Thank you for helping us save over 1000 children.

Marie

Click here to read more about the latest from Sok Sabay in our Newsletter.

Sok Sabay Cambodge provides hope and an opportunity for a better future for the children and this helps empower them to make the right choices for their future; the future of their families and the future of Cambodia.

We rely on donations and sponsorship to sustain our work  and by attending the fund raiser you will be directly helping to change the lives of over 55 children and give them hope for a brighter future.

Come and meet Marie and some of the children to discover their incredible journey and to find out how we can all make a difference.

Please do not miss the opportunity to attend our fabulous fundraising evening. Enjoy our famous Sok Sabay Cambodge Cocktail and savour the mouth watering BBQ from The Pantry. Be inspired by the wonderful children from Sok Sabay Cambodge  performing contemporary ballet dancing.

• Friday 23^rd April 2010
• 7pm – 11pm
• Loewen gardens, Blocks 75 to 81 Loewen road, Tanglin Village
• Dress code: smart/casual
• Entrance tickets $75

Price includes cocktail, food and entertainment.

For tickets please contact: Joyce Billington

Nancy and Lillie receiving their diploma from Ms. Ngoeun.

On September 5th, 2009 our oldest children attended the School Awards Ceremony held at the Cambodiana Hotel and organized by the Singapore International School (SIS) of Phnom Penh.

Ms. Ngoeun Phalline Pothida, General Director of the SIS, and all SIS staff, gathered to award their diplomas to all successful grade 9 and grade 12 students.

Sok Sabay’s students were invited and were thrilled to celebrate after a year of studying hard. Our warmest congratulations to:

• La, grade 9
• Lillie, grade 12
• Nancy, grade 12
• and Kevin, grade 12!

Lillie, Nancy and Kevin will now go on to the University. Find more about our new  Open University Program here.

High School Gradutation opens the way to higher studies!

“Entering the gate of Sok Sabay Association is entering a haven of peace. In the courtyard and the garden, children play, laughing and friendly, and it’s hard to imagine how painful a past most of them have. I have had the opportunity to teach them the rudiments of French for one month. A very rewarding pedagogic experience because it was necessary to adapt to students of all ages and all levels, which is not always easy when one is used to teach to university students.

But the most important thing is undoubtedly the incredible strength of the link that was immediately established with most of them: it nurtures the soul of one who agrees to give one’s time to these children and these young persons. It is so hard to leave, but one certainty hope that one may once again enter the gate of the new Sok Sabay home in Phnom Penh…”

Philippe (French teacher in a Private Junior High School in St Malo – France)

English:

“The first time I heard about Sok Sabay was from a first hand account by one of my mother’s friends. She described a country and community so unimaginable and wonderful from the one I live in and the lives of children so different from my own. When I saw a video of the works of Sok Sabay I decided to spend my summer there. I have often traveled with my family, but for a long time I have wanted to go somewhere alone and have the chance to live there and get to know the place and people; and here I am. I have been working in Sok Sabay for 6 weeks now and have loved every day! I am teaching English to the children in small groups according to age. With the older groups we have chosen topics to talk about and they have been teaching me as much about their society, culture and history as I have about mine; I have learnt so much from them.

I love being with the younger children, they are always so excited and cheerful and I can tell (as with all the Sok Sabay children) how much they want to learn. I also love spending time with them either in class of outside class: drawing or watching their beloved Mr. Bean! Because Sok Sabay is a small organization it means that all the children are given the full help and attention they need and I have been able to get to know them all so well. They are so open and loving and have made me feel so welcome in their home.”

Julia (student, 20 years old)

It has taken us considerable time and energy but we did it: we successfully moved!

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.

The New House

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!

The roof for the sport

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.

Almost finished... !

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.

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.

Joseph (left, 2006 - right, 2008 with a friend)

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!

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

Becoming a Godparent – child sponsorship

Becoming a Donor:

- by giving one-time or regular general donations

- by giving a donation for specific projects, such as:

• Teachers’ salaries in the various subjects taught in our New House,
• Construction or repair work to improve our facilities,
• A yearly trip to Siem Reap or to the beach.

- by organizing trips abroad, like in Singapore for our fundraising events.

- by promoting our work in your community and organizing fundraisers.

Please visit our “Making a Donation” page for bank information or email us.