CCT's Families
In the last year CCT has implemented a new project targeting local families to provide them with living assistance, business loans and training so they can become financially independent. In Cambodia poverty can break up families and it is hoped that through the support and self determination offered by our program that families will be able to stay together and improve their own lives. We are currently working with ten families.
If you wish to sponsor one of our families, please visit Sponsor a CCT Family
Heng Family
When we met this family the Peak and Wveng were begging on Battambang's streets to support their mother, Srey Orn, who is HIV positive.
Since CCT's intervention, both girls have now started school for the first time in their lives and Srey Orn is attending a vocational training course in sewing at CCT.
CCT is currently covering the costs of their living, food, health and study expenses until they become financially independent.
Visit the Heng Family photo gallery
Gong Family
Ni Gong is the mother of CCT’s children Premprey and Sophy. She is a kind and gentle woman who was the victim of severe domestic violence, leaving her physically disabled and in chronic pain. She is also the sole caretaker of her granddaughter, Juju. Juju’s mother abandoned Juju just three weeks after she was born, leaving her in the care of Ni.
CCT currently covers the costs of rent, food, medical bills and pre-school for Ni and Juju.
Visit the Gong Family photo gallery
Meah Family
The Meah family were living in extreme poverty. They had no house or land of their own and were squatting in a tiny straw hut in the Phnom Sampeau village. Sophea is suffering a severe mental illness and is not able to provide or care for her two daughters. This meant that Euorn, 79yr old mother to Sophea and grandmother to Sopoan and Sopeaya, had to walk miles every day to sell little Khmer cakes in order to make enough money to look after her daughter and granddaughters. They were all frighteningly thin and struggling to survive.
The Commune Chief alerted CCT to this family's situation after they we evicted from the tiny shack they had been squatting in.
We have now moved them to a small, but safe and comfortable, brick home at the base of Battambang's famous Phnom Sampeau Mountain, which attracts both local and foreign tourism. We are in the process of setting up a small shop outside the front of their home, which should generate enough income for the family to eventually become entirely self-sufficient and sustainable.
This intervention has helped prevent two little girls from becoming orphans.
FAMILY UPDATE AUGUST 2010: Euorn was suffering from such severe tooth decay that she was in constant pain and unable to eat solids. She has now finally finished all her dental work. After a total of 9 visits to the dentist she has had all her teeth extracted and has a perfect new set of dentures. She's thrilled! She says it's the first time in years that she has been pain free and is now able to enjoy eating again. She has even put on a kilo or two! Visit the Meah photo gallery to see the results.
Visit the Meah Family photo gallery.
Hout Family
Ni was a soldier in the military. He had an accident which left him a quadriplegic and caused permanent damage to one hand. Unable to work or care for himself, his teenage daughter, Gontia, took on the role of fulltime carer to her father. It is a role she has carried out diligently, without complaint or thoughts of the sacrifice she has made.
Ni recently had to undergo surgery to remove a large cyst and stone in his kidney. He is now recovering at one of CCT’s homes, while Gontia has a chance to participate in literacy classes. Once Ni has made a full recovery CCT will assist him and Gontia to find a home, in Battambang, where Ni is close to medical care and provide them with support to enable Gontia to begin some vocational training.
Visit the Hout Family photo gallery
Uot Family
Kim sustained a landmine injury during the Khmer Rouge regime. The explosion caused him to lose his right hand and the severe shrapnel wounds to his face left him blind in both eyes. He has a partner named Siet, who is also blind, and three children.
Kim supported his family by begging with Sokhom: a 16 year old girl left in his care as a baby when both her parents died of AIDS. Every day, Sokhom would lead Kim around the markets by an old scarf. Kim would play a little handheld drum tucked under his arm while Sokhom held a bucket to collect money.
CCT is helping Kim and Siet find suitable work, and is providing Kim with a guide dog so he can get around without Sokhom. Sokhom will join our older girls at the Teen Transition House where she will study Khmer and English literature and begin vocational training. CCT will cover the family’s basic living costs until they are able to support themselves.
Visit the Uot Family photo gallery
Please email info@cambodianchildrenstrust.org if you're interested in sponsoring the Uot Family.
Chan Family
Gong was born into a large family with seven siblings, including Sinet, Sineit and Nacha who now live at CCT. His parents worked as candle sellers, earning less than $1.50 a day to support their family.
Gong's youngest sister died of malnutrition at just six months of age and his father became infected with HIV after engaging in prostitution. His mother was forced to sell the few possessions they owned to pay his father's medical bills. His father died of AIDS when Gong was a teenager.
Gong's mother remarried and left Battambang to work in Poipet on the Cambodian/Thai border with her new husband. Gong and his siblings were left alone for months at a time while their mother struggled to make a living. Gong was forced to leave home and work in the rubbish dumps, scavenging for rubbish that could be sold as recycling, making at most 50 cents a day to help support his family.
His mother then became ill with AIDS, leaving Gong and his siblings with their step father while she went to a provincial hospital in Banteay Meanchey Province. During this time, their step father beat Gong and raped Gong's little sister, infecting her with HIV. After their mother passed away, Gong’s siblings were sent to live in a local orphanage (from where they were rescued by CCT in 2007) but Gong was too old for the orphanage and was left to find work to support himself.
Gong is now married to a lovely woman named Art and has two beautiful little boys named Jet and Jen. He is a diligent and hard working carpenter who only wants the best for his family. Despite working seven days a week, he still doesn’t make enough money to make ends meet and the family can only afford to live in a dirt-floored tin shack. Art is uneducated and has no form of income.
The future looks much brighter for the Chan family. CCT has provided Gong with a loan to grow his business and build a home on the vacant block of land left to him when his parents passed away. We will provide Art with vocational training, enabling her to contribute to the family’s income and Jet will now attend an international preschool where he will learn to read and write in both Khmer and English.
Visit the Chan Family photo gallery.
Chuon Family
Rern Chuon is the auntie of CCT's young adults Sinet, Sineit and Nacha, as well as Gong, whose family is being supported by CCT. Rern lives in Battambang province with her son Vanna.
Vanna has grown up in extreme poverty as Rern struggled to make a living. When Rern contracted tuberculosis she was too sick to continue work and was eventually hospitalised. After many months of treatment she was allowed to return home, but due to inadequate care in the provincial hospital she did so in a very poor condition. With no living relatives to support her, other than young Vanna and another son who is currently doing time in prison for stealing, Rern and Vanna had no income. Rern was too malnourished and frail to work, so Vanna went to work in the rubbish dump, in an attempt to feed himself and his sick mother.
When CCT met Rern she was in such an emaciated condition that she was unable to walk the 20 metres to our vehicle. She and Vanna are now staying at one of CCT’s homes where Vanna is able to attend school and Rern is able to rest, while being nursed back to health on high-energy milk formula and a healthy balanced diet. We feel confident we will be able to restore her health and in doing so, prevent Vanna from becoming an orphan. We aim to provide them with the means to support themselves and ensure that Vanna can continue his studies.
Visit the Chuon Family photo gallery
Jantra and Srey Mom Ann
Jantra and Ann live in a houseboat a long way out of Battambang city - about a day’s trip up the river. Both are HIV positive. They have 5 children, who fortunately are all HIV negative.
The family has a small business breeding and selling fish. CCT has provided them with a loan to develop their small business into a larger enterprise. Should any health issues arise for Jantra and Ann, CCT will ensure they are able to access good quality healthcare and that their children are supported.
Visit the Jantra and Ann Family photo gallery
Please email info@cambodianchildrenstrust.org if you're interested in sponsoring this Family.
Pich Family
Savon Pich is married with 4 children and living in Siem Reap. She is a long-time friend of Aki Ra, who runs the well-known Landmine Museum in Siem Reap – an organisation doing amazing work to clear Cambodia of landmines and help victims.
Tragically, Aki Ra’s wife, Hort, mother to his two children and his number one supporter, died recently. In her absence, Savon took a job working at the Landmine Museum to help Aki Ra and support his work. This meant that she and her husband could no longer afford to send their three school-aged children to study English and undertake extra education. CCT is now supporting their three children, Royal, Srey Mom and Srey Nich to finish their extracurricular education, which will put them in good stead for future employment.
The Chaim Family
The Chaim family consists of Rim, 37 years old, and her three boys Ga Gadah, 15, Toit, 13, and Boing Loing, 11. Rim has been suffering from PTS and as a result was unemployed. Her eldest son, Gah Gadah, was working at the local abattoir making just 50 cents a day to support the family. Struggling to make ends meet, Rim left her middle son, Toit, in the care of her mother who live in Poipet province.
The Chaim Family were squatting in a dilapidated shack at the back of their in-laws block of land. The shack was leaking badly, which meant they didn’t have a dry place to sleep. When CCT learnt about this family's situation we negotiated with their relatives to give them the small piece of land they were squatting on and have now secured the land title in their name. We plan to build them a safe and sturdy home. Toit has returned home to live with his mother and bothers. We have built Rim a cart from which she sells ‘khmer salads’ around her village so all 3 boys are free to attend school. With a few simple initiatives we will be able to provide this family the means by which they can become self-sufficient. The boys are all very bright and eager to learn so we are providing them the opportunity to study at English and computer school to see that they reach their full potential.
Visit the Chaim Family photo gallery