Another group of Korean Volunteers at Riverkids

On July 25, 2009 a popular local newspaper issued one article about Korean students volunteered at Riverkids. We translated the article from Khmer into English as the following:

Phnom Penh: On 17-22/July/2009, a group of 18 Korean students from Republic of Korea led by COPION organization helped the children at Riverkids Foundation and the children at Phsa-touch village. Their charitable work included cleaning environment, planting, painting the wall, cooking food and providing school supplies and conducting some kinds of recreational activities with the children.

Miss. Sery Kim, The manager of COPION Organization from Korea said that the purposes of the Korean students came here to help Cambodian children, especially the children who live at the poor communities. She also said that, the children from Republic of Korea live at good condition but when they saw the children who live at difficult situation at this community, some of students go to school without shoes, dirty clothes, the Korean students felt shocked and very pity those children. When they saw these situations, they will try to find any ways to help Cambodian children more than this.

Mr. Phy Sophon, the Executive Director of Riverkids Foundation said that the activities of the volunteers showed about their compassion to Cambodian children who live at the poor communities. He added that before those children had no opportunity to go to school and neglected from the parents and communities. Now under support by Riverkids, they are able to go to school and get enough food. They have a chance to involve in re-creational activities such as sports, choir songs, break dancing, traditional dancing, studying English, computer etc. The lives of those children really have been improved from now.

Miss, Oh Su Jin, the team leader of volunteers said “we are so pleased to have a chance to work and play with these children. She continued that “Cambodian children and Korean students are the same. we are Asian people, we have the same feeling and like the same family, so we should help each other. She added that “when we return to Korea, we will create a website to describe about the difficulty situation of Cambodian children in communities for Korean people and the world to know about those. We will organize other events to collect donation to help more Cambodian children.

Translated by Mr. Som Ann

Drawing Picture Competition Ceremony

Phnom Penh: A drawing picture competition ceremony was held up by Hosea Ministry in order to encourage children who are neglected, homeless and victims of violence and drug addicted to participate in this significant art activity. The pictures had to be about "domestic violence" or "drug impact and addiction". There were many children from different organizations in Cambodia attending the program.



Meanwhile, Riverkids Foundation was one of the local NGOs that were allowed to have its children for the competition. Riverkids' 10 children were selected to join in this drawing activity having their 10 drawn-out pictures. As the result, one of them, Pil Soksan had the best picture for the 3rd top rank. He was awarded for his nice picture which was about drug addiction and its impact to his community.

"I am so proud of the children here, in the ceremony," said Mr. David, Director of Hosea Ministry. "This participation shows that the slum children really can do like other children, and we strongly support them with our best to get on involved and improve their self-esteems."

Pil Soksan murmured, "I am... erm...very...happy to get the prize. I just drew it for fun". All of the best selected pictures maintained as documents by Hosea Ministry and then they would be printed as picture profile for children in Hosea's library.


Written by Mr. Rithy

Forced Evictions

Amnesty International's report and an earlier piece by the Phnom Penh Post.

This quote is particularly telling from one government official:

"Now, they have a health centre ... because we have provided a room for the [Centre of] Hope, who have helped the people with their health since they lived in Borei Keila," he said, adding, "We are also thinking about installing a clean water system because right now the water can be used to wash clothes but not to cook."

Relying on an NGO to provide essential social services, and not including drinking water as a basic human right, because why bother? These families have no money, no influence, often not even a legal existence - they don't count in Phnom Penh's rush for property wealth.

The Bassac slum being cleared is very near to the slum where my children were born. That slum was wiped out a while ago, and I've visited the Borei Keila "resettlement" and seen the misery there.

The community Alexandra serves have been given resettlement notices. We have no dates for when they will be evicted, what kind of compensation they will get - yet another uncertainty in their chaotic lives.

But Riverkids will follow them to wherever they go. That's our commitment.

G Market - Copion Korean Volunteers at Riverkids

On June 29-30, a group of volunteers from G Market- Copion, Korea came to Riverkids and conducted some exciting and enjoyable activities with the children. They also performed some Korean traditional dance for the kids, Riverkids staff and people in the surrounding community to enjoy as well.

In addition, the volunteers donated 600 US dollars for 120 sets of school uniforms, stationary and several boxes of clothes to Riverkids. With this donation, Riverkids will be able to keep our program moving forward and we come one step closer to achieving Riverkids mission to prevent the sale of children.

Due to poverty, domestic violence, neglect, child labor, drug abuse and sexual abuse, the children lose the opportunity for school and lack the care and warmth usually provided by families. The charitable work of the volunteers from Korea at Riverkids provided the opportunity to give enjoyment, compassion and love to the children, and encourages them enormously to build self-confidence for a better education and for better lives in the future.

On behalf of Riverkids Foundation, I am very grateful to all volunteers and especially the G Market- Copion 09th Volunteers who recently spent time and gave such generous donations to Riverkids.

Drug and anti-trafficking campaign at Riverkids Community

On June 26, 2009, the Government of Cambodia and NGOs celebrated the International day Against Drug Abuse and Trafficking at Nation Olympic Stadium under the Prime Ministry Hun Sen as Chairperson.

Riverkids Foundation Organization also had an opportunity to participate in the International event with eight National and International non-profit NGOs such as Hosea Ministry, Licado, Teen Challenge of Cambodia, The Health Care Center for Children, Hagar, and other church team members celebrated the event at Hosea Ministry located in Toul Tompong, Khan Chamcar morn, Phnom Penh.

There were 6 staff members and 32 Get Ready Girls of Riverkids that participated in the International events. Before we went to Hosea Ministry, Riverkids had organized a match around Riverkids community by dividing in two groups; each group had 3 staff members and 16 Get ready girls to deliver leaflets, Information sheets about the Human trafficking and sexual abuse, drug abuse and the law of Anti-Human Trafficking to people living in the Riverkids community around the Psa Touch Village, the motor taxi-drivers, businessmen, all the people from across the road. They responded back to us with great smiles, they were interested in our match, happy and showed us their willingness to be involved against human trafficking and sexual abuse.

After that, we went to Hosea Ministry by Tuk tuk to celebrate the event with other partnership NGOs, representatives of the church from India, and it was a great honor from the Toul Tompong Commune to participate in the event.

At Hosea organization, Mr.David Fisher, Director of Hosea ministry and on behalf of all participants addressed us, saying that combating Human Trafficking and drug Abuse is the duty and obligation of every one, especially the parents who play very important roles to manage, supervise and advise their children to avoid drugs because the they are valued assets and human resources to develop the community and the country in the future. The program was finished at 12.00am with the valued and meaningful agreement that all the parties are happy and satisfied and willing to for another year.

Written by Cheang Phea

Senior Assistant

Of Riverkids