These photographs are part of a project documenting FRIENDS/Mith Samlanh, a local non-governmental organization in Phnom Penh, Cambodia which works to help reintegrate street children back into society by providing food, shelter, medical care, community outreach, and education. I am inspired by the support, dignity and sense of hope Mith Samlanh is giving these children. The photographs went to help raise money for their programs through exhibition and a greeting card set sponsored by the Asia Foundation For Philanthropy.


History

In 1994, just after UNTAC (United Nations Transitional Authority In Cambodia) left the country, having supervised the elections, three expatriates arrived, separately, in Phnom Penh: Sebastien Marot, Barbara Adams and Mark Turgesen.


The three were shocked by what they saw: dozens of children sleeping around the markets, left to fend for themselves, while luxury and 4 wheel drive cars were driving past.


All three decided to feed the children on the streets. This is where and how they met; realizing that the three of them were feeding the children and that, therefore, the children received over six meals a day, they became aware that they were actually supporting the children's life-style and were keeping them on the street.


They were faced with two options: either discontinuing their action and forget the children's needs or establish a constructive initiative. Mark, Barbara and Sebastien decided to open a small drop-in center with a school attached and called it Mith Samlanh (which means "friends" in the Cambodian language). On the first night they received 17 street children. Over the next few years, the project was sustained by personal funds of the three in order to maintain the efforts to keep the children off the street.


Currently, under the direction of Sebastien Marot and with the support and collaboration from a dedicated Khmer staff, expatriate advisors, donors and friends, Mith Samlanh is now providing extensive and comprehensive services to an average of 1,600 children per day.

 
 
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All Images © Marq Sutherland

FRIENDS/Mith Samlanh