meet our children...

We moved into our house in Phnom Penh at the beginning of 2013 and this is the first stable home our children have ever lived in.  The children have had to adjust to what we all take for granted - running water, sanitation, 3 meals a day - and have settled in nicely. Many of them are related and their extended families are encouraged to visit.


We believe that every child deserves a family and so we support regular visits to Ang Doung village and family integration.

Thida
At 19yrs, Thida is our eldest.  She studies Grade 12 at a private Khmer school  and wants to study medicine at University next year. Thida also studies extra English lessons and helps the younger children twice a week with some extra tuition. Thida is a typical teenager - she's gorgeous, cares about fashion and loves reading what we can only assume from the cover are Khmer romance novels.  Thida sets a good example for our younger children and was the first to move into our centre.


Kourch and Chantha
Kourch and Chantha are half sisters - Kourch is 6 years old and Champa is 13. Kourch is 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 six-year-old style - happily singing along to songs with her own made up words, or attempting Gangnam Style dance moves through-out uncontrollable fits of giggles.  

Chantha is the most helpful of our kids, always offering to help our caregiver with tidying or cooking. She's also the quietest. While Chantha can hold her own action-wise, you'll also quite often find her tucked away in the bedroom reading a good book.


Srey Ny
At just 5yrs, Srey Ny is our youngest. She's Chantha and Srey Kourch's cousin and loves going to school with Kourch and some of the older girls. You'd easily think Srey Ny is under the control of her slightly older and more demanding cousin Srey Kourch, but under this quiet exterior is a very determined and self-confident little girl.


Pao
Despite breaking his leg in a motorbike accident before joining our centre, Pao is the smiliest 13 year old you could meet!  He's constantly testing the boundaries, as most teenage boys do but he's worked really hard to get his leg back on track and his studies under control again. When he’s tired he’s happy to read, draw, or practice on his new guitar. Pao is also Chantha, Srey Kourch and Srey Ny's uncle - the girls look up to and love their uncle!



Punleu, Sokchea and Chornai 
Punleu is another one of our happiest and cheekiest boys. He's the older brother of Chornai and looks out for her and his younger cousin, Sokchea. In grade 6, he's a clever and kind-hearted little dude with an infectious giggle and mischievous grin.

Innocent little Sokchea is a pleasure to have around. At 8yrs, she's still a little weary of new people at first but once she gets to know you, she's definitely not a wallflower. She's a singer, a joker and an all-round sweetheart.

Chornai is an old soul, well beyond her nine years. She's independent, strong-willed and extremely bright. She holds her own with the older kids, quite often beating them in paper-scissors-rock, and is fiercely protective of her cousin and partner-in-crime, Sokchea.


Lavit, Lavin, Sreyneat and Sreypich
When their mother died of HIV complications in 2013, we supported the family to ensure that the children continued their education. Unfortunately, their father is now too unwell himself to care for them and currently the boys live with us. We continue to support their father, to keep him strong so that he can be around for as long as possible. He's a loving father with the best interests of his children always in the forefront of his mind.

Lavin is the eldest at 16yrs, Sreyneat is 15yrs, Lavit is 10yrs and Sreynich is just two years old. They are all a testament to their loving parents - well-natured, polite young adults who are great role models for our younger kids.