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At the risk of sounding like a do-gooder, these are two charities
that need advertising. It costs me nothing to give them some space,
the least I can do tell people about them. They make a profit on a
bracelet that sells for a dollar - so that puts it in perspective.
What's a beer in London now? Three quid?
I've seen what they are doing and it's good.
1 - The Landmine Museum Cambodia
www.cambodialandminemuseum.org
On our penultimate day in Cambodia, we paid a visit to the
Cambodia Landmine Museum. The tragic past in this beautiful country is so
recent. I really had to hold back tears when we were
shown around the museum by a one-armed twelve year old landmine
victim. I couldn't make out his name, but he told us that he'd been
out looking for food with his grandfather at the age of six when the
old man stood on a mine. With an arm blown off and now alone, he
walked back home. Reading that is one thing - being told it in
person is chilling. The museum is run by a former Khmer Rouge child
soldier who switched sides and now trains villagers - at his own
expense - to find disarm mines. He also houses and feeds these child
victims. Writing seriously is not really my thing, but these are
people with nothing making a tangible difference to the lives of
people with even less. I felt sick with guilt at how fortunate my
life is.
2 - M'Lop Tapang
www.mloptapang.org
M'Lop Tapang employs local people to counsel, provide support for
and educate street children who are often victims of abuse and
forced prostitution.
They also provide food, healthcare, integration back to school,
recreation facilities and training in safe forms of income
generation.
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