Hi Everyone, here's an entry from a volunteer from Singapore who went up to Phomn Penh to help up with our plans of implementing a micro-financing programme in the in the Alexandra community. Here's her story:
This is me, Karen, contributing my very first blog entry to Riverkids Project.
Long story short: stressed out company employee seeks a little time off from work, and then shelves all ideas of a relaxing getaway to join some amazing people on a volunteer trip to Phnom Penh.
The actual low-down: I read about the Jimmy and Dale’s story last year, contacted Jimmy to discuss about Riverkids and the possibility of my volunteering. Unfortunately, I was buried in my work and never got round to doing that. Couple months ago, I chanced upon a writeup on Jimmy and Dale and Riverkids Foundation in the papers - again, and it’s like THE SIGN to me. I was already thinking of taking a break from work, and I thought “What the heck! I should really go do this. If not now, then when?” And then came a chain of emails and a meeting between Dale and me, and it was decided that I would take on the micro financing programme assignment. This would entail interviewing and assessing the families of the Riverkids Project Community. Within 2 weeks or so, I was on my way to Phnom Penh via Siem Reap.
Visiting the slum area where the families of the Riverkids live was a real eye-opener for me. Slums aren’t alien to me as I’d previously seen a number in certain parts of India, The Philippines and elsewhere. However, this felt different. Different because I was not a “spectator” (to put it crudely) viewing from the bus or train or tuk tuk. This time, I went right into the slums to meet with its residents.
In all honesty, I was initially overwhelmed with disgust and guilt. Disgust at the filth and poverty surrounding the kids and their families, and guilt for what we have in Singapore and taking for granted all too often. For 3 days, I found myself balancing precariously on makeshift wooden planks and making my way from shack to shack, interviewing the families. And I couldn’t have done this without the help and company of Sok Lee, a Riverkids Foundation staff, who helped me with the interview translation and made sure I didn’t fall into the river (which I almost did once or twice! No kidding!).
Long story short: stressed out company employee seeks a little time off from work, and then shelves all ideas of a relaxing getaway to join some amazing people on a volunteer trip to Phnom Penh.
The actual low-down: I read about the Jimmy and Dale’s story last year, contacted Jimmy to discuss about Riverkids and the possibility of my volunteering. Unfortunately, I was buried in my work and never got round to doing that. Couple months ago, I chanced upon a writeup on Jimmy and Dale and Riverkids Foundation in the papers - again, and it’s like THE SIGN to me. I was already thinking of taking a break from work, and I thought “What the heck! I should really go do this. If not now, then when?” And then came a chain of emails and a meeting between Dale and me, and it was decided that I would take on the micro financing programme assignment. This would entail interviewing and assessing the families of the Riverkids Project Community. Within 2 weeks or so, I was on my way to Phnom Penh via Siem Reap.
Visiting the slum area where the families of the Riverkids live was a real eye-opener for me. Slums aren’t alien to me as I’d previously seen a number in certain parts of India, The Philippines and elsewhere. However, this felt different. Different because I was not a “spectator” (to put it crudely) viewing from the bus or train or tuk tuk. This time, I went right into the slums to meet with its residents.
In all honesty, I was initially overwhelmed with disgust and guilt. Disgust at the filth and poverty surrounding the kids and their families, and guilt for what we have in Singapore and taking for granted all too often. For 3 days, I found myself balancing precariously on makeshift wooden planks and making my way from shack to shack, interviewing the families. And I couldn’t have done this without the help and company of Sok Lee, a Riverkids Foundation staff, who helped me with the interview translation and made sure I didn’t fall into the river (which I almost did once or twice! No kidding!).
Before I went to meet the families, I must have had like a gazillion thoughts (alright, this is an over exaggeration) swirling in my mind. Seriously, I felt like an intruder, invading the privacy and space of the families especially in the beginning. Yet the mothers of each family greeted me kindly and wore smiles, albeit weary ones, on their faces throughout our interview. And the children reserved their brightest smiles for me! I couldn’t speak nor understand one word of Khmer but it was just amazing how a few of the ladies just opened up and talked and talked while Sok Lee kept up with the translation. And I… I just frantically scribbled away on my notebook.
Going through my notes each night in the quiet of my guestroom, I realised that despite the different sad stories of each family, they were all looking for the same thing – opportunity and the access to it. And in a way, I believed that when they spoke to me in their own language, they were hoping for someone to believe in them, to give them a chance.
Looking back, I have come to admire a people. In a country pushing hard for development yet still grappling with the aftereffects of the horrific Khmer Rouge era, I see strength. I see dignity. And I see hope. In the slums and on the streets of Phnom Penh.
This is my story.
And to the following people who made my stay totally unforgettable, thank you:
Dale, Angeline, Eleanor and baby Sarah, Sok Lee, Heli, Preakdey, Sophon, and the rest of the staff and children of Riverkids
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