatre that explores personal stories and experiences from Cambodian society.

About LKO:
Lakhon Komnit Organization (LKO) is a grassroots Cambodian theatre group, dedicated to the inclusion of marginalised people and unheard voices. Lakhon Komnit means “Thinking Theatre” in Khmer language: our work encourages people to reflect on reality, to think deeply, and to practice making positive change. We have seen how this equips people with the knowledge and skills that enable them to improve their own lives.

Founded as an informal theatre group in 2017, LKO became a registered NGO in 2019 (Registration Number: 9605 ប្រក).

Our approach:
From our base in Battambang, we run workshops, projects and performances which engage marginalised people as participants, creators, performers and audience members:

• THEATRE FOR EMPOWERMENT: tackling violence against women and girls
  Our Women's Group are survivors of domestic violence who trained with us and now engage communities through performances and participatory workshops. They empower women and girls who are vulnerable to Gender-Based Violence with knowledge about their Rights and opportunities to connect with fellow victims and survivors. Simultaneously, they offer non-judgemental spaces for men to gain critical awareness of the role gender norms play in perpetuating abuse, and offer a safe space to reflect on their own behaviour and future ambitions.

• THEATRE FOR PEACEBUILDING AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION: training programs
  After a successful pilot program in 2024, we are now ready to roll out a training series targeting Cambodian youth (19-30) in using theatre to explore conflict and resolution. By offering space for the participants to identify their own issues of concern and supporting them to represent their experiences through theatre, we aim to engage and up-skill the next generation of practitioners of theatre for change.

• THEATRE FOR PROBLEM SOLVING: bespoke performance creation and touring
  Working as an implementing partner to international NGOs, we create compelling theatre to engage at-risk communities on a variety of development themes. We have partnered, to name a few, with Mines Advisory Group to tackle the dangers of landmines and other unexploded remnants of war, with Samaritan's Purse to address human trafficking, and with Oxfam in Cambodia on a variety of gender disparity and social exclusion issues. Our team of experienced performers are all from disadvantaged backgrounds themselves, making them well-placed to engage marginalised audiences in reflection and discussion about what they are facing and how they would like it to change. We perform in non-conventional theatre spaces: on the roadside in remote villages, in school playgrounds, addiction rehabilitation centres and pagodas.

• TRAINING OF TRAINERS
  We offer bespoke training packages for those in or recently moving into community-facing roles, such as: de-miners, teachers, social workers, and various NGO front-line staff. Through 1-3 day courses, we support them to reflect on, adapt and refresh established training curriculum material, to acquire skills for designing and facilitating participatory learning, and to gain the confidence required to apply these dynamic approaches in the course of their work.

Your support enables LKO to continue our work to build a more inclusive social and artistic future for everyone, ensuring that the development of Cambodian theatre leaves no one behind.