Story by Abby Taylor
April 30, 2026
In late January, a group of MCC Thrift staff from Canada set off on a learning tour to Cambodia. It was a meaningful moment, as this was the first time a team from across the Thrift network had the opportunity to travel together and experience first-hand the global work that Thrift shops help make possible.
Josue Figueroa, director of social Enterprise for MCC Manitoba, was part of the trip. He also oversees Sam’s Place, a downtown Winnipeg coffee shop that equips youth with meaningful job skills. In his role, Josue supports all 16 affiliated MCC Thrift shops in the province. His role is rooted in sustainability and relationship-building, values that became a lens through which he experienced Cambodia.
In preparation for the trip, Josue spent time learning about Cambodia’s history, which helped set the context for what he encountered. From 1965 to 1973, the United States dropped more than 2.7 million tons of explosives across Cambodia, more than the U.S. dropped during all of World War II.
The decades that followed included the devastating Khmer Rouge genocide and trauma that continues to impact many lives today. During the tour, the group visited the genocide museum and heard stories marked by both deep loss and deep resilience. They also learned about a strong civilization that existed long before the conflict, with rich cultural traditions and advanced farming and irrigation systems.
MCC began responding in Cambodia in 1979 and has remained involved for more than 45 years. Today, MCC Cambodia supports a dozen programs shaped by peacebuilding and sustainable development. For Josue, seeing MCC’s operating principles lived out helped him better understand the contrasts they witnessed, including sharp divides between wealth and poverty and the growing impact of climate change on farming communities.
The MCC Thrift team had the opportunity to visit and learn about several MCC projects including an initiative run by Organization to Develop Our Villages (ODOV).
ODOV works across three provinces in Cambodia in more than 140 villages. Through this partnership, young women gain skills in beauty salons that open doors to stable employment. They also provide training for men to learn trades including motorcycle repair, an essential service in a country where motorcycles are the primary form of transportation. Another program supports cell phone repair training and helps participants learn how to run small businesses, strengthening long-term economic stability.
Josue was also struck by a peacebuilding program for sixth grade students that focuses on emotional awareness and conflict management. While still relatively new, the program is already leading to positive change. In a society shaped by widespread trauma, there is real hope in offering children tools that may shift how future communities relate to conflict.
The program that impacted Josue most personally was Khmer Vulnerability Aid Organization (KVAO), which supports Cambodian refugees who grew up in the U.S. and are now being deported back to Cambodia.
KVAO helps participants secure housing, search for work and navigate daily life in a country that feels unfamiliar. With government grants sometimes uncertain, MCC is helping provide financial support so this work can continue. Josue heard clearly how MCC Thrift purchases, donations and volunteer time directly contribute to that support. Much of MCC’s funding, including thrift income from Canada and the U.S., makes programs like KVAO possible.
Throughout the trip, Josue was moved by the warmth of the people they met. After learning about the trauma so many have endured, he was inspired by their resilience.
“Rather than just learning facts, this trip was about perspective,” he says. “It reminded me that our work through MCC Thrift connects to a much larger global story. Through this work, we help support dignity and opportunity while strengthening communities.”
Two words stayed with him well after returning home: connection and perspective.
That sense of connection also resonated deeply with Becca Bushman, volunteer and marketing coordinator at Village Green MCC Thrift in Saskatoon, Sask., who also took part in the learning tour. She returned feeling newly motivated in her work.
“In Saskatchewan, we focus a lot on peacebuilding,” says Becca. “In Cambodia, I had the chance to see MCC’s relief and development work up close.”
Becca was struck by the resilience of everyone they met, especially knowing that up to 35% of the population died during the 1970s. She was also humbled by how often partners and program participants asked the group to pass along their thanks to people back home who support MCC through Thrift.
“There’s nothing like meeting people in person,” she says . “The community we build in our local thrift shops contributes to communities globally, even when we can’t see it.”
As the trip ended, Becca reflected on her experience through poetry. Below are a few lines she wrote for the MCC Thrift staff who journeyed together:
Like the footsteps of a hundred curious children, we find impact
Like the clanging of an unassuming school bell, we find impact
Like the shouts of justice from voices once silenced, we find impact
Like the tides of change that come with blossoming peace, we find impact
Since returning, Becca has shared her experience with the Village Green volunteers in Saskatoon, helping them see how their everyday efforts connect to a much wider picture.
“The work happening in places like Cambodia doesn’t happen the same way without the work happening here,” she says.
For Josue, Becca and the rest of the group, this learning tour was a reminder that MCC Thrift is deeply connected to MCC’s global work. From the shop floor to schools and community spaces in Cambodia, these connections matter.
