dévouement sans faille auprès des démunis

 https://www.cambodgemag.com/post/cambodge-parcours-princesse-ermine-norodom-et-le-d%C3%A9vouement-sans-faille-aupr%C3%A8s-des-d%C3%A9munis

SHANTY TOWNS AND COVID 19

Let us give you some news about our Shanty Town and the terrible virus which occurs actually around the world.  Everybody speaks about a « pandemic », terrible of the entire world.

We got some inside information about how is life in the community in Boeung Trabek Phnom Penh.

Life is more or less the same than for us in the big cities.  

One of our kid reports that nobody is going out, there is no school at all, children are taking this time as holidays, unfortunately….  They don’t have the necessary tools to follow classes online, no internet, no computer. So they are waiting for the school to re-open… 

They are all afraid of the virus  so they don’t go out.  They are very serious about it, and don’t want to be sick or give illness to the Elders.

They receive information from BTV, Khmer news, khmer times, Facebook etc..

Khmer New Year had been cancelled, rules are very strict around that : nobody out of the country, provinces and Phnom Penh.  If people don t respect the rules and if the person is taking time off of work, he or she will not get paid.   If the person is going for Khmer New year, he or she won’t be able to come back to Phnom Penh or to their province  before at least 15 days.  Officials mentioned that this festive period will be reported after the Corona Virus period to be able to enjoy better.  

All very hard for everybody around the world.

One easiest thing for Asian people is the mask, they are used to wear them.  Comparaison is made to European People who are not wearing those masks.  It would be so easier for everybody to take the same measures…  Asian’s people start to complain about this… Not wearing masks is a lack of respect for others…

But it is, also, necessary for us to provide to the poor communities masks, hands gel and hygiene products, cause it’s not easy for them to buy, they don’t have money to buy them.  Shanty Town Spirit , because of Corona, can’t take over the usual turn around ; but we ensures that they receive all they need  during this crisis (especially rice and hygiene products).  Thank you to Sokear and Maira to keep the link between the community and the Shanty town spirit NGO.

This period is really really difficult for them.  Because regular traffic is off, small jobs two.  Most of the parents lost their job during this awful period and they  keep smiling. We are hoping  it’s just for a short period of time…  We are very happy to see that they are helping each other very much.

They are all afraid of what is going to happen.    But all convinced that it’s gonna end soon…

When ? hum, we all don’t know, but we do hope for the best to come.

Keep your ears open, a smile on your face… and wash your hands….

Thank you for keeping them in your mind best luck to all of you and keep safe…..

                                   One Spirit, One Heart, One Community                                      

       You can help us by sponsoring the Shanty Town Spirit program:

 Click on Make a difference 

  Contact  Ermine Norodom: +855 (0) 17 49 27 19 (French and English)

norodomermine@gmail.com

Phirun Prak (Arun): +855 (0) 96 663 6666 (English and Khmer)

Victor sky.phi@gmail.com

Words by Nathalie Bonpain

The excellent school results of the Boeung Trabek kids !

We paid another visit to the Boeung Trabek community ! Indeed, we had some donated clothes to distribute, and Ermine needed to see the kids of the community to check on their school results as well ! So we were first welcomed by Sokear, one of the first children that Ermine took care of, and then joined by Srey Net, Srey Nith, Srey Lip, Ron and Terry’s grandmother ! They were all very happy to see us ! 

We first began with the clothes distribution, which were mainly girls’. In these moments, we have to remain as fair as possible so that every child gets about the same amount of things. We let the girls pick what suited them best and they were all delighted with what they received in the end ! Everyone deserves to have decent clothes and to feel good-looking in them ! 

Then, it was time for Ermine to check on the kids’ school results, as she does every month. Everyone handed Ermine their grades of the month and she gave rewards to the children who had worked well and progressed since the previous time. It is important for Shanty Town Spirit to keep a little stringency regarding the school results, so that the children understand the importance of school, education and hard work in life ! Because every kid has the right to go to school ! 

We were very happy to note that almost every child is below 10 in the class ranking !

It is always a very precious and joyful moment to go visit the community of Boeung Trabek a few times a month ! The kids always welcome us with big smiles and warm hugs ! 

                                              One Spirit, One Heart, One Community                                      

                                You can help us by sponsoring the Shanty Town Spirit program:

                                                           Click on Make a difference

                             OR contact  Ermine Norodom: +855 (0) 17 49 27 19 (French and English)

                                                          norodomermine@gmail.com

                                       Phirun Prak (Arun): +855 (0) 96 663 6666 (English and Khmer)

                                                            arun.aenorodom@gmail.com

                                                           words by Matthieu Membrez

Sokear’s dream job !

Ermine and some other Shanty Town Spirit volunteers including Maïra paid a visit to the Boeung Trabek community: we didn’t come over empty-handed ! Indeed, Nathy has very kindly donated her bike to Sokear, one of the very first kids looked after by Ermine who is now almost 20. Sokear was very happy about that since he was actually in need of a bike to go to work and to school ! 

Sokear took us to his house to see his family and his friends: Srey Nett, her grandmother and Srey Nith were there and they kindly invited us to stay a moment with them. So we talked for a little while: they told us about their school results, their job and how the children of the community were doing. Then, we talked about what they dream to become later. Sokear, for example, wishes to become a lawyer and is about to enter law school ! Thanks to his faith and his determination, and also thanks to the work of the donors and the volunteers, Sokear can get closer to his dreams ! 

After that, we visited a few of the usual families of the community, all always delighted to see us ! On that day, we came with bars of soap, toothbrushes and clothes for the kids ! All the children were able to get themselves one of each ! It really was a wonderful moment ! 

                                     One Spirit, One Heart, One Community                                      

      You can help us by sponsoring the Shanty Town Spirit program:

Click on Make a difference

                   OR contact  Ermine Norodom: +855 (0) 17 49 27 19 (French and English)

norodomermine@gmail.com

           Phirun Prak (Arun): +855 (0) 96 663 6666 (English and Khmer)

    arun.aenorodom@gmail.com

 words by Matthieu Membrez

ART ACTIVITY IN SHANTY TOWN With Terry Douglas and Unseen Youth

Wonderful afternoon with the kids in one of our Shanty Town.

It is for the 3rd year now that we receive the visit of the Pastor Terry Douglas together with the Unseen Youth Group.  Visit around arts, body painting, dancing, singing.

It is a real pleasure for the kids to take part of those activities.  They recognized Terry Douglas and the Group.  A very nice welcome had been reserved for them.

A lot of songs

Body painting

Thank you very much to all for this afternoon.

                                       One Spirit, One Heart, One Community                                      

      You can help us by sponsoring the Shanty Town Spirit program:

Click on Make a difference

                   OR contact  Ermine Norodom: +855 (0) 17 49 27 19 (French and English)

norodomermine@gmail.com

           Phirun Prak (Arun): +855 (0) 96 663 6666 (English and Khmer)

    arun.aenorodom@gmail.com

Nathalie Bonpain: +855 (0) 15 652 691 (English and French)

  bonpainnathalie@gmail.com  

                                                         words by Nathalie Bonpain

One afternoon with Credit Bureau Cambodge at the movie

Credit Bureau Cambodia (CBC) is the leading provider of financial information, analytical solutions, and credit reporting services to financial institutions and consumers in the Kingdom of Cambodia ; but Credit bureau Cambodge, is not only a bank, but one of their responsibilities, is also to care and give back to the society as well.

They have various activities and one of them is to support our Association, once a year and provide the children in the Shanty Town regarding their education or any other area that they would need help.

Last year it was for education, CBC provided them a full kit (uniforms, bags, shoes)  and this year it was oriented on the hygiene products.

On 2^nd December, they gave the opportunities to 44 kids from our Shanty Town, together with the children of their employees to attend a movie at the Sovanna Shopping Center, at Prime Cineplex.  

The journey starts with the trip in the tuk tuk, 9 in total

Followed by « trip » in the escalators, none of the kids never ever used this kind of escalators, they spent time to play with it.

Credit Bureau Cambodge distribute pop-corn and coke, and after the usual speeches ;

• Mr Oeur, CBC CEO,
• H.H Ermine Norodom
• And one of the kid, Sokear gave his testimony

The movie starts,  it was so nice to see those kids, unfamiliar with the 3Ds movies, trying to catch the ball on the screen.    It looks like magic to all of them.

At the end of the movie, each kid received a full hygiene kit :

• Tooth brush and dentifrice

• Moskito kit

• A blanket

• Tiger balm

• Etc…

Then each one went back with the tuk tuk and return home full of joy after this amazing afternoon.

Thank you Credit Bureau Cambodge for this wonderful time.

                                       

                                          One Spirit, One Heart, One Community                                      

      You can help us by sponsoring the Shanty Town Spirit program:

Click on Make a difference

                   OR contact  Ermine Norodom: +855 (0) 17 49 27 19 (French and English)

norodomermine@gmail.com

           Phirun Prak (Arun): +855 (0) 96 663 6666 (English and Khmer)

    arun.aenorodom@gmail.com

Nathalie Bonpain: +855 (0) 15 652 691 (English and French)

  bonpainnathalie@gmail.com  

words by Nathalie Bonpain

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Un après - midi au cinéma avec Crédit Bureau Cambodge

Crédit Bureau Cambodge (CBC) n’est pas seulement tourner sur le profit, mais également à soin de pouvoir redonner à la Société.  CBC a donc pour cela diverses actions sociales, afin de pouvoir reverser un peu à la Communauté et à la Société.  Ils prennent à cœur de développer leur profit pour pouvoir étendre ces actions sociales.

Depuis l’an dernier, Crédit Bureau Cambodge a, a cœur de donner quelque chose aux enfants.  L’an dernier c’était un kit pour l’éducation (uniformes, sacs d’écoles, baskets etc…) et cette année, c’était un kit d’hygiène.

Ainsi en date du 2 décembre, nous avons été invités par le Crédit Bureau Cambodge, CBC sur Phnom Penh, afin de permettre à 44 enfants provenant des Shanty Town, plus les enfants des employés, de participer à une sortie au cinéma pour aller voir « Ralph, breaks the Internet » en 3D.

Les enfants sont allés au Sovanna Shopping Center, au Prime Cineplex.  L’aventure a commencée dans les tuk tuk, 9 au total.

Pour se poursuivre ensuite dans les escaliers roulants, car n’ayant pas l’habitude de monter par ce type d’escalier, ils ont pris du temps pour jouer avec. 

Crédit Bureau Cambodge a ensuite procédé à la distribution des pop-corn et coca. Sokear avait préparé quelques jeux afin de faire patienter les plus jeunes.

Une fois installés, après les différents discours :
Mr Oeur, CEO of CBC ;
H.H Ermine Norodom
Et le témoignage de Sokear, un des jeunes du programme .

Le film a commencé, projection en 3D, tellement réel que les enfants voulaient attraper la balle qui apparaissaient à l’écran. Il y a eu alors un grand brouhaha dans toute la salle. Quelle magie que cette projection. C’était une grande première pour tous.

A la fin de la projection, chaque enfant a reçu un sac avec à l’intérieur :

• Des produits d’hygiène 
• Une couverture 
• Kit anti-moustique 
• Brosse à dents et dentifrice 
• Baume du tigre 
• Peigne, produits anti-poux 
• Etc…

Chacun est ensuite rentré avec les tuk tuk respectifs, tellement heureux de cette aventure.
Merci Crédit Bureau Cambodge pour cet après-midi.

                                          One Spirit, One Heart, One Community                                      

      You can help us by sponsoring the Shanty Town Spirit program:

Click on Make a difference

                   OR contact  Ermine Norodom: +855 (0) 17 49 27 19 (French and English)

norodomermine@gmail.com

           Phirun Prak (Arun): +855 (0) 96 663 6666 (English and Khmer)

    arun.aenorodom@gmail.com

Nathalie Bonpain: +855 (0) 15 652 691 (English and French)

  bonpainnathalie@gmail.com  

words by Nathalie Bonpain