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| The environment lover. Takeo province, CAMBODIA. |
Friday, 28 February 2014
This article was written while I was working for World Vision Cambodia.
Phyrun’s Family Trades
Domestic Violence for Love
Phyrun Dym is the oldest
son of three siblings. He is now eleven years old and lives with his parents in
the wooden house with zinc roof. His father, Dym Duoth is thirty-four year-old,
who is a classical khmer singer for weddings in the village; and his mother,
Hoy Pov, 34, works as a craft weaver. Phyrun’s family lived with domestic
violence for years and everyone in the village recognized that Phyrun’s father
was an alcoholic and acted like a gangster in the village. Things changed when
Phyrun’s father believes in God and became involved in many activities of World
Vision’s.
Phyrun sits on the mat and said, “I couldn’t focus on my study because my parents always quarreled almost everyday.” He continued with a sad face, “I remembered once my father came home drunk and hit my mother, and he kicked all children who were sleeping on the mat. My younger brothers and I immediately woke up scared and cried. He shouted at us to stop crying.”
He added, “I didn’t like my father because he was always drunk and was an unreasonable person; he seemed not to love the family. He always used forceful words with me; I never forgot when he threw a book and it hit my rim of my right eye and it was bleeding.”
Phyrun’s father, Dym Duoth was recognized as a bully in the village, and he was a person with bad manner. He was a big gangster with many followers in the village. He never thought about the family, he hang out with friends for drink until he was drunk. He enjoyed life at night. He caused many problems in the village such as fighting with others for no reason. Phyrun’s father confessed, “I was a bad husband, bad father, and a bad neighbor. Once I was really angry with my wife, and I smashed my motorbike in front of her. I was a gangster even my family was really poor; I acted like I was richer than everyone. Since the family was in debt, I started to re-think about the family and children’s future.”
Phyrun’s father went to work in Phnom Penh City and also went to Thailand to work as a worker in order to earn money to repay debt. Afterward, he learned how to sing by just listening to music and radio, and he became a classical wedding singer for wedding events in the village. He also knows how to play classical wedding instrument. Phyrun shared, “My father loves and cares for all the children, and he stopped using angry words against us. He initiated the child club at home with supports from World Vision staffs to gather all the children in the village to come and learn altogether. I am so happy with what he does.”
Phyrun’s family has been involved with World Vision since 2006 while the Stong Area Development Programme (ADP) started working with the first project, Food and Water Security. Phyrun’s father was invited to participate in the trainings, raising chicken, frog, fish, and agriculture. He was voted to be a leader of saving group in his community. Phyrun smiled, “I now love my father so much. He stopped using violence, and tries to earn for the family. Around the house areas, we have green vegetable that my dad has planted. He advised all the children about hygiene and lives in good environment. We now have a toilet, we didn’t have before and we all went to the bush for toilet.”
“My father usually read God’s book with me, and he advises me lots to do good things and try to study hard to have a bright future. I don’t see him drunk anymore; he always teaches all the children in the club to love, and help each other. I see my father sometimes read God’s book with World Vision staffs who always visit my family and they are very friendly, and kind to us,” grinned Phyrun while his two younger brothers are standing nearby him.
Phyrun is a sponsored child of World Vision. He said, “My dream is to become a good teacher in my community, so other children would respect me anywhere they meet me. And I can contribute knowledge to others as my father does lately; he is a key person to teach others about hygiene and stop using violence. He teaches all the children in the child club to be open-minded, love and share each other. I have learned lots from him, but I won’t act like such a gangster and ignore the family.”
A big change of Phyrun’s family has surprised others in the community. Phyrun is a smart student and he can focus on his study now with encouragement of his parents and World Vision’s staff.
“Phyrun's father always participated in any trainings and events, which are conducted by World Vision. He also spends his time to read the Bible and reflect on himself and his family. He always shares and reflects with us to improve his personality and creative ideas to develop for his family and the entire community. I see Phyrun is happier and braver in sharing with other children. The change of the father has influenced all family members, this is the lessons learned pointed out for us as development workers,” concluded Channy, Transformational Development Facilitator Team Leader of Stong ADP.
Phyrun sits on the mat and said, “I couldn’t focus on my study because my parents always quarreled almost everyday.” He continued with a sad face, “I remembered once my father came home drunk and hit my mother, and he kicked all children who were sleeping on the mat. My younger brothers and I immediately woke up scared and cried. He shouted at us to stop crying.”
He added, “I didn’t like my father because he was always drunk and was an unreasonable person; he seemed not to love the family. He always used forceful words with me; I never forgot when he threw a book and it hit my rim of my right eye and it was bleeding.”
Phyrun’s father, Dym Duoth was recognized as a bully in the village, and he was a person with bad manner. He was a big gangster with many followers in the village. He never thought about the family, he hang out with friends for drink until he was drunk. He enjoyed life at night. He caused many problems in the village such as fighting with others for no reason. Phyrun’s father confessed, “I was a bad husband, bad father, and a bad neighbor. Once I was really angry with my wife, and I smashed my motorbike in front of her. I was a gangster even my family was really poor; I acted like I was richer than everyone. Since the family was in debt, I started to re-think about the family and children’s future.”
Phyrun’s father went to work in Phnom Penh City and also went to Thailand to work as a worker in order to earn money to repay debt. Afterward, he learned how to sing by just listening to music and radio, and he became a classical wedding singer for wedding events in the village. He also knows how to play classical wedding instrument. Phyrun shared, “My father loves and cares for all the children, and he stopped using angry words against us. He initiated the child club at home with supports from World Vision staffs to gather all the children in the village to come and learn altogether. I am so happy with what he does.”
Phyrun’s family has been involved with World Vision since 2006 while the Stong Area Development Programme (ADP) started working with the first project, Food and Water Security. Phyrun’s father was invited to participate in the trainings, raising chicken, frog, fish, and agriculture. He was voted to be a leader of saving group in his community. Phyrun smiled, “I now love my father so much. He stopped using violence, and tries to earn for the family. Around the house areas, we have green vegetable that my dad has planted. He advised all the children about hygiene and lives in good environment. We now have a toilet, we didn’t have before and we all went to the bush for toilet.”
“My father usually read God’s book with me, and he advises me lots to do good things and try to study hard to have a bright future. I don’t see him drunk anymore; he always teaches all the children in the club to love, and help each other. I see my father sometimes read God’s book with World Vision staffs who always visit my family and they are very friendly, and kind to us,” grinned Phyrun while his two younger brothers are standing nearby him.
Phyrun is a sponsored child of World Vision. He said, “My dream is to become a good teacher in my community, so other children would respect me anywhere they meet me. And I can contribute knowledge to others as my father does lately; he is a key person to teach others about hygiene and stop using violence. He teaches all the children in the child club to be open-minded, love and share each other. I have learned lots from him, but I won’t act like such a gangster and ignore the family.”
A big change of Phyrun’s family has surprised others in the community. Phyrun is a smart student and he can focus on his study now with encouragement of his parents and World Vision’s staff.
“Phyrun's father always participated in any trainings and events, which are conducted by World Vision. He also spends his time to read the Bible and reflect on himself and his family. He always shares and reflects with us to improve his personality and creative ideas to develop for his family and the entire community. I see Phyrun is happier and braver in sharing with other children. The change of the father has influenced all family members, this is the lessons learned pointed out for us as development workers,” concluded Channy, Transformational Development Facilitator Team Leader of Stong ADP.
-Ends-
Thursday, 27 February 2014
I am Happy to See Love
and Joy of my Family
In Cambodian society, if anybody has
dimples on their cheeks, they are usually called Khuoch (dimples in Khmer).
Srey Khuoch is the nickname of a fourteen-year-old girl who is the charming
oldest daughter of three siblings. She has dimples on both cheeks and she
easily to breaks into a smile upon meeting
with others. Srey Khuoch shared, “I experienced difficulties in life since I
was only 9 years old, when my family really needed food to eat and my father
got seriously sick. I had to work hard in the rice field of other
villagers in order to get a little money to buy food to feed the family.”
Khuoch’s father was an alcoholic and he used insulting words sometimes to her mother whenever he was drunk. Khuoch felt really sad to see her parents always arguing and the living condition was bad. It’s really shameful to Khouch and her family whenever the neighbors heard all the insulting words between her parents. Khuoch sadly shared, “Once my father had malaria, and he received an injection. This injection made him paralyzed. His legs were never the same again. He can walk, but not like before.”
Khuoch is considered to be a good girl because she helps her family with all her heart to earning income. She didn’t have time to play with other children in the village because she is occupied with the difficulties of the family. She really wanted to help the family to live in better conditions, with enough food to eat. Khuoch stands close to her mother and shared, “My family was extremely poor and I am the oldest daughter, so I must help my parents to work, and to earn money, or we don’t have food to eat. My parents didn’t want me to work as the adults, yet I am really happy to help in earning income to support the family.”
She added, “I always worked in the others’ rice fields and I could earn 5,000 riels (1.25 USD) per day. It’s such little money for the rich yet it is a lot of money for us the poor. ”
Khuoch’s family doesn’t have any rice field like other villagers because her mother sold all of the land when her father was sick with malaria because she needed money to pay for medical treatment. Once Khouch had respiratory sickness and her family was in debt too. Even Khuoch is a good girl who helped the family to earn income, she confessed, “I wanted to play like other children, but I did not have a choice. And I sometimes ignored my family and went for a walk and play at other villager’s house, like jumping robe and shooting billiard ball with other children and go to swim at the canal nearby the village. I was a lazy girl who never helped much to do house chore. I also never taught my younger sister and brother any lessons because I was a weak student too. I also did not have many friends.”
Khuoch became a sponsored child in World Vision’s programme in 2004. World Vision staffs always conduct home visits and advise her to study hard. Khuoch and her parents were invited to participate in much training; and Khuoch always got gifts for responding correctly to the questions asked by the trainers. This really encourages her and taught her to love learning. Her parents are very happy to see their daughter has become an outstanding student with a very good memory.
“My parents and I have learned many things from World Vision’s programme; we understand the benefit of drinking boiled-water or filter-water. We now stopped drinking unboiled-water from the pond because it always cause diarrhea. There is also a toilet at my house; before we went to the field for toilet. I no longer need to carry water with a yoke because World Vision provided a well located nearby my house and other villagers can use that well too, ” grinned Khuoch, looking at her parents.
Khuoch’s mother interrupted Khuoch, “It’s more than what we all have mentioned. It’s indescribable with a great help and made a big change for my family as my whole community. We would like to greatly thank World Vision for every support. My family was hopeless while Khuoch’s father’s legs started to wither. Yet it’s amazing that he can walk even not like before. My family is always encouraged by World Vision staff.”
Khuoch now is very happy to see many good things happening to her family; her father is a good husband and he is a real father to her now. Her family lives in good environment with better hygiene. She now has time to relax and play with other children in the village.
Khuoch usually spends her spare time to play with her siblings at home and do house chores; she always make sure there is water in the toilet to clean it. Surrounding her house is cleaned. Khuoch grinned, showing her dimples, “World Vision has not changed only my family, but also the entire village; we all live with better hygiene and use clean water from the well. The encouragement from World Vision staff is really powerful for me.”
Asking about her dream, Khuoch timidly looked at her parents “I have two dreams; I want to be a teacher because I thought I would educate all the children in the village and they all will respect and value me. I also want to be a doctor because I want to cure all people who get sick in the village, especially to take care of my parents and myself. I hope I will get one of these two dreams. I am studying hard and I always teach my siblings how to read and write every evening. I won’t give up studying because it would help me to avoid working in the rice field under the sunshine to earn very little money.” Khuoch’s father concluded, “I would like all children to learn from the story of my daughter; she is really amazing. She works hard to help the family and she has changed, especially her commitment to have a brighter future through education. She is also the one who influenced me to change and to stop drinking alcohol and to stop the violence in the family."
Khuoch’s father was an alcoholic and he used insulting words sometimes to her mother whenever he was drunk. Khuoch felt really sad to see her parents always arguing and the living condition was bad. It’s really shameful to Khouch and her family whenever the neighbors heard all the insulting words between her parents. Khuoch sadly shared, “Once my father had malaria, and he received an injection. This injection made him paralyzed. His legs were never the same again. He can walk, but not like before.”
Khuoch is considered to be a good girl because she helps her family with all her heart to earning income. She didn’t have time to play with other children in the village because she is occupied with the difficulties of the family. She really wanted to help the family to live in better conditions, with enough food to eat. Khuoch stands close to her mother and shared, “My family was extremely poor and I am the oldest daughter, so I must help my parents to work, and to earn money, or we don’t have food to eat. My parents didn’t want me to work as the adults, yet I am really happy to help in earning income to support the family.”
She added, “I always worked in the others’ rice fields and I could earn 5,000 riels (1.25 USD) per day. It’s such little money for the rich yet it is a lot of money for us the poor. ”
Khuoch’s family doesn’t have any rice field like other villagers because her mother sold all of the land when her father was sick with malaria because she needed money to pay for medical treatment. Once Khouch had respiratory sickness and her family was in debt too. Even Khuoch is a good girl who helped the family to earn income, she confessed, “I wanted to play like other children, but I did not have a choice. And I sometimes ignored my family and went for a walk and play at other villager’s house, like jumping robe and shooting billiard ball with other children and go to swim at the canal nearby the village. I was a lazy girl who never helped much to do house chore. I also never taught my younger sister and brother any lessons because I was a weak student too. I also did not have many friends.”
Khuoch became a sponsored child in World Vision’s programme in 2004. World Vision staffs always conduct home visits and advise her to study hard. Khuoch and her parents were invited to participate in much training; and Khuoch always got gifts for responding correctly to the questions asked by the trainers. This really encourages her and taught her to love learning. Her parents are very happy to see their daughter has become an outstanding student with a very good memory.
“My parents and I have learned many things from World Vision’s programme; we understand the benefit of drinking boiled-water or filter-water. We now stopped drinking unboiled-water from the pond because it always cause diarrhea. There is also a toilet at my house; before we went to the field for toilet. I no longer need to carry water with a yoke because World Vision provided a well located nearby my house and other villagers can use that well too, ” grinned Khuoch, looking at her parents.
Khuoch’s mother interrupted Khuoch, “It’s more than what we all have mentioned. It’s indescribable with a great help and made a big change for my family as my whole community. We would like to greatly thank World Vision for every support. My family was hopeless while Khuoch’s father’s legs started to wither. Yet it’s amazing that he can walk even not like before. My family is always encouraged by World Vision staff.”
Khuoch now is very happy to see many good things happening to her family; her father is a good husband and he is a real father to her now. Her family lives in good environment with better hygiene. She now has time to relax and play with other children in the village.
Khuoch usually spends her spare time to play with her siblings at home and do house chores; she always make sure there is water in the toilet to clean it. Surrounding her house is cleaned. Khuoch grinned, showing her dimples, “World Vision has not changed only my family, but also the entire village; we all live with better hygiene and use clean water from the well. The encouragement from World Vision staff is really powerful for me.”
Asking about her dream, Khuoch timidly looked at her parents “I have two dreams; I want to be a teacher because I thought I would educate all the children in the village and they all will respect and value me. I also want to be a doctor because I want to cure all people who get sick in the village, especially to take care of my parents and myself. I hope I will get one of these two dreams. I am studying hard and I always teach my siblings how to read and write every evening. I won’t give up studying because it would help me to avoid working in the rice field under the sunshine to earn very little money.” Khuoch’s father concluded, “I would like all children to learn from the story of my daughter; she is really amazing. She works hard to help the family and she has changed, especially her commitment to have a brighter future through education. She is also the one who influenced me to change and to stop drinking alcohol and to stop the violence in the family."
-Ends-
Wednesday, 26 February 2014
This article was written while I was working for World Vision Cambodia.
Sok Lym gets his
childhood back
Fifteen-year-old, Sok Lym
Pheng is the oldest son of five siblings. He lives with his mother, Saron Phay
who is forty-two years old and his father, 37, who has paralyzed legs. To
travel anywhere, Sok Lym’s father has to push use the wheelchair. Sok Lym
worked very hard to earn income to support the family needs. He didn’t have
time to even sleep and play with other children in the village.
Because of his father’s condition and Sok Lym is the oldest son, he must work hard for the family. Sok Lym is sitting close to his father, and sadly shared, “I don’t have time to rest. I missed my time to play like other children. Yet I must make money for the family to put food on the table and fill our hunger. In the rainy season, I went to the rice field in the evening and at night I go with my father to trap the frogs to sell and trade them for rice. I spent many hours to trap frogs, so sometimes I returned home at 2 A.M.” He added with her eyes looking at his parents, “I was really exhausted, and I wanted to cry because I felt real pity for myself. In the daytime, I went to chop down the wood in the forest nearby the village for charcoal kiln. I could earn so little for my parents. I couldn’t go to school regularly and my health also was not well because I was not sleeping and I do not get enough to eat.”
Sok Lym’s father has paralyzed legs, and he needs help to get into his wheelchair. His father felled down from the palm tree and he also had malaria. So in getting the injection to cure malaria his father was left with paralyzed legs. Nobody knows what happened with the injection to make him paralyze. The family was shocked when they discovered that both of his legs became paralyzed after the injection for malaria treatment. Sok Lym said, “My father has paralyzed legs, but he has good ideas to advise me always in terms of searching for food.”
Sok Lym never complained with all hard work because there was no other option. Being the oldest son carries with it some responsibilities. He plays an important role in helping his parents to earn income. Sok Lym sobbed, “My father cannot work because he has paralyzed legs, and he can only give me advice such trapping frog in the rice fields. I really pity my father, and I want my family to live in good condition with good food to eat. I didn’t think studying and playing are important while my family needs food to eat. I missed school for many months because I was really tired with chopping wood in the forest and trapping frogs, I had no energy to walk and enjoy class.”
Around 2005, World Vision staff reached Sok Lym’s family and Sok Lym became a sponsored child of World Vision. World Vision staffs often visit Sok Lym’s home and encouraged him about the importance of education. With emotional and physical support from a caring World Vision staff, the family began to experience change. Sok Lym and his mother shared, “World Vision staff always visit my family and talk with us on how to improve living conditions and explain lots about the value of education for children. We are happy that we are valued and are appreciated by World Vision. We thought we were very poor so others in the village do not really like to talk and share with us.”
Sok Lym recounted, “All my family members stayed in the forest in the tent, so we all could chop down tree and get back money from charcoal kiln owner. Once I had malaria, and we all drank unclean water. It was really dirty the place where we slept. My health was really bad, and I often had diarrhea. While I had malaria, my mother just light joss sticks and prayed to the Buddha to help me to get better.”
He smiled, “With World Vision, my family and I have received many assistance and good advice. I am able to go to school and have time to play with other children. We now moved to live in the village and my parents raise chicken, pigs, and planting vegetables to earn income instead of chopping down trees and living in the forest like before.”
Looking at her son’s face, Sok Lym’s mother sobbed, “My son is good, he works to help the whole family and he never complains. I am very happy now to see and hear he is able to read books. Once, I wanted my son to give up school, but now I understand the importance of education. I thank World Vision staff who always advised and give us direction to walk toward a better life.”
Sok Lym goes to school now and he usually teaches his younger brothers and sister how to read and write. He grinned, “Before I never had a dream, but now I have a dream to be a good NGO staff to make change in the community and help the poor because I experienced how hard life can be.”
“Sok Lym’s family changed for the better. I have worked very close with this family for more than two years. Sok Lym and his three siblings are now able to go to school, and stopped doing adult’s work. I am happy to see such a great change,” smiled Mr. Manith Sous, Transformational Development Facilitator of Samaki Meanchey Area Development Programme.
Because of his father’s condition and Sok Lym is the oldest son, he must work hard for the family. Sok Lym is sitting close to his father, and sadly shared, “I don’t have time to rest. I missed my time to play like other children. Yet I must make money for the family to put food on the table and fill our hunger. In the rainy season, I went to the rice field in the evening and at night I go with my father to trap the frogs to sell and trade them for rice. I spent many hours to trap frogs, so sometimes I returned home at 2 A.M.” He added with her eyes looking at his parents, “I was really exhausted, and I wanted to cry because I felt real pity for myself. In the daytime, I went to chop down the wood in the forest nearby the village for charcoal kiln. I could earn so little for my parents. I couldn’t go to school regularly and my health also was not well because I was not sleeping and I do not get enough to eat.”
Sok Lym’s father has paralyzed legs, and he needs help to get into his wheelchair. His father felled down from the palm tree and he also had malaria. So in getting the injection to cure malaria his father was left with paralyzed legs. Nobody knows what happened with the injection to make him paralyze. The family was shocked when they discovered that both of his legs became paralyzed after the injection for malaria treatment. Sok Lym said, “My father has paralyzed legs, but he has good ideas to advise me always in terms of searching for food.”
Sok Lym never complained with all hard work because there was no other option. Being the oldest son carries with it some responsibilities. He plays an important role in helping his parents to earn income. Sok Lym sobbed, “My father cannot work because he has paralyzed legs, and he can only give me advice such trapping frog in the rice fields. I really pity my father, and I want my family to live in good condition with good food to eat. I didn’t think studying and playing are important while my family needs food to eat. I missed school for many months because I was really tired with chopping wood in the forest and trapping frogs, I had no energy to walk and enjoy class.”
Around 2005, World Vision staff reached Sok Lym’s family and Sok Lym became a sponsored child of World Vision. World Vision staffs often visit Sok Lym’s home and encouraged him about the importance of education. With emotional and physical support from a caring World Vision staff, the family began to experience change. Sok Lym and his mother shared, “World Vision staff always visit my family and talk with us on how to improve living conditions and explain lots about the value of education for children. We are happy that we are valued and are appreciated by World Vision. We thought we were very poor so others in the village do not really like to talk and share with us.”
Sok Lym recounted, “All my family members stayed in the forest in the tent, so we all could chop down tree and get back money from charcoal kiln owner. Once I had malaria, and we all drank unclean water. It was really dirty the place where we slept. My health was really bad, and I often had diarrhea. While I had malaria, my mother just light joss sticks and prayed to the Buddha to help me to get better.”
He smiled, “With World Vision, my family and I have received many assistance and good advice. I am able to go to school and have time to play with other children. We now moved to live in the village and my parents raise chicken, pigs, and planting vegetables to earn income instead of chopping down trees and living in the forest like before.”
Looking at her son’s face, Sok Lym’s mother sobbed, “My son is good, he works to help the whole family and he never complains. I am very happy now to see and hear he is able to read books. Once, I wanted my son to give up school, but now I understand the importance of education. I thank World Vision staff who always advised and give us direction to walk toward a better life.”
Sok Lym goes to school now and he usually teaches his younger brothers and sister how to read and write. He grinned, “Before I never had a dream, but now I have a dream to be a good NGO staff to make change in the community and help the poor because I experienced how hard life can be.”
“Sok Lym’s family changed for the better. I have worked very close with this family for more than two years. Sok Lym and his three siblings are now able to go to school, and stopped doing adult’s work. I am happy to see such a great change,” smiled Mr. Manith Sous, Transformational Development Facilitator of Samaki Meanchey Area Development Programme.
-Ends-
Tuesday, 25 February 2014
This article was written while I was working for World Vision Cambodia.
Title: Youth Club Changed Me
Chheng Ouk is a boy who didn’t care to
help his parents with the housework because he thought it’s
girls work. He grew up seeing his mother and father quarreled daily. Chheng’s
father would become violent whenever he was drunk. This made Chheng really
embarrassed and wanted to run a way from home sometimes. Chheng easily got
angry for no reason and he was not conscious of his mistakes. All that’s changed
when Chheng became part of the Youth Peace Road Club of Prasat Sambo District.
Things have changed for Chheng’s family too.
“I was really bored and pity my mother who suffered violence when my father drunk; I remembered once while my mother was cooking, my father was drunk and came in, then shouted insulting words to my mother and threw food away for no reason. Domestic violence happened very often, and it made me wanted to run away from home. I couldn’t focus much on studying,” Chheng shared with an unhappy face. Chheng is now eighteen years old and is the third son in the family of six children.
“I did not listen to any advice from anyone, not even my parents; I also got angry easily without reason sometimes. I did not help with domestic work such sweeping house, and cooking because I thought it’s for girls, and I am a guy I should not do these stuffs. When my mother asked me to go to the market and buy some food, I rejected because I was afraid that the others would call me gay. My time was for going out with friends to play football. I like to play football so much,” recounted Chheng while many friends were sitting on the mat and listened to him.
With slightly curly short hair and tan skin color Chheng looks like many young Cambodians. He added, “I was not friendly to anyone, and didn’t like to help anyone too. I didn’t use good words to all my younger siblings; I used strong and angry words, so they would do what I say because I wanted them to respect me, my authority as the older boy in the family.”
In the beginning of 2009, Chheng participated in the Peace Road Club of World Vision because he thought he would learn new things as he is a guy who is really keen on learning. He meets many friends at the youth club; this led to his gradual change as he gets to know more about communications with others and exchange ideas. Chheng said, “I was a quiet one for the first day with the Peace Road Club, but afterward I really enjoyed it and became active. I have learned a lot about domestic violence, disadvantages of using drugs, making a peace tree, HIV and AIDS, hygiene, and joining a campaign with youth club members in order to fight against domestic violence and raising fund for Peace Road Club’s campaign. I really enjoyed the club and I sometimes facilitate other club members for some sessions.”
“I have gained knowledge from many friends and by participating in many trainings of World Vision. World Vision staffs are friendly and advised me and other club members to learn more and to be the one to bring changes to our community. I am now happy to help my parents do housework, and I think clearly first before doing something. Whenever I am bored or upset, I just listen to music and go fishing to release my anger. I also shared with my parents and siblings all what I have learned from this youth club. I tell them the disadvantages and problems of Domestic violence; my parents participated in training on domestic violence, and other trainings, which World Vision conducted. There is no more violence in my family and we use only polite and good words to each other. I am happy with these changes,” said Chheng with a smile.
“My friends, family members, and World Vision staffs encouraged me to learn more and to be a good guy and to contribute to society. I am so proud of myself that I am useful in helping others to change. I advised my friends and neighbors about domestic violence, and respect older people through my good acts and kind words,” smiled Chheng.
All Peace Road Club members shared the same words about Chheng; they all really like what has changed for Chheng. They all are keen to see others in the community become a positive change such as Chheng. Chheng has worked hard to improve himself by exchanging experiences and ideas with friends, and neighbors. Chheng’s friends are proud of Chheng that he has set a good example for others in the community.
“I did not really like Chheng when I first met him because he acted like such a snob. He did not share any ideas, he was not brave to talk and he did not get along with club members. I see how he’s changed; he is an active one, and is really helpful. He does not shy away from helping to sweep the club and cleaning up after club members leave the meetings. He respects others opinions and he was never absent for any meeting,” said So Vaet Von, 17, a Peace Road Club Leader.
“I was really bored and pity my mother who suffered violence when my father drunk; I remembered once while my mother was cooking, my father was drunk and came in, then shouted insulting words to my mother and threw food away for no reason. Domestic violence happened very often, and it made me wanted to run away from home. I couldn’t focus much on studying,” Chheng shared with an unhappy face. Chheng is now eighteen years old and is the third son in the family of six children.
“I did not listen to any advice from anyone, not even my parents; I also got angry easily without reason sometimes. I did not help with domestic work such sweeping house, and cooking because I thought it’s for girls, and I am a guy I should not do these stuffs. When my mother asked me to go to the market and buy some food, I rejected because I was afraid that the others would call me gay. My time was for going out with friends to play football. I like to play football so much,” recounted Chheng while many friends were sitting on the mat and listened to him.
With slightly curly short hair and tan skin color Chheng looks like many young Cambodians. He added, “I was not friendly to anyone, and didn’t like to help anyone too. I didn’t use good words to all my younger siblings; I used strong and angry words, so they would do what I say because I wanted them to respect me, my authority as the older boy in the family.”
In the beginning of 2009, Chheng participated in the Peace Road Club of World Vision because he thought he would learn new things as he is a guy who is really keen on learning. He meets many friends at the youth club; this led to his gradual change as he gets to know more about communications with others and exchange ideas. Chheng said, “I was a quiet one for the first day with the Peace Road Club, but afterward I really enjoyed it and became active. I have learned a lot about domestic violence, disadvantages of using drugs, making a peace tree, HIV and AIDS, hygiene, and joining a campaign with youth club members in order to fight against domestic violence and raising fund for Peace Road Club’s campaign. I really enjoyed the club and I sometimes facilitate other club members for some sessions.”
“I have gained knowledge from many friends and by participating in many trainings of World Vision. World Vision staffs are friendly and advised me and other club members to learn more and to be the one to bring changes to our community. I am now happy to help my parents do housework, and I think clearly first before doing something. Whenever I am bored or upset, I just listen to music and go fishing to release my anger. I also shared with my parents and siblings all what I have learned from this youth club. I tell them the disadvantages and problems of Domestic violence; my parents participated in training on domestic violence, and other trainings, which World Vision conducted. There is no more violence in my family and we use only polite and good words to each other. I am happy with these changes,” said Chheng with a smile.
“My friends, family members, and World Vision staffs encouraged me to learn more and to be a good guy and to contribute to society. I am so proud of myself that I am useful in helping others to change. I advised my friends and neighbors about domestic violence, and respect older people through my good acts and kind words,” smiled Chheng.
All Peace Road Club members shared the same words about Chheng; they all really like what has changed for Chheng. They all are keen to see others in the community become a positive change such as Chheng. Chheng has worked hard to improve himself by exchanging experiences and ideas with friends, and neighbors. Chheng’s friends are proud of Chheng that he has set a good example for others in the community.
“I did not really like Chheng when I first met him because he acted like such a snob. He did not share any ideas, he was not brave to talk and he did not get along with club members. I see how he’s changed; he is an active one, and is really helpful. He does not shy away from helping to sweep the club and cleaning up after club members leave the meetings. He respects others opinions and he was never absent for any meeting,” said So Vaet Von, 17, a Peace Road Club Leader.
-Ends-
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