Moving to the New House!

This story started about a six months ago, when one of our previous landlords decided to raise the rent for our Center of Life to unaffordable amounts. With the help of one of our volunteers, Denis, we searched and searched for the perfect place for our children. A merely fifty visits later (!), we found that elusive pearl of a house in the Toul Tum Poung neighborhood, the famous “Russian Market‘” neighborhood.

This new house is just perfect for our children: it has just been renovated and has modern accommodation and sanitation; it has a large courtyard overshadowed by big, fruit trees; it is located in a very quiet and friendly neighborhood in which the security of our children will not be such an issue; it is also closer to our children’s school.

Our only concern at the time was that the house was a bit small to house all our extracurricular activities, our offices and sufficiently separate accommodation for our boys. After much brainstorming and attempts to find a solution, this concern vanished when we very fortunately found a second place to rent just opposite our new main house!

One and a half month later, our three previous locations are finally moved to the two new ones. On one side of the street, we have the kitchen and commons, the girls’ rooms, classrooms and playing ground. The front yard has been enhanced by paving a part of it to make three open air classrooms, thanks to a fantastic fundraising event organized by our friends at the College du Leman in Switzerland.

Of course we kept all the trees, they provided us with jackfruit and mangoes during the spring and summer and we’re hoping to be able to start a kitchen garden on one side.

On the other side of the street, we have a computer room, the boy’s rooms, our infirmary and offices, and we’re thinking of reopening our Community Library!

Even though they have good memories from the old house, the children were delighted to move and love the new place. They were so happy that they became very involved in the moving process.

Marie Cammal and Her Heroes

Marie Cammal doesn’t like drawing attention to herself or being feted as someone special. However, it’s impossible not to admire someone who has given so much for the children of Cambodia. Her work has been recognized and praised internationally. In 2004 Marie was quite literally named a ‘hero’ as a recipient of a European Heroes award. Time Magazine singled her out as one of 27 European Heroes.

For Marie though, the focus should be on the children themselves. Her attention and admiration is only toward them. “They are the heroes,” she says, “because they were able to overcome their situation and make so much effort to change.”

Working with Refugees

Marie moved to Asia in 1980 as a nurse working in refugee camps. Marie came first in Cambodia in 1983, then came back in 1987 to work with the Japanese Volunteers International Center. By the 1990’s she found her heart moved more and more by the plight of children in Cambodia.

Many had no families, and were vulnerable to abuse, torture and rape.

Sok Sabay – Happiness

Marie came back again to Cambodia in 1992 to work with international organizations, then in 1997 after 2 surveys in Cambodia she realized that the most terrible things happened to  very young children trapped in prostitution, torture, abandonment and rape.

Marie then decided to set up a center for young prostituted children under 15 years old, and called  her organization Sok Sabay because it means  “happiness” in Khmer. The first year, she had 10 children under 15 years old from Cambodia and Vietnam.

In the early 2000, Marie had experienced new tragedies – children abandonment, rape and torture. She decided to extend her mandate to all children who have been mistreated.

A wise proverb says that “if you leave homes or family because of love, you will receive 100 times that much back again”. Marie proves this principal to be true as she now has a large and growing family of over 50 children.

They are her heroes.

Article by Mark Trudinger

If you would like to know more about Sok Sabay or to talk to Marie personally, please contact us.  You can also subscribe to this website to get regular updates about Sok Sabay. To become a Donor for one of our projects or Godparent to one or more of the children, please contact Marie.

Marie and Sok Sabay are able to continue this important work with children solely though the donations of friends around the world. If you would like to donate, please click here. You can also send Marie medical supplies or stationary to support her children every day (P.O. Box 427, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, contact Marie for a list of needed medicine).

Click here to contribute!

Giving Children Back Their Future

“Future” today means to go forward, to move ahead, to be involved and to include our children in the international world of education. Moving forward by sharing and caring for the children of Sok Sabay. Building a safe learning environment is one of the main concerns for Sok Sabay. Our challenge is to find the best schools for the children to improve, to adapt themselves & to increase their learning capacity.

Deprived since birth or through family struggles of a safe and child-friendly environment, Sok Sabay tries to improve the children’s lives. Respect and compassion, freedom of speech, access to multi-lingual learning opportunities, to be initiative, to set priorities and to take over responsibilities is crucial to become a good citizen in Cambodian society. Knowledge about one’s own culture is one of the main goals of the Sok Sabay Center of Life.

“Future” means for many Cambodian children being scared of violence in a society which is marked by the stigma of the worst genocide of the 20th century. By giving them an ongoing sense of self-confidence, we emphasize their self-esteem and empower them to define their future for themselves and for the next generations.

Sok Sabay’s mission is defined by three main programs: the Boarding and Long-term Education Program, the Open University Program, and an Overseas Development program providing skilled students with international scholarships. Additionally Sok Sabay engages in supporting the neighborhood through the establishment of a community library.

I started my work as a nurse in the South-East Asian refugee camps in Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam and worked there for more than 20 years. After having been part of the refugees’ histories and tragedies for so long, their world became my world. I could not abandon them anymore. I had learned to be as humble as possible to widen my understanding and to adapt myself to any situation. To accept the unacceptable became like not being able to breathe air to me.

In Cambodia, the problem of child molestation, enslavement and sale had dramatically increased during the UNTAC time (United Nation Transitional Authorities of Cambodia). As I had personally witnessed these daily nightmares, I decided to found the organization Sok Sabay in the capital Phnom Penh with the goal to secure the life of very young vulnerable children. The Khmer name “Sok Sabay” means “happiness” in English.

After the July 6-7, 1997 political crisis during which the government was overthrown, Sok Sabay organization went through a difficult period of insecurity. However with the generous help of concerned people such as my family, my office in Paris, my friends in Singapore, in America and Europe who devoted their time and financial support, Sok Sabay became what it is now: a well-established organization renowned not only in Cambodia but also in France, Singapore and other countries.

One and a half decades after the first rescue mission, Sok Sabay has redefined in 2000 its objectives: From “Therapeutic and medical care for under 15-years old prostituted children”, Sok Sabay’s mission was adjusted to “Rescuing, educating, protecting and caring for mistreated children”.

Currently, sixty-two children are living at the Sok Sabay Centre of Life. Five children are living in their communities financially supported by Sok Sabay. The families of our children are part of the “Future”: Therefore, supporting parents by helping them to increase their sense of respect towards their own children is an integral part of Sok Sabay’s programs .To rebuild the nuclear family with the participation of children and parents is our goal.

“Future” in Cambodia means to rebuild a society of justice. Unfortunately, the Khmer society is not yet ready in its entirety to recognize the crimes committed during the 1975-1979 genocide. Children are suffering from the “unspoken”. The country is under reconstruction and will have to define how to tackle the main social dilemmas. This remains the major challenge nowadays if the nation wants to successfully build its “Future”.

MC, Founder & Executive Director Sok Sabay