The courageous and sweet children of Light of Mercy !

We paid a visit to the Light of Mercy Home, which Shanty Town Spirit is used and very pleased to often collaborate with ! 

The Light of Mercy Home (LMH) provides children with disabilities a home and center where they can attend school and live together with other children who have similar challenges. LHM not only supports them to receive formal education, but also provides other extracurricular activities such as extra classes to learn music, dancing, computer skills and simple craft skills. Through the care and activities provided, LMH aims to prepare them to lead an independent life. The center is held by generous and kind Sister Marie-Adelphe.

All the children were very excited to see us, especially since we came with presents for Light of Mercy: indeed, we brought them 120kg of rice and other multiple food basic supplies, such as oil, spices, sugar and all sorts of sauces ! 

Some of the kids then explained us the functioning of their aquaponic garden, which was installed last year by Koyaproject and with the help of Shanty Town Spirit ! Three disabled young adults were trained to take care of the garden and to teach the functioning of it as well. Those young adults have developed, because of their disability, very particular and useful skills, such as crafting various objects with wood, or fixing the plumbing for example. 

                                      

After that, some of the kids offered to make us visit the center: they showed us around the dormitories, the music classrooms, the khmer music classrooms and the computer room. 

And in the end, some volunteers were even taught by the kids to say their names in sign language ! It was such a funny and heartwarming moment ! 

Every child, however their mental or physical condition, deserves to express themselves as they want or to be active and useful to society. For example, one of the blind young adults now works in a “Dine in the dark” restaurant and is very happy to be able to have a job ! We congratulate him and all the other children of Light of Mercy for their courage and determination ! 

                                                   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

Happily studying with Maira !

We went to visit the community of Pre Tacom with Maira, as she does every Sunday. Pre Tacom, which was formerly situated on a river that is now dried up, is one of the slums whose children are taken care of by Maira. 

Every Sunday, she goes there to teach the smallest kids of the community various subjects, such as little stories from the Bible, painting and drawing, or crafting little objects. 

On that day, the kids learned the story of queen Esther, and they all made a little drawing of her, which they adorably gave to the volunteers ! They were all very concentrated to make the most beautiful and colorful drawing ! 

Then, it was time for the distribution. Indeed, the volunteers had come with hygiene products for every child, such as toothpaste, toothbrushes and soaps. We had also brought some donated clothes for the kids. They all received their little something and were very happy ! 

It is such a marvelous feeling to see all these children gathering together and playing, drawing and laughing with each other while learning new things ! Every kid deserves to go to school and to learn in a safe, comfortable environment. 

                              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