First the good news: Our friend and supporter Jean-Michel has made Sareka's dream come true. After going to the dumpsite and seeing first-hand just how appalling conditions there are, Michel called his family and friends in the Netherlands and raised enough money to rent a house in Battrang village, hire a cook and provide food for the most vulnerable children at the dumpsite. He has also provided school uniforms and has hired director of Sareka, Sokha Peng, to oversee the day-to-day operations of Sareka House. As the photos show, this is a huge step forward for the children of the dumpsite.
But you can't smell a photograph and unless you have lived on a dumpsite yourself, it's hard to imagine the swarms of flies that are your constant companions as you work in the hot sun day after day in exchange for a handful of rice. At Sareka House there is no stench, there are no flies and the children are asked only to attend school regularly in exchange for two nourishing meals every day. In a word, at Sareka House there is HOPE.
As I write this from Ana Internet, I am eavesdropping on a conversation a young American couple is having with their daughter in the US. She sounds like a sweet girl and is excitedly telling her parents about going out with Grandma and Grandpa for ice cream. The children at Sareka House have no parents or grandparents to share ice cream with. All they have is what Sareka and Sareka's supporters have been able to scrape together for them.
There is not a child in the world that deserves to live like they have lived. Sareka House is the first real ray of hope for these children. If you can help keep Sareka House alive in any way at all, email Michel or Martijn for details about how you can contribute. Michel is currently in the Netherlands setting up a foundation there while Martijn is here in Cambodia overseeing the financial aspects of the house. Director Sokha Peng goes to Sareka House daily and has made sure the children are properly registered with the village school and are being fed nourishing meals and cared for.
Now for the bad news. This writer has been actively involved with Sareka since its inception. I have created, published and maintained the Sareka website (www.sareka-cambodia.org), written proposals, sent out email circulars, sold paper and paintings, kept a voluminous photo record of Sareka's activities and made sure that all donations to Sareka have been properly distributed. It's been a big job, but in many ways a very satisfying one. I have gotten to know many of the dumpsite residents personally and have seen for myself how they have to live through no fault of their own and what a difference just a little care and compassion can make in their lives. Unfortunately, I have had to take a full-time job and can no longer devote my time to Sareka and have tendered my resignation.
Hopefully in the future I will be able to be of service to the Sihanouk Ville dumpsite community in some other capacity, but I feel strongly that I no longer am in a position within Sareka to conscientiously serve either the organization or its donors and supporters. I wish director Sokha Peng and his associates all the best in their efforts to help the children of Cambodia.
I have updated the Sareka website and have made tentative arrangements with Roland Stahl to take over the website in future. Sareka has paid me $200 out of the general fund in exchange for the domain name and permission to use the photographs in the website for promotional purposes. For the time being, I will continue to have sole access to this blog.
I want to thank all of Sareka's donors and friends for their generosity and trust over the past year. In my eyes, you have created a miracle. Gratefully yours, Robert Schneider
