Met an ex-pat Brit, David, in Phnom Penh. He divides his time between his bar, his beautiful young Cambodian girlfriend and feeding the children who eek out an existence on the city dump.
He wasn't taking food that day but he took us to the dump to see for ourselves. The pollution in Phnom Penh is pretty bad but as soon as you got to the end of the road full of recycling businesses it was like entering an earthly hell. There was smoke everywhere, it stung your eyes and throat, the smell was indescribable. Dave threw a Stone into what looked like a muddy field with a few patches of grass. The stone immediately disappeared. It was a pit, some 2 metres deep full of toxic waste
When David takes tourists to feed the 2000 people who work live and feed in this place. He asks for a 15$ donation from each person. They go to market, buy the food and take it in an old lorry where they distribute the food to the woman and children. Any money left over is used to buy school uniforms for the children. School is free but they cant go if they don''t have a uniform.
There is a lot of poverty in Cambodia but Phnom Penh is full of brand new Lexus and Toyota land cruisers. All belonging to the Government, NGOs or major charities. It is so ostentatious and such a waste of money its quite sickening. Particularly against the direct and effective work David is doing
Cambodian fact. There is a law that bans the use of headlights during the day. There is no law stating you must use them at night
Print Page
2 comments:
Are you still in Phnom Penh? If so, go eat at Friends - a really great restaurant where former street kids go through training and cook all the food, do all the artwork, do hostessing duties, etc. The food was delicious and it's a worthy cause! And if you're going to Siem Reap, I have other recommendations too! Cheers, Allison
wander. Thanks for the comment. We were in Siem Reap but picked up your message too late
Post a Comment