In one of our previous posts, you were able to listen to Vannara directly to learn about his family’s situation.
If you haven’t seen the video, check it out below!
Vannara’s mother, Pak, has been battling health issues for many years. She has been a single mother all her life, working hard to raise her children. Due to a lot of turmoil and hardship, many family members grew up apart from one another. Two of Pak’s daughters, Dany and Rotha, took up work early on to help support the family. Due to the extreme poverty that they were living in, Pak’s youngest son Ganya never had the opportunity to attend school.
Sadly, the family’s life was once again turned upside down one year ago, when one of Pak’s daughters took her own life, leaving behind her 5-year-old son Reach. The family barely had time to grieve their loss, as they were once again struck by financial crisis and extreme poverty.
Following the tragic incident, Pak, her daughter Dany, her son Ganya, and her grandson Reach moved from the province Kampong Saom to rural Kampot, where they started living in a small, abandoned bungalow that used to be a restaurant.
Thomlang – Cambodian Youth Support soon stepped in to provide financial aid to Pak’s family. We funded the construction of a small house, that finally provides them with a safe roof over their heads and access to electricity. As Pak is unable to take up work due to her health condition, Dany is the sole provider for the family but currently struggles to find work. Therefore, we continue to support the family every month with food donations.
14-year-old Ganya has never had the opportunity to go to school and never learned how to read and write. CYS enrolled both Ganya and 6-year-old Reach in first grade at the local primary school. We provided the two children with school supplies, uniforms, and bicycles. They are ecstatic to finally attend school, and we will ensure that they will be able to focus on their education despite their family’s challenging circumstances.
Support families and children in need by donating to CYS today!
