This article was written while I was working for World Vision Cambodia.
Title: Sok Heng Can Smile with
his High Commitment
Sixteen-year-old boy, Sok Heng who is a
sponsored child in World Vision’s program, lives with his parents in a medium
old wooden house with zinc roof, located in the village, which took around 2
hours to get to from Phnom Penh City, the Capital of Cambodia. Sok Heng is the
fifth of six siblings; he faced
difficulties for years with domestic violence, which is caused by his parents.
Seeing the family in such a shameful situation, Sok Heng felt really depressed
and didn’t want to go to school. Sok Heng and his family know World Vision and
its work. Participating in World Vision’s training is a chance for the
family to learn many new things. Through engaging with community
development, Sok Heng and his family also learn to smile again.
He sadly shared, “Before, my family’s living conditions was really poor, and my father was an alcoholic person. He spoke loudly about anything. That really bothered the neighbors, and it was extremely embarrassing. He never said good words to us, the children and never encouraged us to study hard, everyday he drank.”
He continued, “I sometimes wanted to run a way from home to avoid seeing such an ashamed situation. My parents always quarreled almost every day. So I couldn’t focus on studying. I thought my family is really full of problems. There was no emotional support from my parents. We also didn’t know about hygiene; the house’s area looked dirty too.”
Sok Heng was a weak student and never attended class regularly. He seemed stressful to see his family so poor, with violence almost everyday. He was considered to be a bad boy because of his attitude to the adults. He didn’t listen to any advice from his parents and elder siblings. He confessed, “I always rejected whenever my mother ask me to do anything. I sometimes stared at her with unhappy face when she asked for help.” He added, “I never cared about helping to do house chore because I thought it’s for girls to do, and I am a boy. It’s ashamed for me to do girls’ tasks.”
Sok Heng became a sponsored child of World Vision’s programme in 2004. Since then his family and him were always invited to participate in any trainings conducted by World Vision. World Vision staff always visit Sok Heng’s home to make sure that he is doing well. Each time they visit, they keep giving him gentle advice on keeping the environment around his house clean, going to school and how his parents can work on stopping domestic violence. It was a challenge for staff to reach Sok Heng’s father who was always drunk. Gradually, Sok Heng’s father stops to drink and he became a more caring husband and father. Sok Heng shared while his parents are sitting near him on the wooden bed under the house, “My parents understand lots about the value of education and they really pushed me to study hard. My parents stopped quarrelling and I am happy with this. I shared with my family members what I have learned with World Vision staff.”
He grinned, “I have World Vision staff who always encourage and teach me lots. And I get school materials regularly; this really encourages me to study hard to have a brighter future. I now really love my family with all my heart.”
World Vision Cambodia supported to build water tanks for Sok Heng’s family. Sok Heng expressed with his finger point to the tanks, “These tanks are really helpful, I don’t need to carry water with a yoke from the pond, which is 300 meters from my home. I am happy now that we can get clean water anytime at home as in the whole village.”
Sok Heng’s mother, Chea Nuon is a fifty-three year-old farmer. She smiled, “Sok Heng has changed lots and he is a good son now. He never ignores to help doing house chore. He told me he gets good grade at school, and I am so happy.”
Sok Heng looks at his mother and timidly said, “Before, whenever I went to tend cattle, I always pick fruits in the plantation of other villages. But now I stopped doing so, I know stealing others’ things/fruits is not good; they would call me a thief. I don’t want to be a thief.” Adding that he has high commitment to be a good teacher to teach every child and that he would gain knowledge too.
Sok Phen Phun, a sixteen year-old boy who is close to Sok Heng said, “I am a close friend and a neighbor of Sok Heng. I know him well; he now has a big transformation for himself and his family. His family currently lives with no violence, and I see Sok Heng stopped hanging out with other friends with bad influence; he always helps to do house chores and try to study hard. He’s so kind, and lovely.”
He sadly shared, “Before, my family’s living conditions was really poor, and my father was an alcoholic person. He spoke loudly about anything. That really bothered the neighbors, and it was extremely embarrassing. He never said good words to us, the children and never encouraged us to study hard, everyday he drank.”
He continued, “I sometimes wanted to run a way from home to avoid seeing such an ashamed situation. My parents always quarreled almost every day. So I couldn’t focus on studying. I thought my family is really full of problems. There was no emotional support from my parents. We also didn’t know about hygiene; the house’s area looked dirty too.”
Sok Heng was a weak student and never attended class regularly. He seemed stressful to see his family so poor, with violence almost everyday. He was considered to be a bad boy because of his attitude to the adults. He didn’t listen to any advice from his parents and elder siblings. He confessed, “I always rejected whenever my mother ask me to do anything. I sometimes stared at her with unhappy face when she asked for help.” He added, “I never cared about helping to do house chore because I thought it’s for girls to do, and I am a boy. It’s ashamed for me to do girls’ tasks.”
Sok Heng became a sponsored child of World Vision’s programme in 2004. Since then his family and him were always invited to participate in any trainings conducted by World Vision. World Vision staff always visit Sok Heng’s home to make sure that he is doing well. Each time they visit, they keep giving him gentle advice on keeping the environment around his house clean, going to school and how his parents can work on stopping domestic violence. It was a challenge for staff to reach Sok Heng’s father who was always drunk. Gradually, Sok Heng’s father stops to drink and he became a more caring husband and father. Sok Heng shared while his parents are sitting near him on the wooden bed under the house, “My parents understand lots about the value of education and they really pushed me to study hard. My parents stopped quarrelling and I am happy with this. I shared with my family members what I have learned with World Vision staff.”
He grinned, “I have World Vision staff who always encourage and teach me lots. And I get school materials regularly; this really encourages me to study hard to have a brighter future. I now really love my family with all my heart.”
World Vision Cambodia supported to build water tanks for Sok Heng’s family. Sok Heng expressed with his finger point to the tanks, “These tanks are really helpful, I don’t need to carry water with a yoke from the pond, which is 300 meters from my home. I am happy now that we can get clean water anytime at home as in the whole village.”
Sok Heng’s mother, Chea Nuon is a fifty-three year-old farmer. She smiled, “Sok Heng has changed lots and he is a good son now. He never ignores to help doing house chore. He told me he gets good grade at school, and I am so happy.”
Sok Heng looks at his mother and timidly said, “Before, whenever I went to tend cattle, I always pick fruits in the plantation of other villages. But now I stopped doing so, I know stealing others’ things/fruits is not good; they would call me a thief. I don’t want to be a thief.” Adding that he has high commitment to be a good teacher to teach every child and that he would gain knowledge too.
Sok Phen Phun, a sixteen year-old boy who is close to Sok Heng said, “I am a close friend and a neighbor of Sok Heng. I know him well; he now has a big transformation for himself and his family. His family currently lives with no violence, and I see Sok Heng stopped hanging out with other friends with bad influence; he always helps to do house chores and try to study hard. He’s so kind, and lovely.”
-Ends-
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