FOLLOW OUR BLOG...
International Day of the Girl - Thida's Story
By Thida, October 2014
I grew up in Prey Veng Province on my Grandparents’ farm. My whole family lived in the one house; my grandparents, parents, myself, my sister, and my two brothers. We had pigs, dogs, chickens and cats and we grew chilli and greenwater vegetables. All of us went to the local school until 2007, when my family moved to Ang Dong village outside Phnom Penh so that we could go to a better school. My parents did not have enough money because my father could not get a job. In 2008 my family all returned to the province, but I stayed in Ang Dong and went to live at CPO because I wanted to study English. CPO is a small organisation that provides food and school for around 30 children. We lived in very poor conditions, with no shelter, no clean water and very basic food. I did not like living there, but I had to stay there if I wanted to go to school.
When I was 17 I had to go to work in a factory because my parents could not find work, and couldn’t support my brothers and sister. The factory I worked in employed 500 people in Phnom Penh. I worked from 7.00am until 9.00pm with breaks at 11.30 and 6.00 to eat. My job was quality control of the clothes that were made. I was paid $130-$140 per month in this job. I didn’t like it because the work was so tiring – it was hot and loud. I was very poor because I had to send $100 per month home to my parents, this meant I didn’t have enough food and I had to live with my cousin, which was sometimes difficult. I really wanted to go back and finish school.
I met the Directors and supporters of Dara when I was living at CPO and I was so glad that they offered me a place in their centre when it opened. In November 2012 I started Grade 10 at Beltei International Institute in Phnom Penh. I was happy to have the opportunity to go to Beltei as it is a good school and I have met some great friends there. I am now in Grade 12, and am working really hard at school as I want to study Medicine at University. My dream for the future is to work as a doctor overseas, maybe in Australia. I also want to help children in Cambodia to go to school because I know that it is very difficult for them.
In response to recent press...
By Marijke, August 2014
There's been a lot of bad press in the Australian media lately about Cambodian orphanages. It's shone a spotlight on the industry the country has created and the tourists that support it.
I'm glad that there's so much publicity around these issues as I've also witnessed strangers' easy access to children and dance performances used as tourist attractions. Don't even get me started on the child abuse.
With all this publicity comes outrage and unfortunately, often an unwillingness to support any Cambodian children's charity. It's easy to judge, to condemn, to stop helping. I'm just thankful that our donors don't paint us with the same brush because there's so much more to do...
When the country was crippled by genocide over 30 years ago, orphanages were a desperate need. So, it shouldn't really come as a surprise that the foreign aid brought in by such facilities, would spark the interests of enterprising people looking to earn a living from the generosity and good intentions of others. Only now, survival has turned into some major profiteering and it's all at the expense of children.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not making excuses for or condoning this behaviour. It's actually one of the reasons I got so deeply involved trying to find a solution. While I'm bored of the whole 'western saviour' debate, there's a role my charity partners and I fulfill, despite being three white, fairly privileged females from different parts of the western world.
When I first volunteered in Cambodia five years ago, I was pretty naive. I think I needed to be to jump head first into this. Our children were living in one of these corrupt orphanages. They missed school for dance lessons and were taught key English & Japanese phrases to charm the tourists, all to line the pockets of a Director with no other skills (she couldn't even read or write Khmer). I've heard some brutal stories about what else went on there and along this journey we've had some major set-backs but for our kids, the future now looks bright.
The children we support are those I fell in love with on that first trip to Cambodia - none have been scouted. And now with our residential facility doing so well (you cannot just walk through our gates by the way), we're working with extended families to see how we can hopefully get some of them back together. We're also about to kick off a new initiative that will see us provide education opportunities for every child in the Ang Doung village. It won't be the private school education our residential kids get, but in years to come we hope to be able to provide scholarships for top performers. As a result, the community's families should no longer rely on (corrupt) orphanages to feed or educate their children. Instead, we can start to build the family unit. That's what will really save Ang Doung.
Pleasing progress...
By Marijke, August 2013
It's the last day of my visit and I'm feeling a little nostalgic. I've tried to come back every year since my first trip to Cambodia nearly four years ago. A lot has changed. Phnom Penh's development has sky-rocketed. In 2009, Naga World Casino and Sovanna Shopping Centre were the epitome of sophistication here. Now, it seems nearly every district has a multi-billion dollar project in development: the riverside has transformed; the olympic stadium is under development into western-style apartments and a luxury shopping complex; and while the markets still dominate, boutiques are fast gaining popularity with the increasing wealthy set.
I've changed too. It's hard not to when you're faced with the harsh realities of people living on less than $2 a day. Especially when the overwhelming wealth of the authorities is so hard to miss. When I first visited the Ang Doung community - the village that our children were moved to when they were evicted from their land on the riverside in 2006 - the roar of the children running through the dirt streets to greet our moto was deafening. Half clothed, they leapt onto me, each struggling to find some room for a hug or a smile. For the next two months, they showered me with their laughter and love. And, when it was time to leave them, I promised that I would return and that they would be taken care of. That was the most important promise I ever made.
Now, nearly four years later, after what seemed like set-back after set-back, I find myself writing this blog from our dining room table. In our new Centre. With the kids I met those few years ago in the room beside me, quietly (ahem) playing memory from some laptops donated by my employer earlier this year. It's a safe home. With good food and healthcare plans. With great education opportunities. While we've not managed to immediately help all of the children I met in 2009, we've made a great start. My desire to help these children was shared by a number of people who have made this a reality. Huge credit to Josie and Nakita, my fellow volunteers and partners in all of this - without them, I'm not sure I would be sitting here (at least not sane, although that is debatable!). And of course, thanks to all of our generous donors and those who give their time and professional expertise for free to help.
We've got a way to go and bigger plans to support more families in the future but I thought this was a good time to sit back and reflect on the past three and half years. While Phnom Penh and I have changed, unfortunately the same can't be said for Ang Doung. The village is still crippled by poverty and HIV. Until there's local support for these forgotten communities, Dara Children's Trust will continue to provide opportunities for their children.
If you have a similar story about your visit to Cambodia, I'd love to hear it - please email me at [email protected].
Election riots outside our gates...
By Marijke, July 2013
Arriving in Phnom Penh just two days after the election, the side effects of a nation pleading for change is clear. While every over-18-year-old I've seen in Phnom Penh has an inked finger from taking to the ballots, apparently just over half of those eligible to vote, did. According to a statement from the European Union for Foreign Affairs, the elections were conducted in accordance with some recommendations of past EU Election Observation Missions. But they didn't seem to think they went far enough, citing shortcomings such as improving the reliability of the voter list, ensuring equitable access to media and preventing the use of State resources including campaigning by civil servants and the military. It seems that while this election was a vast improvement on the last, Cambodia still has a way to go before it will experience a true and fair democratic process.
On election day, this was more than obvious when just a hundred meters from our childcare centre, a riot broke out at the local polling station after angry protestors were denied the right to vote. After obstructing official vote counters, crowds turned over and set fire to two police vans. On the whole, incidents were brief and few, and preliminary results have Prime Minister Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party (CPP) with 68 seats in the 123-seat parliament - a significant fall from its previous 90.
The country now goes into a holding pattern while officials work through the numbers and disputes are recorded (immediately following the preliminary results the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) rejected the results). There will no doubt be a period of uncertainty until the official results are published in early September. For our children, they're really none the wiser and safely protected by our off-the-beaten-track location and big gates. Thankfully, it's school holidays here so many of them were visiting relations last week anyway.
No doubt Cambodia will return the peaceful and calm nature we know it to be. Let's hope that if there are any future disputes to come, that they don't take place in our back yard next time!
Giving Back - cleaning the streets of Phnom Penh
By Marijke, May 2013
On May 19, we joined a number of local organisations and with rubbish bags in hand, we did our part to clean up our neighbourhood, Steung Meanchey. This was an initiative organised by 'Let's Do It Phnom Penh' and the local project involved over 150 people. Last year, 'Let's Do It' engaged over 6000 people in street cleaning initiatives and since our children are now some of the more fortunate, we wanted them to learn the importance of 'giving back' to their community.
All our children took part and we were really proud of the way they embraced the initiative and worked in collaboration with our partner organisations. Our youngest, Srey Kourch was just as valuable as our teenage boys - in fact, being lower to the ground, we're sure she broke a few records for our team!
It was such a hot morning so after all the cleaning, we took the kids down to the pools to cool off - the perfect end to a fun-filled, meaningful day!
Stellar Child Care Centre's Little Gems - The coolest kids in town
By Nakita, February 2013
Srey Kourch can best be described as a little monkey; she’s cheeky, sometimes downright naughty, but you can’t get mad at her
because she’s just too funny. She copies the older kids in her clumsy five-year-old style- happily singing along to songs with her own made up words, or attempting Gangnam Style dance moves through out of control fits of giggles. She has grown up so much since she moved here. In the first week she was permanently attached to me- like an additional limb. She wouldn’t go to sleep by herself and she had a meltdown if anyone said no to her. I can’t believe how different she is already- she goes to bed after story time, plays and shares
with the other kids, and hasn’t had a tantrum for days! A true little trooper, probably the most stubborn child I’ve met, she knows exactly what she wants and you can’t help but love her!
Chantha is Kourch’s sister but you wouldn’t know it! She’s a genuine sweet heart. She’s always looked after Kourch and, now that there are adults around to do that, her personality is starting to come out more. Champa is always singing something, usually quite loud and a little off key. She loves to draw, make things and help out. You can’t leave a dirty dish unattended without her seeking it out to wash it for you- she’s like a bloodhound or something- she can sense it! Champa’s reading is slow but loud, progressing already in the short time she’s been around books constantly. A beautiful twelve year old with compassion that we could all learn from.
Pao is a total gem of a kid. When I met him last year he was a mad-keen soccer player, energetic, skilled and fast. In October he was in a bad accident where two tuk tuks crushed his leg. As a result he spent months in hospital and now has to wear a metal brace covering his whole leg for a year. You’d think because of this he’d be depressed, maybe a bit angry, but he’s not. Pao has adapted remarkably- he can accomplish just about anything with his crutches and his good leg, and gets around very independently. When he’s tired he’s happy to read, draw, or practice on his new guitar. Pao has a great sense of humour, always up for a joke, he’s smart too-he has a lot of potential.
When I first met Ravy he seemed like a tough kid- I worried that in his thirteen years he’d been irrevocably damaged, as you see sometimes with kids that have had an unfairly difficult start to life. Then he grinned and I knew I was wrong. He has what you’d call a winning smile, revealing an innocent boy putting on a brave face. All throughout the day Ravy shows glimpses of it- during story time he is just gorgeous- so engrossed that he creeps closer and closer to the reader. He has a real shot at developing trust in others now- knowing that people care for him. He’s opening up and every day I see more smiles, more unguarded moments.
Saveurn is a quiet girl and can usually be found tagging along with Champa even though Saveurn is three years older. She has a great smile and amazing long hair. She is always kind and polite, and she is very grateful to be here, which she shows with through small affection- a quick hug or sitting close by. Saveurn is really patient- when the kids are all doing something she happily watches, never demanding a turn.
Oddom is quickly adjusting to living at the centre- a place with rules, expectations, furniture and property. He seems pretty street smart but he needs good role models, a good education, and some routine in his life. Oddom is a genuinely nice kid and I think we got him at the right time to make a huge difference to his future.
Thida is gorgeous, she cares about fashion, loves reading what I assume from the cover are Khmer romance novels. This morning, on a
Saturday off from school, Thida was up before seven to make breakfast for the other children- as the caregiver is home for the weekend. She then washed the girls’ sheets, read her book and relaxed for a while, then made everybody lunch and cleaned up, now she is reading a story with Kourch. She did all of this with a smile on her face and without being asked. Did I mention this is an eighteen-year-old girl?!
Davan is the most incredible nineteen-year-old boy. I don’t think he’s even heard of a bad mood, a sleep in, or a bad attitude. He takes polite to a whole new level, is eager to go to school, and even cleans up without being asked. Davan is having trouble in maths, and he works on it for hours every night, but he ungrudgingly takes time to read stories to the younger kids. He is so gorgeous with Pao- he walks behind with him; hand on his back in support, there for him as a mate. He’s a true gentleman.
So that’s our crew for now- we have two more moving in this week who will, no doubt, be stars…
Moving in - the first few days of madness...
Nakita, January 2013
Well it’s been a very productive first three weeks in Cambodia. So far my focus has been on creating a real home for the children; which has meant a lot of time trawling the shops and local market for bargains. I have moved in to the centre so that I am able to implement good routines and habits across the day. Five of the children have moved in already- Davan and Thida, who are both 18 have been here for a few months. They attend a local private school in the mornings and help out around the house in the afternoons. We will get their school reports in two weeks which we will use to help us decide whether they need extra study in Khmer, or if they are able to do some English lessons. Three younger children; Pao, 12, Chamtha, 12 and Srey Kourch, 5, moved in last week and another boy will move in this week. The children get along very well together and love the new house. For the first time in their lives they have beds, matresses, plumbing and properly constructed walls etc so there is a lot for them to get used to!
All of the children are fairly healthy, they have some nutrition problems so we have been making lots of fruit smoothies and giving them as much dairy as possible. We also purchased some multivitamins to speed up the process of getting the children in optimal health. Pao had a very bad accident in October where two tuk tuks collided and crushed his left leg so he is currently in the rehabilitation process. He has a metal brace sticking out of his leg. We were lucky to have Bonnie, an Occupational Therapist, visiting over the last two weeks, and this week we made an appointment with an ex-pat physiotherapist who we will continue to see to ensure Pao is up to date with exercises to keep his knee moving and his muscles strong.
Aside from all of this hard work there have been some fun activities; last week I took the children shopping at the Central Market where they chose some new clothes and shoes. We also went to the cinema to see Wreck It Ralph in 3D- this was the first time at the movies for 3 of the children so it was very exciting for them!
By Thida, October 2014
I grew up in Prey Veng Province on my Grandparents’ farm. My whole family lived in the one house; my grandparents, parents, myself, my sister, and my two brothers. We had pigs, dogs, chickens and cats and we grew chilli and greenwater vegetables. All of us went to the local school until 2007, when my family moved to Ang Dong village outside Phnom Penh so that we could go to a better school. My parents did not have enough money because my father could not get a job. In 2008 my family all returned to the province, but I stayed in Ang Dong and went to live at CPO because I wanted to study English. CPO is a small organisation that provides food and school for around 30 children. We lived in very poor conditions, with no shelter, no clean water and very basic food. I did not like living there, but I had to stay there if I wanted to go to school.
When I was 17 I had to go to work in a factory because my parents could not find work, and couldn’t support my brothers and sister. The factory I worked in employed 500 people in Phnom Penh. I worked from 7.00am until 9.00pm with breaks at 11.30 and 6.00 to eat. My job was quality control of the clothes that were made. I was paid $130-$140 per month in this job. I didn’t like it because the work was so tiring – it was hot and loud. I was very poor because I had to send $100 per month home to my parents, this meant I didn’t have enough food and I had to live with my cousin, which was sometimes difficult. I really wanted to go back and finish school.
I met the Directors and supporters of Dara when I was living at CPO and I was so glad that they offered me a place in their centre when it opened. In November 2012 I started Grade 10 at Beltei International Institute in Phnom Penh. I was happy to have the opportunity to go to Beltei as it is a good school and I have met some great friends there. I am now in Grade 12, and am working really hard at school as I want to study Medicine at University. My dream for the future is to work as a doctor overseas, maybe in Australia. I also want to help children in Cambodia to go to school because I know that it is very difficult for them.
In response to recent press...
By Marijke, August 2014
There's been a lot of bad press in the Australian media lately about Cambodian orphanages. It's shone a spotlight on the industry the country has created and the tourists that support it.
I'm glad that there's so much publicity around these issues as I've also witnessed strangers' easy access to children and dance performances used as tourist attractions. Don't even get me started on the child abuse.
With all this publicity comes outrage and unfortunately, often an unwillingness to support any Cambodian children's charity. It's easy to judge, to condemn, to stop helping. I'm just thankful that our donors don't paint us with the same brush because there's so much more to do...
When the country was crippled by genocide over 30 years ago, orphanages were a desperate need. So, it shouldn't really come as a surprise that the foreign aid brought in by such facilities, would spark the interests of enterprising people looking to earn a living from the generosity and good intentions of others. Only now, survival has turned into some major profiteering and it's all at the expense of children.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not making excuses for or condoning this behaviour. It's actually one of the reasons I got so deeply involved trying to find a solution. While I'm bored of the whole 'western saviour' debate, there's a role my charity partners and I fulfill, despite being three white, fairly privileged females from different parts of the western world.
When I first volunteered in Cambodia five years ago, I was pretty naive. I think I needed to be to jump head first into this. Our children were living in one of these corrupt orphanages. They missed school for dance lessons and were taught key English & Japanese phrases to charm the tourists, all to line the pockets of a Director with no other skills (she couldn't even read or write Khmer). I've heard some brutal stories about what else went on there and along this journey we've had some major set-backs but for our kids, the future now looks bright.
The children we support are those I fell in love with on that first trip to Cambodia - none have been scouted. And now with our residential facility doing so well (you cannot just walk through our gates by the way), we're working with extended families to see how we can hopefully get some of them back together. We're also about to kick off a new initiative that will see us provide education opportunities for every child in the Ang Doung village. It won't be the private school education our residential kids get, but in years to come we hope to be able to provide scholarships for top performers. As a result, the community's families should no longer rely on (corrupt) orphanages to feed or educate their children. Instead, we can start to build the family unit. That's what will really save Ang Doung.
Pleasing progress...
By Marijke, August 2013
It's the last day of my visit and I'm feeling a little nostalgic. I've tried to come back every year since my first trip to Cambodia nearly four years ago. A lot has changed. Phnom Penh's development has sky-rocketed. In 2009, Naga World Casino and Sovanna Shopping Centre were the epitome of sophistication here. Now, it seems nearly every district has a multi-billion dollar project in development: the riverside has transformed; the olympic stadium is under development into western-style apartments and a luxury shopping complex; and while the markets still dominate, boutiques are fast gaining popularity with the increasing wealthy set.
I've changed too. It's hard not to when you're faced with the harsh realities of people living on less than $2 a day. Especially when the overwhelming wealth of the authorities is so hard to miss. When I first visited the Ang Doung community - the village that our children were moved to when they were evicted from their land on the riverside in 2006 - the roar of the children running through the dirt streets to greet our moto was deafening. Half clothed, they leapt onto me, each struggling to find some room for a hug or a smile. For the next two months, they showered me with their laughter and love. And, when it was time to leave them, I promised that I would return and that they would be taken care of. That was the most important promise I ever made.
Now, nearly four years later, after what seemed like set-back after set-back, I find myself writing this blog from our dining room table. In our new Centre. With the kids I met those few years ago in the room beside me, quietly (ahem) playing memory from some laptops donated by my employer earlier this year. It's a safe home. With good food and healthcare plans. With great education opportunities. While we've not managed to immediately help all of the children I met in 2009, we've made a great start. My desire to help these children was shared by a number of people who have made this a reality. Huge credit to Josie and Nakita, my fellow volunteers and partners in all of this - without them, I'm not sure I would be sitting here (at least not sane, although that is debatable!). And of course, thanks to all of our generous donors and those who give their time and professional expertise for free to help.
We've got a way to go and bigger plans to support more families in the future but I thought this was a good time to sit back and reflect on the past three and half years. While Phnom Penh and I have changed, unfortunately the same can't be said for Ang Doung. The village is still crippled by poverty and HIV. Until there's local support for these forgotten communities, Dara Children's Trust will continue to provide opportunities for their children.
If you have a similar story about your visit to Cambodia, I'd love to hear it - please email me at [email protected].
Election riots outside our gates...
By Marijke, July 2013
Arriving in Phnom Penh just two days after the election, the side effects of a nation pleading for change is clear. While every over-18-year-old I've seen in Phnom Penh has an inked finger from taking to the ballots, apparently just over half of those eligible to vote, did. According to a statement from the European Union for Foreign Affairs, the elections were conducted in accordance with some recommendations of past EU Election Observation Missions. But they didn't seem to think they went far enough, citing shortcomings such as improving the reliability of the voter list, ensuring equitable access to media and preventing the use of State resources including campaigning by civil servants and the military. It seems that while this election was a vast improvement on the last, Cambodia still has a way to go before it will experience a true and fair democratic process.
On election day, this was more than obvious when just a hundred meters from our childcare centre, a riot broke out at the local polling station after angry protestors were denied the right to vote. After obstructing official vote counters, crowds turned over and set fire to two police vans. On the whole, incidents were brief and few, and preliminary results have Prime Minister Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party (CPP) with 68 seats in the 123-seat parliament - a significant fall from its previous 90.
The country now goes into a holding pattern while officials work through the numbers and disputes are recorded (immediately following the preliminary results the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) rejected the results). There will no doubt be a period of uncertainty until the official results are published in early September. For our children, they're really none the wiser and safely protected by our off-the-beaten-track location and big gates. Thankfully, it's school holidays here so many of them were visiting relations last week anyway.
No doubt Cambodia will return the peaceful and calm nature we know it to be. Let's hope that if there are any future disputes to come, that they don't take place in our back yard next time!
Giving Back - cleaning the streets of Phnom Penh
By Marijke, May 2013
On May 19, we joined a number of local organisations and with rubbish bags in hand, we did our part to clean up our neighbourhood, Steung Meanchey. This was an initiative organised by 'Let's Do It Phnom Penh' and the local project involved over 150 people. Last year, 'Let's Do It' engaged over 6000 people in street cleaning initiatives and since our children are now some of the more fortunate, we wanted them to learn the importance of 'giving back' to their community.
All our children took part and we were really proud of the way they embraced the initiative and worked in collaboration with our partner organisations. Our youngest, Srey Kourch was just as valuable as our teenage boys - in fact, being lower to the ground, we're sure she broke a few records for our team!
It was such a hot morning so after all the cleaning, we took the kids down to the pools to cool off - the perfect end to a fun-filled, meaningful day!
Stellar Child Care Centre's Little Gems - The coolest kids in town
By Nakita, February 2013
Srey Kourch can best be described as a little monkey; she’s cheeky, sometimes downright naughty, but you can’t get mad at her
because she’s just too funny. She copies the older kids in her clumsy five-year-old style- happily singing along to songs with her own made up words, or attempting Gangnam Style dance moves through out of control fits of giggles. She has grown up so much since she moved here. In the first week she was permanently attached to me- like an additional limb. She wouldn’t go to sleep by herself and she had a meltdown if anyone said no to her. I can’t believe how different she is already- she goes to bed after story time, plays and shares
with the other kids, and hasn’t had a tantrum for days! A true little trooper, probably the most stubborn child I’ve met, she knows exactly what she wants and you can’t help but love her!
Chantha is Kourch’s sister but you wouldn’t know it! She’s a genuine sweet heart. She’s always looked after Kourch and, now that there are adults around to do that, her personality is starting to come out more. Champa is always singing something, usually quite loud and a little off key. She loves to draw, make things and help out. You can’t leave a dirty dish unattended without her seeking it out to wash it for you- she’s like a bloodhound or something- she can sense it! Champa’s reading is slow but loud, progressing already in the short time she’s been around books constantly. A beautiful twelve year old with compassion that we could all learn from.
Pao is a total gem of a kid. When I met him last year he was a mad-keen soccer player, energetic, skilled and fast. In October he was in a bad accident where two tuk tuks crushed his leg. As a result he spent months in hospital and now has to wear a metal brace covering his whole leg for a year. You’d think because of this he’d be depressed, maybe a bit angry, but he’s not. Pao has adapted remarkably- he can accomplish just about anything with his crutches and his good leg, and gets around very independently. When he’s tired he’s happy to read, draw, or practice on his new guitar. Pao has a great sense of humour, always up for a joke, he’s smart too-he has a lot of potential.
When I first met Ravy he seemed like a tough kid- I worried that in his thirteen years he’d been irrevocably damaged, as you see sometimes with kids that have had an unfairly difficult start to life. Then he grinned and I knew I was wrong. He has what you’d call a winning smile, revealing an innocent boy putting on a brave face. All throughout the day Ravy shows glimpses of it- during story time he is just gorgeous- so engrossed that he creeps closer and closer to the reader. He has a real shot at developing trust in others now- knowing that people care for him. He’s opening up and every day I see more smiles, more unguarded moments.
Saveurn is a quiet girl and can usually be found tagging along with Champa even though Saveurn is three years older. She has a great smile and amazing long hair. She is always kind and polite, and she is very grateful to be here, which she shows with through small affection- a quick hug or sitting close by. Saveurn is really patient- when the kids are all doing something she happily watches, never demanding a turn.
Oddom is quickly adjusting to living at the centre- a place with rules, expectations, furniture and property. He seems pretty street smart but he needs good role models, a good education, and some routine in his life. Oddom is a genuinely nice kid and I think we got him at the right time to make a huge difference to his future.
Thida is gorgeous, she cares about fashion, loves reading what I assume from the cover are Khmer romance novels. This morning, on a
Saturday off from school, Thida was up before seven to make breakfast for the other children- as the caregiver is home for the weekend. She then washed the girls’ sheets, read her book and relaxed for a while, then made everybody lunch and cleaned up, now she is reading a story with Kourch. She did all of this with a smile on her face and without being asked. Did I mention this is an eighteen-year-old girl?!
Davan is the most incredible nineteen-year-old boy. I don’t think he’s even heard of a bad mood, a sleep in, or a bad attitude. He takes polite to a whole new level, is eager to go to school, and even cleans up without being asked. Davan is having trouble in maths, and he works on it for hours every night, but he ungrudgingly takes time to read stories to the younger kids. He is so gorgeous with Pao- he walks behind with him; hand on his back in support, there for him as a mate. He’s a true gentleman.
So that’s our crew for now- we have two more moving in this week who will, no doubt, be stars…
Moving in - the first few days of madness...
Nakita, January 2013
Well it’s been a very productive first three weeks in Cambodia. So far my focus has been on creating a real home for the children; which has meant a lot of time trawling the shops and local market for bargains. I have moved in to the centre so that I am able to implement good routines and habits across the day. Five of the children have moved in already- Davan and Thida, who are both 18 have been here for a few months. They attend a local private school in the mornings and help out around the house in the afternoons. We will get their school reports in two weeks which we will use to help us decide whether they need extra study in Khmer, or if they are able to do some English lessons. Three younger children; Pao, 12, Chamtha, 12 and Srey Kourch, 5, moved in last week and another boy will move in this week. The children get along very well together and love the new house. For the first time in their lives they have beds, matresses, plumbing and properly constructed walls etc so there is a lot for them to get used to!
All of the children are fairly healthy, they have some nutrition problems so we have been making lots of fruit smoothies and giving them as much dairy as possible. We also purchased some multivitamins to speed up the process of getting the children in optimal health. Pao had a very bad accident in October where two tuk tuks collided and crushed his left leg so he is currently in the rehabilitation process. He has a metal brace sticking out of his leg. We were lucky to have Bonnie, an Occupational Therapist, visiting over the last two weeks, and this week we made an appointment with an ex-pat physiotherapist who we will continue to see to ensure Pao is up to date with exercises to keep his knee moving and his muscles strong.
Aside from all of this hard work there have been some fun activities; last week I took the children shopping at the Central Market where they chose some new clothes and shoes. We also went to the cinema to see Wreck It Ralph in 3D- this was the first time at the movies for 3 of the children so it was very exciting for them!