Hope and Beauty

Hello Everyone,

We hope all is well and imagine many of you are getting ready for the holiday season.

We recently returned from a trip to N.E. Cambodia where K.I.D.S. funds a daycare-kindergarten at the Stung Treng Women's Development Centre (SWDC). This inspiring program teaches women the art of silk weaving and their scarves and other silk products are sold around the world. Many of you know this program and many of you have purchased their beautiful scarves!

Although the weaving program program is sustainable there is a great need for young women to be able to bring their children to work with them otherwise they cannot work and provide for their families. The daycare/kindergarten is a very happy place. The 60 children play, sing, do exercises, learn to read and write and receive a nutritious lunch thanks to K.I.D.S. supporters. Entering the school we are greeted with smiles, hugs, hellos and a colourful and a creative environment. The children receive a head start with their education while their mother's earn a descent living wage.

We are happy to say that this year the weaving centre is very busy and we are able to support ten more women to be trained and get full time employment. Thanks to the Compassionate Eye Foundation for partnering with us to assist more women.

Meeting these women and hearing their stories is often heartbreaking; like the young woman whose father died when she was 9 and she married young and had two small children only to have her husband killed in a motor vehicle accident leaving her penniless. Thanks to SWDC she can have her children at the daycare, learn a skill and support her kids. Many of the women are able to live in on site housing if they do not have place to live. Now they have a home, work, a daily lunch program and they are part of a caring, safe and supportive community, while working only steps away from their children.

Thank you for your support, compassion and helping these women and children to live with decency and hope.

To receive a hello from the kids click the ​ youtube video

All the best to you and yours,
Adrianne and Rick