SFODA orphanage in Cambodia is shelter to 55 minors, some as young as two years old. These children have witnessed the deaths of their parents, some have been neglected. A substantial number of them are victims of HIV or Hepatitis B. In a span of two years, the orphanage had to move twice – first monsoons flooded their shelter, now the landlord has threatened to kick them out, even though the four year contract is nowhere near expiring.

Most of the children work during the night – collecting recyclable materials and taking them back to the recycling plant, to earn as little as $.050 a day. During collection, disease risks are imposed, with children even collecting the plastic part of syringes.

After a night shift, children lack enough energy to focus during class.  Living in very unsanitary conditions, their home is merely made up of wood planks propped up on open sewerage.

Cambodia is a popular source, transit and destination country for child trafficking, organ trafficking and child prostitution. Mothers are sometimes faced with selling their own children; young teens sell their own virginity.  30 years ago, up to three million people were killed during a genocide carried out by communist Khmer Rouge – graduated and well educated individuals were targeted. The people have no power, it is solely the government that does. Men doing the government’s dirty work drive around in SUVs - unfortunately many young children end up victims of hit and run incidents.

Denise Farrugia D’Amato, together with her husband Silvan Farrugia, and their friend Rene Sciberras are doing their best to prevent these children from ending up in the streets. The NGO Reaching Cambodia, is trying to raise €60,000 in funds to build a permanent shelter for these minors. At present, all children shower together using one water pipe, and 14 boys sleep in a single room.

Established in November 2013, the NGO has already raised funds for several projects in Cambodia. Denise and her husband, together with their good friend Rene, had always wanted to voluntarily help out at more deprived countries - and when they did, they soon realised it was unstoppable. During monsoon season, children’s bicycles, their only methods of transport for getting to school, were being carried off by heavy monsoons – and so, the Maltese group decided to build a bicycle shed to prevent this from happening again.  During the seven months that followed, the group manage to collect funds to pay for hygiene materials for three months, to restore the cement ground at the orphanage, as well as a months’ worth of food supplies.

Le restaurant des enfant (LRDE) set up in Cambodia, is a concept similar to that of a victory kitchen, providing children with a meal a day, and a chance to shower. The LRDE is run by former street children who have pulled through. Mothers with babies are provided with supplies such as nappies and formula milk; however supplies are distributed accordingly, to ensure sustainability. Babies are weighed prior and after receiving formula milk, to ensure that mothers did not sell it instead.

Reaching Cambodia gives the chance to individuals to sponsor a child at €270 a year – an amount, Denise points out, families are most likely to spend on wasted food in a year. The child is sponsored on the condition that he attends school, and the amount covers school materials, uniform, and an entitlement of 2 meals a day from the LRDE. Sponsored children also receive $0.25c a day as pocket money; however this is usually spent on extra school lessons. Sponsored children have proved successful in school, with some even graduating.

Denise is already looking forward to her next trip to Cambodia – “The children give you so much more than you give them - there might be a language barrier, but the look on their face says it all. They all crave for our attention when we’re visiting, even if it’s simply sitting next to them while they do their homework. The experience can prove frustrating at first – coming back to your usual routine imposes a sense of guilt-feeling. But we are committed to helping out to the maximum of our abilities.”

On Friday 25 July, the NGO is putting up an event at Surfside to collect money for the new orphanage. More information can be found on the NGOs official website www.reaching-cambodia.com or on their Facebook page. Anyone interested in donating or volunteering can call on 79056371.