19 Dec 2018
Orphans and Vulnerable Children receive support in Cambodia
Patrick Mooney has been working in Cambodia for many years. He is currently working for an organisation called Partners in Compassion which is a sustainable community based project working for vulnerable and orphan children including children affected by HIV/AIDS.
He sent us some information about the work of his organisation. This story focuses on a youth of 15 years, Hek Sammy, who shows much promise.
This young boy is bright and enjoys learning and hopes to be a lawyer one day. He is currently in 7th Grade. He has 3 siblings and is cared for by his mother. His father had a stroke and is paralysed on his left side and cannot work.
Sanny joined the Partners in Compassion project in 2017 and already has displayed very good leadership qualities; he was elected leader of the children’s club he attends by the other children, and has represented the 200 orphans and vulnerable children assisted by this project at a meeting of the National Task Force and at a meeting of the NGO Child Rights group. He has received training in Child Rights and Child Protection.
He received a bicycle from the organisation which motivates him to attend school more regularly and attends weekly art classes; he is a good artist. He also receives school and hygiene supplies when his case worker visits him each month and attends extra classes in Khmer writing and English classes, supported by the organisation.
His mother receives social supplies on a monthly basis which helps with daily living as the only family income is generated by her efforts in selling vegetables, snacks and cooking sauce in front of their home. They have no land for growing rice.
Sanny is only one of 200 children currently receiving support for daily survival from Partners in Compassion in Cambodia.
Here a young girl tells her own story:
(It was translated from the Kmer language by the project manager)
My name is Srey Sok (not her real name.) I am 12 years of age, I have 2 siblings. I live in Batie District, Takeo Province. My mother is working as a farmer, and my father died when I was a child. My family has been recognized by the government as being poor and we received poor card number 1. Currently I study at Chhnath Primary School at grade 6. The distance from my home to school is 2 kilometers.
My family has been supported by Partners in Compassion for one year, up to now my family had social welfare support 6 times and myself I have received school supplies 5 times and hygiene supplies 6 times, uniforms 2 times, money for extra classes $5 monthly. I received a bicycle as well as I participate in child club meetings every time they are organized. I attend extra classes 5 days each week for 2 hours and pay with the $5 I receive every month for extra classes.
Because of the support my family and myself received our living conditions have improved. My studies have improved, I have greater commitment for my education, I now get better scores in my class work. In this academic year I have never failed in any subject. In May 2018 I received score number 4 and in June I was number 1 among 23 students in the class. The staff of Partners in Compassion and village volunteers check regularly that my education is improving and that I go to school every day.
I wish to study hard to become a well-educated student, a good child, a good friend, and a good student, especially in the future I want to be a teacher.
Before the support from the project I received scores from 20 to 25 among 30 students in the class, In the past I did not go to school regularly, I have no money for attending extra classes, my mother never showed the value of education and never encouraged me to go to school, if I did not have the support from Partners in Compassion my education would not have improved and maybe by now I would have dropped out from school. Now my mother can see the value of education and she is motivated to make sure I attend school.
Nowadays, my family has changed a lot such as my education & living conditions have improved because now my mother has greater understanding & value of education and takes care of me. She attends the literacy class & has received training in gardening, animal raising, and has joined the saving support group. For income generation she has a weaving machine and can generate income of $20 per month.
In addition to going to school regularly I have been participating in child clubs.
At the end, I would like to thank Partners in Compassion that support my family and me for improving our living conditions, our health is better and my education has improved. I would like to request Partners in Compassion to continue to support me until grade 12.
