CAMERAS WANTED FOR GOOD CAUSE - COMPACT OR SLR BUT MUST BE GOOD WORKING ORDER
Hi everyone
I am involved with an incredible charity here called Riverkids, which works to reduce child trafficking in Cambodia by providing kids in the slums with an education. Recognising that things are more complex than just hauling kids off to school, Riverkids also provides health, food and other assistance to families so they are prepared to send their kids to class and sacrifice the small income the children would otherwise bring in by collecting trash or doing other dangerous work. This support, and the work done by Riverkids social workers in the community, also helps prevent families from reaching a breaking point where they see no alternative but to sell their children.
I saw the amazing achievements of Riverkids when I went to Phnom Penh last March to take photos and spent a week with them in the slums. I've been involved ever since.
Not surprisingly, school can be a battle for these kids. Many deal with violence, exploitation, and sickness at home; many parents are sex workers or gambling/alcohol addicts; poverty is a way of life. They do not have the parental support many of us have enjoyed, partly because parents can't afford to give that support.
As a result, Riverkids has started a separate program for kids who have dropped out of education. While these kids (about 26 students aged 9 to 12 years old) have shunned many of the programs and extra-curricular activities offered, they were recently exposed to photography - and loved it! A group of volunteers took the kids out photo-shooting, and they were happily snapping away.
Riverkids is keen to encourage this interest - the pride of learning something new, the achievement of a skill, the commitment to a program and the opportunity to have fun are all important for these kids.
A professional photography volunteer is going to start a workshop program for them, but Riverkids only has 4 cameras which are not in very good working condition.
If you have an unwanted camera (SLR or compact), please consider donating it to Riverkids. You can contact Riverkids at elaine@riverkidsproject.org to drop off to their office (near Queensway shopping centre), or I am willing to come and collect from central/west locations.
cheers
Carolyn
ps You can read all about Riverkids at www.riverkidsproject.org. Fundraising and administration work is done out of Singapore, while the bulk of staff (teachers, housemothers, social workers etc) are based at sites in the heart of Phnom Penh's slums.
Hi everyone
I am involved with an incredible charity here called Riverkids, which works to reduce child trafficking in Cambodia by providing kids in the slums with an education. Recognising that things are more complex than just hauling kids off to school, Riverkids also provides health, food and other assistance to families so they are prepared to send their kids to class and sacrifice the small income the children would otherwise bring in by collecting trash or doing other dangerous work. This support, and the work done by Riverkids social workers in the community, also helps prevent families from reaching a breaking point where they see no alternative but to sell their children.
I saw the amazing achievements of Riverkids when I went to Phnom Penh last March to take photos and spent a week with them in the slums. I've been involved ever since.
Not surprisingly, school can be a battle for these kids. Many deal with violence, exploitation, and sickness at home; many parents are sex workers or gambling/alcohol addicts; poverty is a way of life. They do not have the parental support many of us have enjoyed, partly because parents can't afford to give that support.
As a result, Riverkids has started a separate program for kids who have dropped out of education. While these kids (about 26 students aged 9 to 12 years old) have shunned many of the programs and extra-curricular activities offered, they were recently exposed to photography - and loved it! A group of volunteers took the kids out photo-shooting, and they were happily snapping away.
Riverkids is keen to encourage this interest - the pride of learning something new, the achievement of a skill, the commitment to a program and the opportunity to have fun are all important for these kids.
A professional photography volunteer is going to start a workshop program for them, but Riverkids only has 4 cameras which are not in very good working condition.
If you have an unwanted camera (SLR or compact), please consider donating it to Riverkids. You can contact Riverkids at elaine@riverkidsproject.org to drop off to their office (near Queensway shopping centre), or I am willing to come and collect from central/west locations.
cheers
Carolyn
ps You can read all about Riverkids at www.riverkidsproject.org. Fundraising and administration work is done out of Singapore, while the bulk of staff (teachers, housemothers, social workers etc) are based at sites in the heart of Phnom Penh's slums.
