{"id":2429,"date":"2026-10-09T05:50:57","date_gmt":"2026-10-09T03:50:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/serey.de\/?p=2429"},"modified":"2026-10-09T05:55:28","modified_gmt":"2026-10-09T03:55:28","slug":"dara-ein-junge-der-nicht-aufgibt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/serey.de\/en\/dara-ein-junge-der-nicht-aufgibt\/","title":{"rendered":"DARA - CHOOSING A DIFFERENT PATH\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

For some children, going to school is simply part of everyday life. For Dara*, it has become a decision he has had to make again and again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dara* lives with his family in a rural village in Cambodia. He has 5 siblings, of which 2 moved out already to find work in other provinces.
His family has faced severe financial difficulties for a long time. There is little reliable income, and at times there has not even been enough food for the children. His parents have had to look for work away from home, including construction work in another province, while the family also depends heavily on farming. At times, they have not received the money they were expecting from their work and have been unable to send enough support home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The family\u2019s difficulties go far beyond a lack of money. There have been health problems, poor sanitation, difficulties accessing clean drinking water, limited transportation and interrupted education.
The family also carries significant debt. At home, alcohol abuse and conflict have created additional pressure. When starting to work with the family in March 2025 the father didn\u2019t help with anything at home, was drunk ongoingly, often verbally abusing his family and contributing almost nothing to the family\u2019s needs - people gave up on him.
In such circumstances, education can easily become a luxury.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WHEN STAYING IN SCHOOL BECOMES A STRUGGLE <\/mark><\/strong>

Dara* has understood this reality from a young age. While still attending school, he has tried to help his family whenever he can. Often after school, he works on farms or takes whatever temporary work is available. Sometimes, he can earn around 20,000 riel (5$) a day planting cassava when someone hires him. During cashew season, he spent his free time collecting cashews to earn money for his family needs. Sometimes he goes to school without having eaten. Yet he keeps going.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"My dream for my family is to have happiness in our family and enough food for everyone.
We can help each other and be faithful in our family<\/strong>.\u201d says Dara<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Going to Primary School was still ok as the school is located in his village just across the street of his simple wooden house. When he moved up to grade 7, which is secondary school in Cambodia, he would have to walk there for at least 1.5 hours. That is one of the reasons why many children in his village never continued studying after grade 6 because many times transportation is not available for most of the families. We provided him with a bicycle and school package so that he could continue to go to school. Since the very beginning of working with his family all his siblings received the school packages too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These may seem like small interventions. For a young person living in such circumstances, however, a bicycle and a school package can mean the difference between continuing an education and giving it up.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dara* has continued attending school regularly. Even after suffering a serious hand injury while working with a rice-threshing machine, he continued riding his bicycle to school despite the pain and difficulty writing. He knows that to reach his goals for a better future he has to gain more knowledge.\n\u201cI want to try hard in my studies and set clear goals.\u201d\nHis determination has also shown itself in other ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

EVEN IF MY FRIENDS STOP, I WILL CONTINUE<\/mark><\/strong>

Dara* wants to learn English in addition to his regular schooling. He knows that additional skills could help him in the future, but he currently cannot afford the fees.\nDuring a visit, Keany our caseworker asked him what he would do if he had the money to attend additional classes. His answer was clear: he would continue studying and work hard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many young people in his village are facing similar pressures. Some have already stopped attending school. Others are considering leaving school to work because their families cannot afford to support them.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dara has chosen a different path.
He also enjoys playing football and has become involved in his school\u2019s team. But his role is slowly developing beyond school and sport.
In August 2026, we began providing Dara with a small monthly stipend of $20. This helps him cover his basic needs while also giving him a sense of responsibility within his community. He supports our village-based activities, alerts us when young people face difficulties continuing their education, and helps encourage other young people who are facing similar challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dara is not simply receiving help anymore.
He is beginning to help others.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

WHY THIS MATTERS FOR PREVENTING MODERN SLAVERY<\/mark><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

None of this is unusual in the villages which we work with. Many households here face the same combination: unstable income, health struggles, addiction, and
children caught between school and work long before they're old enough to make that choice for themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It's exactly this mix \u2014 poverty, lack in education, and family instability \u2014 that research consistently names as one of the strongest drivers behind exploitation and modern slavery. When a family can't cover its basic needs, children become far more vulnerable to unsafe work, early labor, and to the people who prey on that kind of desperation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When there is no realistic path forward, an apparently attractive job offer, migration opportunity or promise of quick money can become difficult to refuse.
SEREY\u2019s work therefore begins before exploitation happens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

EDUCATION<\/mark><\/strong> , is one of the strongest forms of prevention. A child who remains in school has more opportunities to develop knowledge, skills and future choices. School supplies, transportation support and individual encouragement can sometimes remove immediate barriers that might otherwise lead to dropping out.<\/strong>.
That is one reason why we provide hundreds of children with essential school supplies every year. This August and September, children across our villages already received their packages, moments filled with joy, excitement, and gratitude. We're deeply grateful to our donors and our amazing team for making this possible, once again. THANK YOU SO MUCH.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aber Bildung allein reicht nicht aus.
FAMILIEN<\/mark><\/strong> brauchen ebenfalls Unterst\u00fctzung, wenn sie mit Hunger, Krankheit, Schulden oder anderen Krisen konfrontiert sind. Unsere Familienarbeit umfasst regelm\u00e4\u00dfige Hausbesuche, individuelle Einsch\u00e4tzungen der Situation und Nothilfe<\/strong>, beispielsweise in Form von Lebensmittel Paketen. Das langfristige Ziel besteht darin, Familien dabei zu unterst\u00fctzen, mehr Selbstst\u00e4ndigkeit und Unabh\u00e4ngigkeit zu erlangen, anstatt von Nothilfe abh\u00e4ngig zu bleiben.
F\u00fcr junge Menschen, die ihre schulische Ausbildung nicht fortsetzen k\u00f6nnen, er\u00f6ffnet eine berufliche Ausbildung zusammen mit besseren Besch\u00e4ftigungsm\u00f6glichkeiten einen weiteren Weg in eine sichere Zukunft und sch\u00fctzt sie vor Ausbeutung. Wir vermitteln gef\u00e4hrdete junge Menschen an berufliche Ausbildungsprogramme und unterst\u00fctzen Familien dabei, wirtschaftlich unabh\u00e4ngiger zu werden<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Auch auf BEH\u00d6RDLICHER EBENE<\/mark><\/strong> sind Bewusstsein und Beziehungen gleicherma\u00dfen wichtig. Wir arbeiten mit Schulen, Lehrern, B\u00fcrgermeistern, Jugendlichen und Familien zusammen, um Risiken fr\u00fchzeitig zu erkennen und den Schutz innerhalb der Gemeinschaft zu st\u00e4rken<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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EIN KLEINES LICHT IN EINER SCHWIERIGEN SITUATION<\/mark><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daras Familie steht weiterhin vor gro\u00dfen Herausforderungen.
Sein Vater hat das Trinken noch nicht ganz aufgegeben. Die Familie hat nur ein sehr geringes Einkommen, und manchmal sind die Lebensmittel knapp. Eine von Daras Schwestern geht nicht mehr zur Schule, und es f\u00e4llt seinen Eltern weiterhin schwer, die Familie zu versorgen. Es gibt keine einfache L\u00f6sung f\u00fcr diese Geschichte. Aber es gibt Anzeichen f\u00fcr Ver\u00e4nderung.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dara geht weiterhin zur Schule. Er arbeitet weiter, wann immer er kann. Er beginnt, zus\u00e4tzlich au\u00dferhalb der Schulzeiten zu lernen. Er spielt Fu\u00dfball mit anderen Jugendlichen. Und nun beginnt er, seine eigenen Erfahrungen zu nutzen, um andere Kinder zu ermutigen, ihre Bildung nicht aufzugeben.
Auch seine Eltern scheinen sich Schritt f\u00fcr Schritt zu ver\u00e4ndern. Obwohl sein Vater weiterhin trinkt, hat er begonnen zu arbeiten und die Familie immer mehr zu unterst\u00fctzen. Auch sein missbr\u00e4uchliches Verhalten ist weniger geworden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daras Mutter war einst ohne Hoffnung und zeigte eine \u00e4hnliche Entwicklung wie ihr Mann. Doch inzwischen sieht sie Ver\u00e4nderungen und gewinnt langsam ihre Hoffnung zur\u00fcck. Sie ist stolz auf ihren Sohn, der sich mit solch bemerkenswerter Entschlossenheit f\u00fcr seine Zukunft einsetzt, und bringt ihre aufrichtige Dankbarkeit f\u00fcr die Unterst\u00fctzung zum Ausdruck, die ihre Familie von uns erh\u00e4lt.
Seit einem Jahr nimmt Dara an unserer Glaubensgruppe im Dorf teil, und wir konnten immer wieder f\u00fcr ihn und seine Familie beten. Wir merken, dass er sich nach mehr sehnt.
Unsere Hoffnung ist, dass er und viele andere im Dorf eines Tages erkennen, was Gott f\u00fcr sie getan hat, wie sehr er sie liebt und was ein Leben mit ihm bewirken kann.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So sieht unsere Pr\u00e4ventionsarbeit meistens aus: keine dramatische Rettung und keine pl\u00f6tzliche Ver\u00e4nderung, sondern viele kleine Schritte und wiederholte Besuche, die Vertrauen schaffen und helfen, Ausbeutung zu verhindern, bevor sie beginnt.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ein Fahrrad.
Ein Lebensmittelpaket, wenn es nicht genug zu essen gibt.
Ein Besuch von jemandem, der fragt, wie es der Familie geht.
Ermutigungen, weiterzumachen.
Eine M\u00f6glichkeit zu lernen.
Ein Kind oder ein Erwachsener, der immer wieder behutsam in Richtung einer besseren Zukunft ermutigt wird.
Und schlie\u00dflich die M\u00f6glichkeit f\u00fcr einen jungen Menschen, der selbst Unterst\u00fctzung erhalten hat, jemandem zu werden, der andere unterst\u00fctzt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Das ist die Art von Ver\u00e4nderung, die wir uns w\u00fcnschen: Menschen nicht einfach dabei zu helfen, eine Not zu \u00fcberleben, sondern Familien dabei zu unterst\u00fctzen, das Wissen, die M\u00f6glichkeiten, gesunde Beziehungen und die St\u00e4rke zu entwickeln, die sie brauchen, um ihren Weg nach vorne zu gehen \u2013 um so ihre Anf\u00e4lligkeit f\u00fcr Ausbeutung zu verringern, bevor sie \u00fcberhaupt beginnt.
Dara* ist weiterhin auf diesem Weg. Und er hat sich entschieden:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Er m\u00f6chte weitermachen. Was ihn dabei motiviert ist seine Familie:
\u201eIch w\u00fcnsche mir, dass meine Familie voller Frieden ist und gl\u00fccklich sein kann.\u201c<\/strong>
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deine Gebete und deine Unterst\u00fctzung machen es m\u00f6glich, dass unser Team weiterhin f\u00fcr Familien wie Daras da sein kann. Manche Schritte m\u00f6gen klein erscheinen, doch sie k\u00f6nnen jungen Menschen wie Dara neue Verantwortungen und Perspektiven er\u00f6ffnen. So k\u00f6nnen sie selbst Teil der L\u00f6sung werden, anstatt in dieselben Umst\u00e4nde zu geraten, mit denen bereits ihre Eltern konfrontiert waren.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vielen lieben Dank & Gottes Segen.
Herzliche Gr\u00fc\u00dfe vom SEREY-Team aus Kambodscha<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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When there is no realistic path forward, an apparently attractive job offer, migration opportunity or promise of quick money can become difficult to refuse.
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