Across the Asia Pacific region, there are many families who may never know the warmth and safety of an adequate, secure home. In some of the poorest communities, children are destined to remain trapped in poverty, simply because their parents struggle to provide them with food, shelter and education. Please donate today.
At the tender age of 9, Nisay has gone through more than most of us could possibly comprehend.
He and his two younger siblings Noun, 6 and Meng, 5 are orphans and have been cared for by their elderly grandparents for the last three years. Nisay’s grandfather, Heap, works as a farmer in the local fields. Nearing 75, he is blind in one eye and struggles to work the long hours he used to in order to earn enough money for his family.
His wife, Morn supplements the family’s income where she can by washing the neighbour’s clothes. But she too is ailing and providing the basic necessities for their grandchildren is becoming increasingly difficult.
The family now survives on whatever rice Nisay and his siblings can get through begging.
Struggling to get by and faced with hardship, the family home has also become dilapidated over the years. Their single-roomed home is made from palm leaves, corrugated iron and plastic sheets. During the rainy season, the house floods and turns the dirt floor into a sea of mud.
The family’s small income also takes a hit after Heap has to spend money on making repairs to their home after storms and rains wreak havoc and cause damage. In recent years, Heap and Morn have been unable to afford any repairs to their home altogether.
Without the stability of a decent home it’s difficult for Nisay and his siblings to study. And without an education their future is not looking bright. “I need to help collect firewood to cook the rice,” says Nisay, “and we can’t afford a writing book or school uniform.”
Donate to help Nisay and his family today.
Looking after young children is not easy, particularly for an elderly couple. Heap and Morn fall sick often and constantly worry about their grandchildren’s future and the uncertainty they face.
“Our grandchildren are young; they don’t know how to cook. Nisay, being the oldest, sometimes helps cook rice and he goes to find firewood for cooking,” says Heap.” I feel sorry for him because he’s young and has to do everything. He should be at school.”
Their greatest fear is that their grandchildren will eventually be separated from each other when they are no longer there to provide for them.
With your help we can build Heap and Morn a new home that they can pass onto their grandchildren and will help break the cycle of poverty for generations to come.
“I dream to have a good house, so our grandchildren can be secure,” said Morn.
A safe, decent home would give the family the stability and security they so desperately need. It would allow Nisay and his siblings to have a clean, dry and well-lit place to study and grow. With access to clean water, better ventilation and a home that protects them from the elements, they will suffer less illness so fewer school days are missed. This means Nisay and his sisters can focus on learning and will have a clearer path to a brighter future.
Our New Start, New Life project in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh has already given over 250 vulnerable families a hand up out of poverty.
We are now planning to expand the project to Siem Reap and Battambang cities, and help more vulnerable families in Nisay’s region. Working with local partners, we identify families in dire need for whom a decent home will transform their health, safety, and livelihood prospects, and build independence and a more positive future.
Thanks to the generosity of our supporters we have already transformed the lives of countless families in Cambodia. But there is still much to be done. Our goal is to provide adequate housing – and all the opportunities a safe, decent home affords – to at least 150 more families, including Nisay’s. Help families like Nisay’s this Christmas. Make a donation today.
