Tragedy Into Triumph

Dear Friends,

We hope this finds you and yours doing well. As many of you know the history of Cambodia is a very sad one; between 1.5 and 3 million people were killed by the Khmer Rouge during the genocide in 1975-79. In the fight for power a civil war continued for another 20 years. It left approximately 40,000 amputees and there are still millions of landmines unexploded in Cambodia today. The good news is that there are many areas that have been demined and good programs continue to demine other areas.

One story of many, is the story of Vanna. We met Vanna about 20 years ago when the streets were full of landmine victims who were begging. Vanna was not begging he was a bookseller, selling books about the history of Cambodia, Angkor Wat, and the Khmer Rouge. Vanna was a soldier fighting the Khmer Rouge and while fighting he was foraging in the forest for food when he bent down to pick a plant off the ground and a landmine exploded taking both his hands.

Over the years we tried to help Vanna here and there, he never asked for anything but K.I.D.S. helped support his two daughters with education. His wife did laundry by hand at their small rented room in the city to help them survive. We were always amazed at how Vanna could set his book stand up and serve his customers with the two stumps he had left for arms.

When Covid hit that was the end of tourism and selling books. We were helping his daughters go to high school. Vanna had to return to his homeland in another province where his very poor family had a small piece of land. His wife stayed with their daughters in the city so they could continue school and K.I.D.S. helped them with food and rent for one room during Covid.

Meanwhile, Vanna started farming on the land, living in a small wooden shed. KIDS helped him buy chickens, seeds for a garden and put in a water well. He began growing vegetables raising chickens and selling them.

Now the good news! Thanks to K.I.D.S. supporters both Vanna’s daughters are completing their accounting degrees, his farming is going well and recently K.I.D.S. helped subsidized their savings to build a decent house so he can now have his wife come and live with him. K.I.D.S. will continue to assist the girls until they get jobs…which should be soon.

We cannot truly express our admiration for Vanna, he never gave up, never turned to alcohol or drugs, never complained and he kept working day and night to improve the lives of his family against huge odds. We know his daughters will help their parents when they become wage earners. Meanwhile, the farm is doing well.

Take care and thanks for your
support and help to turn
Tragedy into a Triumph,

Until Next Time,
Adrianne and Rick

New Hope, New Homes, New Year

 Dear Friends,

We wish you and yours all a very Healthy and Happy New Year. This time of year, there are lots of references to home. Home for the holidays, home sweet home, sharing our home with friends and family, home is where the heart is. We are also aware of those that struggle to have a home and it is difficult to see.

We recently went out to visit families in our Smart Kids Education program. Each year, with the support of our great program manager Hak and the terrific principal Mr Sohka of the school we work with, we identify those that are in most need of decent housing.

In this poor rural/brick factory area it is heartbreaking to see the conditions so many have to live in. Although they work long hours and very hard at factories, fishing or farming, and try their best to provide for their families; their salaries/incomes are incredibly low.

Thanks to K.I.D.S. donors, we are now in the process of building four houses and renovating a couple of others. We will keep you updated.

We are also pleased that the housebuilding project provides employment. Mr Pov and his great local construction team are happy to have the work. K.I.D.S. is dedicated to paying fair wages, and they are grateful to have a good salary and be able to provide for their families.

Thanks for helping to bring New Hope and New Homes to those in need.

Until Next Time,
Adrianne and Rick