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| Devonport woman Leakena Dixon (second from left) spends time in Cambodia with (from left) None Paph, Srey Mom, Vicki Davis and Kang San. |
12 Apr, 2011
BY EISTEN JOYEUX
Devonport Times (Australia)
ON A recent trip to Cambodia, Leakena Dixon was confronted with the poverty that strikes so many people in her homeland.
She visited an orphanage run by an ex-Buddhist monk, None Paph, where 100 children live in shanty-type dwellings while they wait for funding to build rooms.
Unlike other orphanages, Ms Dixon explained the reason this orphanage doesn't have the same facilities as many of the others, is because it is not run by an overseas Christian organisation.
She said the main reasons for these children being orphaned was because their parents had died from HIV or AIDS or from selling their blood to provide food for their family.
"The man who runs it door-knocks for food and goes to the market to ask for contributions," she said.
Relying on the generosity of already poor villagers is simply not enough. Ms Dixon said the orphanage needed to be cleaned up and rooms built to shelter the children.
"It only costs $20,000 (Australian dollars) to build a good 2-3 bedroom building over there," she said.
For Ms Dixon, visiting the country she left behind was difficult.
"I don't have enough money ... all my family come to the airport in hope I can give them some money to help them," she said.
Ms Dixon already supports her mother and her brother who is deaf. For the children, who have very little chance at surviving in life because of their dire poverty, Ms Dixon said she felt she had to come up with something to help them.
"We can't simply abandon them," she said.
Ms Dixon was not alone on her trip to Cambodia, she also took her 16-year-old daughter and a friend who had never previously travelled overseas.
Vicki Davis described the trip as an eye-opener which put things into perspective for her.
The women are now planning to hold a fundraiser to help raise some funds for the orphanage. Ms Dixon said she would be happy if they could raise enough money to buy some hand-powered sewing machines so the orphanage could generate some income.
The fundraiser for Cambodian orphans will be held on April 30 at 6pm at the Devonport Football Club. The evening will feature an all-you-can-eat buffet and entertainment by DJ Rox. Cost is $25 for adults, $10 for children under 14 or $60 for a family. Contact:
Leakena 0407 273 863 or Vicki 0409 739 769 by Saturday to confirm your attendance.
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