Saturday, October 25, 2008

Hands-on Aussie Geraldine Cox cares for hundreds of Cambodian orphans

Geraldine Cox and her Cambodian orphan children (Photo: Carry for Kids)

October 25, 2008
Cheryl Critchely
Herald Sun (Australia)


GERALDINE Cox reckons she'd be arrested if she ran her orphanages in Australia.

Ms Cox, 63, who runs Sunrise Children's Villages in Cambodia, loves hugging and kissing the kids.

"With all the political correctness . . . I'd be in prison in a week," she laughs. "I'm kissing, touching, fondling, napping with . . . the kids all the time.

"My kids need to be touched, they need to be caressed and I think it's a great sadness the way the world is going now that you can't be loving towards children."

Unable to have biological children, Ms Cox, who was born in Adelaide, gave up a life of diplomatic and corporate hedonism in the mid-1990s to establish her homes.

The feisty redhead, now called Mum by hundreds of children, is back in Australia for her annual fundraising pilgrimage.

She needs $80,000 a month to run two orphanages, so she headlines functions such as Melbourne's Business Chicks fundraising breakfast.

A third orphanage is being built thanks to $500,000 from Australian company Computershare, which also donated a bus. Another $600,000 is needed for the new home, which will house 200 orphans.

On this trip Ms Cox has the added worry of the global finance crisis.

"We hold our money here in Australia and it's sent up in US dollars," she says. "I've got to raise about twice as much . . . to meet the falling dollar."

Ms Cox prides herself on the fact that Sunrise, which has no government funding, spends just 10 cents in the dollar on administration.

A $40 monthly sponsorship covers a child's food. Each child needs six $40 sponsors to cover food, clothing, education, medical care, English, computer lessons and maintenance.

Many of Ms Cox's charges now have good jobs and some have won tertiary scholarships in Australia.

Other cases she sees and hears about are horrific.

"I get kids that come to me through abandonment, neglect, physical and sexual abuse, cruelty; they've been trafficked into prostitution and slave labour," she says. "And two of my girls have been victims of acid burn attacks.

"In one case the mother was having an affair and the wife found out and she poured battery acid all over the mother and her sleeping daughter."

Geraldine Cox will speak at a Business Chicks Breakfast on Thursday, October 30, from 7-9am at Peninsula, Shed 14 Central Pier, 161 Harbour Esplanade, Docklands. Tickets: Guests $81, Members $70, Table of 10: $700.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

First destroyed and then play GOD. Sorry for being a sour grape,but it's fact. White race are very evil. Don't believe me, try to confront them, and you will find what beneath their skin. Their Samaritan deed based on christian belief, not personal affections.


Khmer in US

Anonymous said...

7:22 PM, I am not a Christian,but what have you done for these children? Do you know this individual, Ms Cox? If not shut the fuck up and stop making such negative comment.

Khmer in US also!!!

Anonymous said...

7:22PM, stay back devil.

Anonymous said...

I know her personally. Cox is like an angel. She gains nothing othet than her kind heart. I wish we had more people liek her.

She doesn't deserve any stupid comments from a retarded individual.

Anonymous said...

Some said she's an angel, some said she's an evil. I don't care at all!! What I care the most is she a two-faces person, she used all orphans to run an other bussiness that lied behide.
Some Foreigner, they have nothing but this orphans will be the only way to reach their goal.
They are inhumane.....
worthless in thier country became a God or something is a poor country.
HELP BUT NOTHING IS BETTER TO GET THEIR OWNED GOAL.

Anonymous said...

Expense Statement:
- Stay in a expensive condo
- Drive a very nice, expensive car
- Eat-out in a modern restaurant every
- have a vacation everymonth
- wear a beautiful clothes

This is how a person who went to help in Cambodia. They live like a high-class. Don't anyone wonder how they get money from? or they spending their owned money? or someone supported? So how about the raising-money, their spending not included in this amount?
In my opinion, I think it's their fucking life style. They have to live in a fucking high-class because of the fucking safety and the fucking health in Cambodia.
Hey, you're jealous, man. You're idiot,huh???