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CAMBODIA
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Orphanage~Photography Program
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All Student Photos © Artist/Global Children/PhotoVoice
All Bio Photos Below © Eugenie Dolberg/Global Children/PhotoVoice
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After my parents died, I lived with my grandmother and my three
elder sisters. My father's name was Phann and my mother's name was Ny.
My elder sisters are called Toch, Nan, and Lim. When I lived with
them I worked with them to and plant vegetables, lotus flowers
and rice and to cook. At that time my lotuses were so fruitful,
and I would sell them to buy rice. All my sisters worked in the
fields during raining season. But I and my grandmother stayed
at home. One day my grandmother started groaning in pain -
I was sad and scared - I didn't know what to do because I was
so young, so I ran toward my sisters in the padi field as fast
as I could. When they got home my grandmother was very ill.
In the evening some of our neighbours visited her -she was
still in much pain. After a few days she passed away. My sisters
prepared her funeral. After the funeral my sisters brought me
to live in Kien Kleang Orphanage, where I have been since 2001.
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Hem Channy, 16
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My father's name is Him Heng and my mother's Soth Neang.
My parents died when I was very young, nearly six years ago. Afterwards
I went to live with one of my grandmothers in Kien Svay District, Kandal Province.
I also have a little sister but she lived with my other grandmother in the country side.
I stayed with my grandmother for one year, then I came to live in the orphanage.
I have lived here since 2000. I took photographs at home at New Year because
I wanted to tell people about mine and my grandmother's life. She was very poor
and found it difficult to feed me, therefore Ms Ho Noun, Secretary of State,
took me to the orphanage of Kien Kleang.
I hope that the photos and texts which I write about my real
life are understood so that people know about the lives of orphans like me.
It makes me happy to take my own photos and to caption them. I think that if
I have a job in the future, I will help my grandmother who is poor.
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Chan Chenda,17
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My parents both died of liver disease. When they had passed away,
I was taken by my elder sister to live in the capital, Phnom Penh.
My two brothers and two sisters had jobs to do and there was no one
to look after me. My sisters could not feed me anymore so they
decided to take me to live at my aunt's house. For two years
I helped my aunt to sell cakes, then my sisters took me back to
live in Phnom Penh. Our family was very happy when my parents
were still alive. In that time, I was living in Prey Veng Province.
But when they died, I was miserable. My elder brother decided to
bring me and a younger brother to the orphanage. There is a teacher
in the orphanage, she has helped me learn many things. I am so happy
to live in here because I have got a lot of friends.
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I was born at Bek Klok Village, Oudong District,
Kampong Speu Province. Both my parents were disabled,
so I went to live with my uncle. There were ten people
in my family. I lived with my uncle for only the first
three years of my life, then he brought me to Kien Kleang
Orphanage where I have lived nearly all my life - he did
this because he was too poor to look after me. Now I attend
school, I have got friends and live in a nice place with enough
food. Many people look down on me because my parents are
disabled but I feel differently. Even though they are disabled,
they are still the best parents I could ever have - after all
they are the ones who gave me my life. I want to say how happy
I am to live at the orphanage. During Khmer New Year, I was
allowed to visit my uncle and my hometown. In the future,
I want to have my own hairdressing shop as well as photographic
lab. I am hopeful that my future will be bright.
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My name is Heng. I was born in Anlong Sleng village, Kandal province.
I have one brother and three sisters. Before coming to the orphanage
I lived with my aunt. I stayed with her because when I was younger
there was a problem in my family. When I was 10, my parents were
arguing a lot - they left each other and divided their property.
I went with my father to live with his mother. I stayed there a
long time but one day my aunt visited and invited me to live with her.
I left my father's house without my father's permission and went with her.
In the morning I imagined my father would be very angry with me.
At New Year I went back to my father's house and was surprised to learn
that he had a new step-wife. My mother had left home and my siblings
were suffering because of this. Luckily my grandmother accepted me to
live with her. I was angry with my parents - they took no responsibility for my life.
Later my aunt's husband had to stop work and they became poorer.
I tried to help her weaving silk and cleaning the house, but she had
many children of her own - so my father decided to bring me to the orphanage.
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My family was so poor that I couldn't go to school.
I lived in Koh Thom district Kandal Province. I had problems
with my legs and couldn't walk properly. My mother brought me
to Phnom Penh - where I spent a year having my legs treated.
My mother spent much money on the treatment - she had to borrow
money from our neighbors.
Since then we had to move house and my mother had to change her job.
She started to sell pumpkin cake, which I helped her with.
My mum was so sad however that I couldn't go to school, so she
asked the orphanage director if he would accept me my elder sister.
My elder sister however decided to work in the garment factory to
earn money for my mother and our younger sister. There are five of us,
two boys and two girls. My eldest brother is called Chan Nat. He stopped
studying also to earn some money for my mother. My second brother studies
others vocational skills and my third sister and the youngest child
don't work yet. In the future, I want be a journalist and for many
people to know me and I want my family to have great happiness forever.
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I am studying in grade 8 at Chroy Chorng Var High school.
I was born in Prekompeus village, Kandal Steung District, Kandal
Province. I have one sister. My father died when I was six,
my mother before him. We have been orphans since then. I went to
live with my aunt who is a widow and has many children. She supports
her family by selling fish and working on a farm. It was difficult to
live there because they are a poor family. My sister was luckier than
me - she went to live with a different aunt in Phnom Penh, her life is
better than mine.
My aunt tried really hard to look after me, as well as her four children
- for a while she gave me enough food and clothes, and I also went to
school, but gradually her standard of living worsened - the rice that
she harvested was not enough. Although she tried to find another way to
support her family - through selling fish, which I helped here with,
eventually she decided to send me and one of her own sons to live
in the pagoda. There I lived and learnt with the monks for two years.
Eventually, I decided to leave the pagoda - I wanted to find my other
aunt and sister in Phnom Penh. It was impossible for me to find them.
I didn't have anything to eat and nowhere to sleep. I was homeless for
almost one year.
Finally, I decided to go back to my aunt's house in the village, but she
sent me to live in an orphanage the next day. She also took me to Phnom
Penh to see my sister and my other aunt. This made me really happy. Now,
I have enough food and clothes and I can go to school and take photos.
I think that in the future I'll be a well-educated person. I'm so happy now.
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I used to live in Soung village, in Kampong Cham Province.
Today I am living at the orphanage . I am living here because
my parents died when I was young - my father died from a blood
disease, I don't know what my mother died of. Afterwards
I lived with my uncle - my fourteen year old brother lived with
my other uncle. I stayed with my uncle for twelve years and did
small jobs such as cooking, getting water and herding the cows.
My uncle gave me 200 Riel every day. Over the years my uncle
became poorer and he had to begin to sell second-hand clothes.
Then he stopped giving me money. I began to sell bread and sold
40-50 loaves a day. I made between 7000 and 8000 Riel a day and
kept around 1000 of the profit which I shared with my brothers
and sisters. Later my uncle took me to the orphanage to study.
When I lived with him, I was not able to study. I am very happy
to be at the orphanage.
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When I was growing up, my father was disabled by a landmine -
my mother used to transplant seedlings for other people in the
village - we were very poor. As a child, I didn't go to school
and had no good clothes to wear. Everyday I sold cakes and took
good care of my siblings. My two younger sisters were very small.
They couldn't earn money to support the family. All of these factors
made it difficult for my family to have enough food to eat. When
I was 11, my mother got a chronic disease and died because
we had no money to cure her. I had to make everything better for
my family because I was the eldest sister. After two months,
my father was told by the neighbours to take me to the orphanage
in Kampot Province but they wouldn't accept me even though it was my birthplace.
When we arrived in Phnom Penh, my two sisters, my father,
and I had no home and no food. We lived under a tree near
Independence Monument. I had to beg to get money to buy
food for my baby sister. One day I met a widow who was over
30 years old who let us stay in her house and gave us food.
She said she wanted to buy my two younger sisters for $300,
my father said nothing, he just wanted my family to stay
together until he died. We left her house and went back to
the tree crying. One week later, there was a journalist who
came to meet my father and took photos of us. After two days
the lady who wanted to buy my two younger sisters brought a
newspaper to my father with the headline "mother dies,
disabled father can not adopt three children." A few days later,
I heard many cars with sirens - I was so scared - I thought that
the lady had maybe told the police to arrest my father -
I cried and cried just hugging my father and my sisters ……..
in fact it turned out to be Prime Minister Hun Sen's car.
About four hours later, a big, strong man called us to the Prime
Minister's villa. I cried and tried to persuade my father not
to go but we went the next day. We ended up staying in Ta Kmao
(Hun Sen's villa) for three months. Afterwards we moved to
Kien Kleang orphanage. My father died one day when I was
studying in Phnom Penh - I wasn't with him when he died.
It made me so sad because I knew I would never be able to
call for my mum or dad again. In the orphanage I have enough
food, I can go to school, have enough clothes, and I have friendly
friends. I am especially happy to learn photography. This makes
me happy and I expect that I will have a bright future. My life changed
because of the article in that newspaper. I will never forget that.
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I have got two brothers whose names are Chom Piseth and
Chom Pisal. My father's name was Chhom Borey, and
my mother's Nang Sokha. They both took care of us, and
supported us so well but when I was ten years olds my mother
fell ill (HIV). Two months later, she passed away, and left me,
my father and two brothers with great sorrow.
A year later, my younger brother, Pisal, also died in a flood and then
the same year my father too passed away. I was only eleven years old,
my father was dead. Only I and my twin brother remained. That year we
both came to live with our uncle. While I was living with him,
I helped him to plough the land so that my brother could seed cabbages -
then we would all water the seeds. My brother would then collect hay to
cover the crops.
My uncle's name is Chom Puth, he has got seven children Tol, Tob, Thea,
Bo, Tonh, Tab and Tok. Because he has got so many children of his own
it was difficult for him to look after both of us - so he took us to
Kien Kleang orphanage. My brother and I have now been living in the
orphanage for three years.
During the last three years, I have been quite happy here. I am studying
and also taking pictures, In the future I want to be a good photographer
like the foreign teachers I learn from. I'm the youngest in my class.
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Chea Ratana, 16
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I lived at Choup Commune, Tbong Khmom District, Kampong
Cham Province. I came to the orphanage because my family
was very poor and had no money to pay for my schooling.
My mother was also sick. After my Grandma brought me to
the centre, it was like having a new life. The orphanage
has provided me with the opportunity to study - they
also provide me with clothes and a small amount of pocket
money. In the future I was to be an english teacher.
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Khoeung Rithy, 16
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I was born in Samrong Choueng village, Kandal province.
I was very sad when my mother died. Our family also became
destitute because my father was unemployed. He didn't want me
to live a hard life so he brought me to the orphanage. I have three
brothers and two sisters. I am the youngest, the rest of my siblings
all work in the garment factories, they earn enough to help my father.
During my stay at the orphanage I am making myself a better person -
I am so happy to study and always work hard on my lessons in the centre.
I have stayed in the centre for two years. I have enough to eat.
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My place of birth is Chroy Chang Va, Phom Penh. I have
two brothers and one sister - my father died when I was
young. My mother couldn't support me so she brought me to the
orphanage. I have now lived here for over 10 years. I have
a better life here - I have enough to eat and the opportunity
to study. I am also happy that I have good friends who give me
advice. Today I am 17 and I need to find a job. I would like to
work as photographer or as an electrician to support myself.
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I live at Kien Kleang orphanage. My place of brith is Bary Districk,
Komponh Cham Province. My father died when I was young and my mother
moved to Koh Tom districk, Kandal Province to live with my grandmother.
My grandmother gave us a plot of her land - enough to make a hut and
plant some vegetables. Sometimes my mother and I picked the chilli to
buy rice and vegetables for our family. When the river rose, it became
impossible to plant on our plot of land so I went fishing instead with
my siblings. I was seven years old when my grandmother died. Soon after
my uncle invited us to live with him in Phnom Penh. I stayed there one
year and then came to live at Kien Kleang. Four of my brothers and
sisters live here also. My mother is still living with my uncle.
I feel very happy to live in the orphanage - it is not the same
as where I come from.
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I used to live in Anloung Chrey village, Batheay District, Kampong Cham
Province. Now I am living in Kien Kleang orphanage. I have got five siblings,
four brothers and one sister. My father died of tuberculosis, my mother is
still alive. My father died when I was only seven years old. My mother and
all my siblings tried very hard to work in order to find the money to
support the family.
We all worked together everyday. But even though we worked hard,
my family was not well-off. Sometimes we had food to eat in the morning,
but in the evening we did not. My uncle, who was better off than us,
saw the situation we were in and he sometimes gave us some rice or fish.
Then my mother fell ill and she still tried to continue to work, but found
it difficult.
Some of us had to stop learning in order to earn more money.
My mother was seriously ill because she had worked hard for so
long to find money to support the family. We were poorer than before
and my mother could not feed us. My uncle took pity on us. He also said
he knew a place where they could feed orphaned children called 'Kien Kleang
orphanage' which helps poor orphaned and disadvantaged children.
When I came to live here for a trial month I had the chance to attend
school like other students. I felt happy that I went to school and that
I could eat until I was full.
For all these reasons above, I decided to stay at the orphanage.
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When I was six years old, I lived with my parents. During that time
I did not go to school because I had to take care of them but
I didn't know what illness they had. One and a half months later
their illness became severe and they both died. When they died I
called my aunts, uncles and neighbours to help with the funeral
arrangements. The corpses were stored until the day of burial.
Two days later we had the ceremony. After the funeral, my aunt
asked me to live with her family. I went to school, learnt how
to cook and helped around the house. In 2001, she brought me to
live at Kien Kleang orphanage.
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I have got two brothers, called Soran, 15 and Soroeun,
13. My father's name was Chhom Chhan, and my mother's Yim Ros.
I lived in Korkithom commune, Kiensvay district, Kandal Province.
My parents were both struck down by lightening on the same day when
they working in the fields. For the three years after they died,
my brothers and I lived alone. I was the eldest daughter in the family,
and it was my responsibility to look after my brothers.
I had no relatives to live with, there was only me to find money
to feed my younger brothers. I stopped going to school and I worked
for other people - I picked beans, transplanted rice, picked potatoes
and vegetables and found wood to sell. If I was able to do the work,
I did it immediately because I needed the money to look after my brothers.
The important thing for me was to be able to see my brothers going to school.
At that time I was only fourteen years old.
I had difficulties earning money however because some people said that
I was too young. My life felt so hopeless. I never got any warmth from my
family, because I had no parents to look after me or give me advice. I was very,
very sad. In my life, I had so few opportunities to call my parents 'mum' or
'dad' and I didn't know if I would ever be able to continue my studies.
Then one day Mrs Ho Noun, Secretary of State, visited some people living
in my village, and distributed presents to the poor people there.
All of them told her that "Miss Soren is orphan, her parents have passed away,
there is no one to look after her and her brothers." I walked up to her and she
said, "How many siblings do you have?". I replied that there were three of us.
She continued to ask me more questions: "Do you want to live in the orphanage?"
I said, "yes, I would like to stay there so much, because it is so difficult for me
living here." Mrs Ho Noun took my brothers and me to the orphanage. I felt very happy
when we came here. I thought I would never be able to go to school
again but, on the contrary, since my brothers and I have lived here, the
orphanage director has allowed us to go school. I tell my brothers that we
must all try to study hard for the future. I and my brothers will surely
have a bright future.
It is also my good fortune to learn photography skill with Anna, Eddy
and Khmer teacher, Remissa who give so much time to teach us. I want
to be a skilful photographer like them. I would like very much to
express my deep thanks to Anna, Eddie, and teacher Remissa who have
taught us in the orphanage.
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I used to live in Anloung Sdeng Village, Kandal Province.
After my parents died, I lived with my grandmother. When they
died, I was only eight years old. When I was living with my
grandmother, I used to tend the cattle or help with the rice
harvest in. Now my grandmother is seventy-three, she is very
old. She let my uncle bring me to the orphanage, and I have
now lived here for seven years. I am very happy to be here
because I have the fortune to attend school like the other
boys. I have the hope that my future will surely be brighter.
Most of all, I want to become a singer.
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