Need your help!
They're our futures!
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I am not
sure whether your organization will be
able to help, but I have found your
website using
Google, and am in the
process of contacting any orphanages who
may be able to help with the situation
below.
I have just arrived into
Phnom Penh this afternoon
and have been struck immediately by the
overwhelming poverty and desperation of
the vast majority of the population. In
particular the children.
There is one case which is causing me to
contact SOS in such an arbitrary
fashion, that of a young boy who I
spotted selling books down by the river
this afternoon. Well actually, he
spotted me and he was one amongst many.
However, Be (the child in question; a
boy of about 10 years old) decided to
take it upon himself to fix my t-shirt
as the sleeve had a rip in it which
matched the rip in his own. He
disappeared off to find a sewing kit and
then re-appeared to fix my shirt. I
told him to fix his own first as I was
eating my lunch. When he took his shirt
off to do so, he exposed a neck, chest
and back riddled with horrific, almost
uniform bruises.
I've been through quite a few South East
Asian countries and also
India
and so have seen my fair share of
children living on the streets in
appallingly desperate situations, but
this is the first time that I've been
compelled to contact a higher authority
to ask for their help/advice.
I found out a little information from a
pair of '"ex-pat bullies" who were
sitting at the table next to me and
decided to shout at Be for sitting next
to their moped and accidentally getting
the $1 note that I'd given to him for
his troubles, stuck in the moped
handles. Amongst the names that they
called him were "thief" and "stupid
little bastard". They seemed quite
amused that he'd lost the measly $1 that
he'd earned from me and they took great
delight in chasing him away, resulting
in Be being reduced to floods of tears
and the entire staff of the restaurant
laughing in unison at this apparently
amusing act.
I decided to take it upon myself to
extract the $1 note myself and it was
returned to it's rightful owner. The
argument that ensued between myself and
the two supposedly adult males sat next
to me enabled me to deduce that Be is in
fact an orphan that lives in the streets
behind the Kandal House on the riverside
with a brother and sister.
I firmly believe that Be falls into a
high risk category and consequently
needs immediate help.
I realize that the orphanages in Phnom
Penh (and the rest of the world) are
unable to help every child that needs
their support, and also that in many
situations the child themselves convince
themselves that they do not need adult
help. But in this case, I think some
intervention is necessary, and I'm
willing to provide the funds to do so.
If there are indeed 3 children in the
family group then I would imagine that
all three children are in need of help.
I think that in many cases like this,
people take the easy decision of
ignoring the evidence that indicates a
child's suffering by convincing
themselves that they wouldn't be able to
help, or that the child doesn't need
adult intervention. I've done this many
times, and in every case I've been
absolutely wrong, of that I am sure.
In this instance I think I was further
moved by the appalling treatment the
child was subjected to at the hands of
the two ex-pats. No child should have
to suffer life on the street but it is
unfortunate reality that not enough
people are willing to work towards
helping the children of the world who
find themselves parentless and fen ding
for themselves in an unforgiving
environment like the streets of Phnom
Penh.
To have this injustice further
exacerbated by the obvious abuse that
this child has suffered, not to mention
the countless encounters with adults
that are only too willing to ignore
them, and in this very disgusting case,
to ridicule him and reduce him to tears,
is outrageous. I wouldn't have been a
decent human being if I had ignored it.
I can't begin to imagine the
psychological effects that Be's
situation must be having on him.
Would your organization be able to
help? Or at least point me in the right
direction and provide me with advice so
that I may help?
I look forward to your quick response.
Best regards,
Helen Dagley
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Dear
COI,
How
are
you?
I
hope
you
are
feeling
better
since
your
surgery.
I
just
wanted
to
provide
you
with
an
update
concerning
my
attempt
to
write
some
stories
depicting
the
lives
of
the
orphans
in
Cambodia.
As I
began
my
writing
several
weeks
ago,
I
came
to
realize
that
I
could
not
honestly
depict
the
lives
of
these
children,
as I
did
not
truly
know
much
about
them.
Recollecting
on
my
many
trips
to
Cambodia,
I
can
recall
many
incidences
I
have
had
with
several
children,
but
being
as
selfish
as I
was,
I
did
not
take
the
time
to
really
understand
these
children's
stories.
During
my
trip
to
Cambodia
at
the
end
of
2006
for
my
brother's
wedding,
I
can
recall
having
visitors
help
us
clean
up
the
tables
at
the
ceremony.
For
the
wedding
ceremony,
tables
were
set
up
outside
for
guests
to
have
lunch.
As
we
all
finished
our
wonderful
meal
of
various
dishes,
I
noticed
several
children,
dressed
in
dirty
worn-out
clothing,
with
them
dirty
plastic
bags
asking
for
our
leftover
and
plastic
bottles.
I've
also
witness
several
of
these
children
so
excited
that
they
were
able
to
have
our
leftover
fish
heads,
that
they
began
eating
on
the
floor
by
our
tables.
It
was
very
heart
breaking.
We
gave
them
bags
of
all
of
the
left
over
to
take
with
them.
During
my
trip
to
Cambodia
at
the
end
of
2007,
I
can
recall
having
lunch
by
the
waterside
when
several
children
came
by
to
sell
their
fruits.
Although
the
fruits
did
not
look
fresh
or
clean,
I
bought
everything
in
their
basket
and
gave
them
extra
money.
However,
they
were
most
excited
when
I
offered
them
bubble
gum
from
my
purse.
One
child
ate
half
and
said
that
he
was
saving
the
other
half
for
his
sister.
Also
by
the
waterside,
I
can
recall
a
child,
covered
with
dirt
and
filth,
crying.
I
asked
him
why
he
was
crying
and
he
responded
that
he
wanted
to
go
to
school.
It
was
then
that
I
realized
that
I
was
very
lucky,
for
when
I
was
his
age
I
cried
because
I
had
to
go
to
school.
As
you
can
tell,
I do
not
believe
that
I
know
enough
about
the
lives
of
these
children
to
be
able
to
write
about
them.
I am
afraid
I
will
have
to
postpone
completing
the
task
you've
asked
of
me
until
my
next
trip
to
Cambodian
sometime
next
year.
During
the
next
trip,
I
plan
to
visit
several
orphanages
and
spend
more
time
learning
about
these
sad
lives.
My
apologies
for
taking
so
long
in
getting
back
with
you
and
hope
you
will
understand
my
hesitation
in
claiming
to
know
about
these
children.
Click
Please
do
not
hesitate
to
contact
me
if
there
is
anything
I
can
do
to
help
and
I
will
keep
you
posted!
Sincerely,
May
Chen
MayLing
Tong
Chen |
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Dear
Friends,
Help
Us
send
those
Kids
to
schools
this
year.
Your
valuable
help
is
needed
greatly!
PLEASE
HELP
US
TO
EDUCATE
THESE
CHILDREN''
As a
supporter
of
the
Cambodian
Orphanage
International,
Inc
foundation,
if
you’ve
helped
us
meet
real
needs
in
the
past,
and
I
hope
you
will
help
us
again
today
click
here.
Please
give
a
secure,
tax-deductible
gift
of
$15,
$25,
or
even
$50
or
more
today.
Your
gift
of
any
amount
is
appreciated
and
will
help
ensure
that
COI
Inc
services
are
available
for
many
of
street
children,
and
poorest
street
children
family
members
if
the
need
arises.
Thank
you!
I
look
forward
to
your response.
Best regards,
Phamara
Uong
ihelpchildren@yahoo.com
A
few
dollars
that's
all
it
takes.
CLICK
HERE.
People
without
imagination!
Sponsor
a
child
Click
here!
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