Wednesday, 24 June 2009Written by David McAuley
SX News (Australia)
A backpacking trip to South East Asia led David McAuley to head a charity that’s making a difference: helping Cambodian children affected by HIV/AIDS. Travelling through Cambodia as a backpacker in 2005, I had no idea that the small town of Battambang was going to become such a big part of my life. Tucked away in the rice fields was a small Buddhist pagoda that was caring for forty street children. It was a fledgling project funded and supported by Australians John Kinsella and Tim Berry [owner of the Midnight Shift]. The children were abandoned or orphaned, many suffering from HIV. All were living in tin sheds with mud floors.
Four years later, I now find myself living in Battambang and managing our onsite operations. The Hope for Cambodian Children Foundation of Australia has built a beautiful centre with nine houses, complete with a school, kitchen, library and a Buddhist prayer bungalow. We now provide housing to 125 people, education to 170 and healthcare to over 200. The charity is about putting families back together and giving children a home and education.
Cambodia is country of harsh realities. For all its beauty and happiness, there is an immense suffering that plagues its people. The main propellant of this hardship is HIV/AIDS. More than two thirds of our children have been orphaned or abandoned because of the disease.
Much of the work at the centre is counselling and dealing with children suffering from post traumatic stress. Each child has a different story, a different hardship and a unique way of surviving. The stories of abuse, sex trafficking and drug trading never get easier to hear or closer to comprehension.
As the centre and project continue to grow and improve it is not the numbers or figures by which we measure our success. Watching the children grow, learn and thrive is more rewarding than any statistic can represent.
Two years ago a man delivered us a one-month premature baby in a plastic bag. His mother had died during child birth and there is no such thing as an incubator in Cambodia. Our local doctor said he had a 50 per cent chance of surviving. When one of our housemothers, Ma Vy, heard the report from the doctor, she asked if she could be the one to care for him. She named him ‘Samnang’, meaning good luck. And since that day he has never left her side.
Today Samnang is a strong and healthy boy. He lives with his housemother who also looks after twelve other teenage boys – no easy task. Not long ago Samnang took his first steps with his adopted older brothers looking on and, soon after, said his first word: “pa”. Many of the boys that live in Samnang’s bungalow have previously lived on the street, begging or selling drugs. For a special present, the boys used their pocket money to buy their new little brother a pair of tiny shoes that squeak when he walks.
I feel so lucky to be part of such an amazing project that is allowing children to reclaim their childhood. Many of our girls and boys have experienced things that no child should ever have to. But watching them learn to trust, to love and care for each other is like watching deep scars disappear.
Through the child sponsorship program we have seen such amazing improvement. Recently our volunteers have set up a wonderful website where people can directly donate goods such as mosquito nets, baby milk and shoes. The goods are delivered each month and make such an impact on the lives of the children and families in our community. Having sponsors, donors and volunteers provides a wonderful atmosphere of safety and consistency in which the children can thrive.
Hope for Cambodian Children is a hub of energy and excitement.
It is now a community centre where people come to seek help and friendship.
The SX Pride Week Gala Dinner, to be held on Wednesday, July 1, at Slide, will raise funds for the Hope for Cambodian Children Foundation. Tickets are $90, with $30 from every ticket purchased going towards the charity. For bookings, go to sxnews.com.au.
.............
David McAuley is the Manager Director of Hope for Cambodian Children Centre. He is based in Cambodia. Go to hopeforcambodianchildren.org.
Four years later, I now find myself living in Battambang and managing our onsite operations. The Hope for Cambodian Children Foundation of Australia has built a beautiful centre with nine houses, complete with a school, kitchen, library and a Buddhist prayer bungalow. We now provide housing to 125 people, education to 170 and healthcare to over 200. The charity is about putting families back together and giving children a home and education.
Cambodia is country of harsh realities. For all its beauty and happiness, there is an immense suffering that plagues its people. The main propellant of this hardship is HIV/AIDS. More than two thirds of our children have been orphaned or abandoned because of the disease.
Much of the work at the centre is counselling and dealing with children suffering from post traumatic stress. Each child has a different story, a different hardship and a unique way of surviving. The stories of abuse, sex trafficking and drug trading never get easier to hear or closer to comprehension.
As the centre and project continue to grow and improve it is not the numbers or figures by which we measure our success. Watching the children grow, learn and thrive is more rewarding than any statistic can represent.
Two years ago a man delivered us a one-month premature baby in a plastic bag. His mother had died during child birth and there is no such thing as an incubator in Cambodia. Our local doctor said he had a 50 per cent chance of surviving. When one of our housemothers, Ma Vy, heard the report from the doctor, she asked if she could be the one to care for him. She named him ‘Samnang’, meaning good luck. And since that day he has never left her side.
Today Samnang is a strong and healthy boy. He lives with his housemother who also looks after twelve other teenage boys – no easy task. Not long ago Samnang took his first steps with his adopted older brothers looking on and, soon after, said his first word: “pa”. Many of the boys that live in Samnang’s bungalow have previously lived on the street, begging or selling drugs. For a special present, the boys used their pocket money to buy their new little brother a pair of tiny shoes that squeak when he walks.
I feel so lucky to be part of such an amazing project that is allowing children to reclaim their childhood. Many of our girls and boys have experienced things that no child should ever have to. But watching them learn to trust, to love and care for each other is like watching deep scars disappear.
Through the child sponsorship program we have seen such amazing improvement. Recently our volunteers have set up a wonderful website where people can directly donate goods such as mosquito nets, baby milk and shoes. The goods are delivered each month and make such an impact on the lives of the children and families in our community. Having sponsors, donors and volunteers provides a wonderful atmosphere of safety and consistency in which the children can thrive.
Hope for Cambodian Children is a hub of energy and excitement.
It is now a community centre where people come to seek help and friendship.
The SX Pride Week Gala Dinner, to be held on Wednesday, July 1, at Slide, will raise funds for the Hope for Cambodian Children Foundation. Tickets are $90, with $30 from every ticket purchased going towards the charity. For bookings, go to sxnews.com.au.
.............
David McAuley is the Manager Director of Hope for Cambodian Children Centre. He is based in Cambodia. Go to hopeforcambodianchildren.org.
10 comments:
Boy racer and drug user come to Cambodia to straight himself.
Please stay in Sydney and continue using your concane.
really important I have read
Many thanks to David McAuley, John Kinsella and Tim Berry [owner of the Midnight Shift].
You're the real Angels who've been saved those Khmer-Kids.
Pls keep going your Great Deeds.
12.07PM
How can you be so mean? please wake up to reality that these abondoned children, for whatever reasons,are now growing under a kind person from different planet.
Look at yourself whether a buddhist or not? where is the compassion towards these disadvantage children?
If you are cambodian,please start to open your mind up a bit more.
Shame is not enough for a person like you.
Neang SA
David McAuley, John Kinsella and Tim Berry, you all should be honored by the Cambodian King. you are the angels to those hapless children. We Cambodians are 100% behind you.
We love Australia, we love Kith Meng the Cambodian-Austrian who brought ATM to Cambodia, we love the Austrian Embassy...Simply put we Love the Aussy.. they know their shit when dealing with the Cambo whether they be in politics or in humanitarian....
I admire these foreigners who care about cambodian people than it's government.
why people suffer a lot in cambodia? one reason is lack of rule of law society and education; thus the injustice, the abuse, etc... reforms please!
cambodia needs lots of love from everyone in the world, especially the affluent countries of the world. we're not begging, we're just saying the reality. everyone has gotten to start somewhere, somehow! god bless cambodia.
What is a beautiful work. Hope the children stay healthy and happy <3
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