SOME CHILDREN CARRY MORE THAN CHILDREN SHOULD.
But there is hope, and we are so grateful to God for what He is doing, step by step, in the villages where we work.
ARUN`S STORY
Today we want to tell you about Arun* . He is 11 years old and lives in one of the brickyard communities our team visits regularly. Arun's father has been in prison for over a year, and since then, his mom has been working from early morning until late evening in the brickyard to provide for the family.
Earlier this year, Arun* had a bicycle accident. He was crossing the street on his way to school when a car hit him. He hasn't been back to school since. Instead, he stayed home and looked after his aunt's four-month-old baby.
When Keany first spoke with him, he was determined not to go back to school. But our team didn't give up. We kept coming back, again and again, listened to him, and encouraged him.
And at the end of June, he made his decision: „I want to go back to school.“
Thanks to your support, we can walk alongside Arun* and his family. We're able to provide him with a school uniform and school supplies, since his mom can't afford them despite working so hard. And because of you, we were also able to give him a bicycleso he can keep getting to school (his own was destroyed in the accident).
*Name changed
DEVI`S STORY
In our work, we meet many families facing all kinds of challenges — like Devi's family..
In February, one of the teachers and the village chief told us about a family with 7 children whose home had burned down. The grandmother offered the family a piece of land so they could rebuild. But the land alone wasn't enough.
Devi* did everything she could to provide for her children — taking on day labor and foraging for wild vegetables in the forest so her children had something to eat.
We were able to support the family in rebuilding their home and provide them with school materials. Since then, they've been part of our family care program, and we visit them regularly.
Two weeks ago, during a family visit, Devi* shared with us: "Thank you so much for supporting us with the house and for making it possible for my kids to have a safe place now. And since you gave us the school packages, my kids are going to school regularly again. Before that, they often didn't go."
Devi's family was already facing challenges even before the fire, and the children were often home or helping on the farminstead of going to school. But as our team walked alongside the family, together with the village chief, their situation slowly began to change.
THIS IS EXACTLY WHERE WE STEP IN — SO THAT HARDSHIP DOESN'T TURN INTO EXPLOITATION.
*Name changed
A SPECIAL WEEK LIES AHEAD OF US
At the end of August, we'll be handing out 650 school kits to families in need — just €50 covers a complete kit, with a school uniform, backpack, notebooks, and school supplies for one child.
For children like Arun or Devi's kids, that can make the difference between going to school or not.
Your donation helps us stay present in the villages around Siem Reap — through education, personal family support, and building strong communities.
Every contribution, no matter the size, helps us protect children and young people before exploitation can even begin.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for walking alongside us with your prayers and support, in so many ways.
Warm greetings from the SEREY team in Cambodia
