Then I spent some time in COSI and Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Did a short 5 km run at COSI.
What I really came back with is an added sense of urgency for the work we are committed to.
The two girls, aged 16 and 15, appear like any other school girls. They attend the Methodist School in Phnom Penh and have been with the school for some time. Originally from Vietnam, the girls stand out with their fair skin and complexion.
While most school girls would be happy during vacation time, these two girls are very anxious for a good reason. There's a good chance that their mother would "sell" them. Many girls have been "sold" before. Their older sister was "sold" for a week, and came back to class after that. Apparently they can be "sold" again, albeit for a lower price.
Such is the reality for teenager girls in Cambodia.
Read on.
2 comments:
It is the worst aspect of being in Cambodia (and northern Thailand), that families can sell their children without a care where they might end up or what might happen to them. I thought the situation was improving in Cambodia? I'm afraid I found Phnom Penh a very difficult place too. Thank heavens there are folk like you who are raising awareness and more importantly protecting these kids and giving them a chance in life
I truly hope that the situation is improving. But in the face of rising cost of living (it amazes me how much food costs these days) and limited income (USD100 is about the average wage of a salaried skilled worker), many are still trapped in the poverty cycle.
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