8-year-old Chang has unfortunately already had to endure much hardship in his young life and is growing up with his grandmother in a rural, poverty-stricken village. His grandmother, Chantha, has found it incredibly difficult to keep herself and her grandson afloat. The two live in a small tin shack that – like 70% of the rural Cambodian population still today – has no reliable access to electricity or water. The tin roof is full of holes, which allow water to seep into the small home during the rainy season. Chantha tries to look for work in the neighborhood, which is not easy in such a rural area. In addition, Chantha herself has never been fortunate enough to have access to an education, as she is a survivor of the Khmer Rouge regime and genocide of the late 1970s. Accordingly, it is a daily challenge for her to make ends meet for herself and Chang. She earns a few riel by, for example, collecting cans or plastic bottles in the neighborhood, which she can then redeem for a little bit of cash, or by helping other families or small restaurants with dishes or laundry, receiving half a dollar in return.
Chang has become very aware of his family’s situation even at a young age, and for years he has been helping his grandmother with garbage collection or washing dishes. Occasionally, he also collects fruit from mango or guava trees, either to eat himself or to sell on the street for a small amount of money. Going to school has not been an option for him until now, although his grandmother has encouraged him to do so since he was 6, as his future is very important to her. But Chang has not wanted to let his grandmother down and prioritized helping to keep the family above water.
Our organization was able to connect with Chang and Chantha last September and change their lives from one day to another: Since then, we have been supporting them every single month by donating food and hygiene products, such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, shower gel, and laundry detergent. We regularly supply the family with essentials such as new pillows and blankets or mosquito nets, and cover any medical expenses incurred when they fall ill. We also provided Chang with new clothes, a school uniform, and school supplies to prepare him for the start of school in October. Since, despite his age, he is now in the first grade and the Khmer alphabet is difficult to learn, we are also supporting him with tutoring to help him learn to read and write more quickly.
Chang loves going to school and, during our last visit in March, he already showed us how many letters and numbers he can write. We also surprised him by donating a bicycle so that he no longer has to walk to primary school. With this small monthly donation, we can not only prevent the family from suffering from hunger but also ensure Chang’s physical and educational development, which will significantly change the course of his life.
Support Cambodian families by donating to CYS today!
