Editorial letter

“Future” today means to go forward, to move ahead, to be involved and to include our children in the international world of education. Moving¬Ý 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 Centre of Life, the new School for Education called “Knowledge” 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