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Living in Poverty: These children have no parents. They do not
have an education, or a school to attend. They scavenge for food because
they are hungry everyday. Some go without eating.
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Srey La & Dalin
While on a visit to the dump, found
her mother extremely sick and took her in. Someone had called to a
small, fly infested tent where he found Koan, 34, extremely sick and with no
medical care, pain relief or clean water. Rejected by her family due to the
stigma associated with her illness, she was left to die on her own. Little Srey
La, just seven years old, was sent out to work every day, picking garbage to get
enough money so that she and her mother could eat.
One of Koan's wishes from her hospital bed was that we look after her 12 year
old son Dalin.
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you
    
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Kagna, 12-years old
Nita, 10-years old
Kagna and Nita were sent from their impoverished home in Kandal Province by
parents who could no longer feed themselves and six children.
The sisters’ destination was Steung Meanchey, Phnom Penh’s garbage dump, where
they would live and be under the supervision of their great aunt. The hope was
that Nita and Kagna, by picking through the garbage, searching for recyclables,
along with 500 to 600 other children in similar situations, would earn enough to
feed themselves and perhaps enough to send some home.
From the green island community in Kandal to the filth and squalor of the dump
took a serious toll on the girls’ health. When found by Scott on March 17, 2005,
they were suffering from upper respiratory infections and malnutrition.
They were brought to the safety organization the day they were found, receiving medical
treatment, food and clean clothes. That week, after negotiations with the great
aunt, they enrolled at the organization and commenced an education program that includes
Khmer reading and writing, English, computer training and nightly dance and
drama school. Nita is hoping someday to become a teacher.
Thank
you
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Netra, 10-years old
Netra was one of the first students to attend
school. However, her schooling was often interrupted by her parents, who would
remove her from school to work at the dump. There she would pick through garbage
from 5am to noon, then again from evening to midnight or 1am, usually to redeem
50¢ a day.
Netra now attends school full-time, eats three meals a day at the organization, and has
settled into a comfortable room on the third floor with her friends. Her
progress in school is gradual, as she had fallen behind, but her scores are
good. Recently,
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you
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