As the new year begins, the team at AMS are getting out and into the field to visit some of our supported development projects throughout Asia and the Pacific.
Phnom Penh is the vibrant bustling capital of Cambodia. Situated at the confluence of three rivers, the Mekong, the Bassac and the Tonle Sap, what was once considered the pearl of Asia within Indochina. The capital city still maintains considerable charm with a heavy French influence throughout. It exudes a sort of provincial charm and tranquillity with French colonial mansions and tree-lined boulevards amidst monumental Angkorian architecture.
Phnom Penh, like other Asian-City tourist destinations, is in the midst of rapid change. Over the past few years the number of restaurants and hotels have grown considerably as has the visitors to the region. The city itself is now home to approximately 1.5 million people. A recent article published by SBS described Phnom Phen as a city where Porsche’s and poverty exist side by side. The Asian Development Bank study (2014) stated that the urban poverty rate in 2012 was 16.3% in Phnom Penh, whilst over 90% in rural areas.
Touching down at 7:30pm on Tuesday night there was no time to site see as we briskly made our way to the accommodation. An early start the following morning provided an hour to make the 100 meter walk from this hotel to the famous Central Market (Phsar Thmei). As it was early in the morning the markets were slowly opening but even so you could tell from the size and scale that it would be a site to behold in full flight. After the brief stroll through the markets we arrived back at the hotel where we were met by Brother Brian and Panga who kindly transported us to La Valla school for an overnight stay.
La Valla is situated in the province of Takhmau in the province of Kandal, about an hour’s trip South of Phnom Phen. Kandal is one of the smaller provinces of Cambodia. This province completely surrounds, but does not include, the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh. The province is re-known for its ancient history. One of the major attractions is Udong, which served as the former capital of Cambodia under several sovereigns between 1618 and 1866. A number of kings, including King Norodom, were crowned here.
In 1998 the Marist Brothers established the LaValla School to respond to the needs of some of Cambodia’s most vulnerable young citizens. LaValla School is the only government approved school in Cambodia that provides children with disabilities a full primary education. As there is little opportunity for these children and youth to receive an education, LaValla School provides tuition, accommodation and healthcare to the students while they complete their studies. La Valla works in partnership with AMS every day as we all strive for brighter future for the students.
The greatest impediment to the lives of young people with disabilities is social isolation. They are ‘disabled’ from participating fully and equally in community life because of the stigma of bad karma. Most Cambodians are Buddhists, so they believe that if a person is disabled it’s because they are being punished for bad actions in their previous life.
Upon arrival at the school we were greeted by 100 smiling faces all of which struggle with some form of physical disability. But you wouldn’t know it with all the laughter and happiness that surrounds this community. Brother Terry was on hand to greet Ashley and myself and after we got settled in were in invited to lunch where we were formally welcomed by the school’s co-ed students.
The afternoon provided the opportunity to mingle with the staff and some of the students and to listen about some of the successes and struggles of the individuals in the community. It was these conversations that really identified the desperate need for the continued support of these underprivileged youth on the margins of society, some having already been cast aside and left to fend for themselves.
One conversation with a student springs straight to mind as I recount the day. Confined to a wheel chair and bullied out of mainstream school, this young student already faced more challenges than most. The student continued his story by telling me that his father had recently passed and even with that tragedy the rest of his family often remind him just how much he looks like his dad. It was a raw and emotional moment for the student and you could see that it is something that weighs heavy on his heart. He finished by pondering how different their families life’s may have been if only his legs were “normal.” The irony was that the student spoke in near perfect English, with only 4 years of education behind him and clearly had an excellent mind that the La Valla school was helping to nurture.
Later that evening we were invited to Mass and the official sending off of American Maryknoll Missioner Sister Luise Aherns from the local religious community. Sister Louise has been the chairperson of the reconstituted Marist Solidarity Cambodia (MSC) board for three years and a member since its inception. Louise has worked in Cambodia for over 25 years and returns to New York.
Day 2 at La Valla began with the squawking of a couple of angry geese after some early rising students startled them. The school has recently acquired both the geese and some chickens to coincide with its horticulture and farming project thanks to its resident teachers. The day was again filled with meetings and conversations with the school staff and students, particularly with the schools registrar and the physiotherapy department. This department was perhaps one of the schools most influential tools. Having shared a conversation with a wheel chair bound student the previous day, we entered the physiotherapy room to find him on one of the beds ready to equip his prostheses which allows him to stand. After this students’ moment of self-reflection and grief the previous day, the student was full of smiles and laughter as he prepared to face what is undoubtedly his life’s greatest challenge, taking a step.
Sitting with the school’s registrar later, Ashley and I were able to gain an insight and understanding on where some of the students have come from. The stories he told were almost unimaginable for those of us in Australia from living in squalled conditions, to domestic violence and drug usage, infections leading to serious impairment and dismemberment. The students at La Valla have truly had some of hardest upbringings imaginable.
Written by: Tony Skinner, AMS Communications Coordinator