Five years ago world-renowned artist, Suezan Aikins began to research charitable organizations in Cambodia.  She and her husband, printmaker and photographer, Sam Rogers had the vision of spending their winters in Southeast Asia, traveling and helping in some way.  This plan had the added benefit of avoiding the cold winters in Nova Scotia where they have their home.

After nine months of research, they had determined that CASF was an exceptional NGO and worthy of their volunteerism.  Each year since then, they have spent a month working with the girls of CASF.  In this, their fourth year, they are as committed and enthusiastic as when they began.  They bring watercolor paints, paper and brushes and teach painting wherever they can.  It is wonderful to watch as kids who have never drawn or painted, discover the fun of artistic expression.  In a society where creativity and self expression have been suppressed, this is a small revolution.

Suezan with Gueklay and Bophorn

During the past three weeks, I have watched Suezan as she has worked with kids of all ages, from preschool to University level.  One morning, 5:45 am, I rode along in a tuk-tuk to a 6am painting class at the dorm.  The university students had requested this time for painting as it wouldn’t interfere with their classes or study groups.  We arrived to hugs and greetings, the paints, water, brushes and paper all laid out and some of the girls already painting.  Suezan quietly encouraged them in whatever they envisioned, showing them different effects that might be used and then congratulating them on completed projects.  It’s a quiet, supportive morning as the girls complete one painting and start the next.  At the end of the hour, everything is admired and then picked up before they head off to their classes.

Painting on the porch at the Library

Last week, in Sen Monorom, Mondolkiri province, at the CASF library, Suezan and Sam held painting classes.  The rag tag bunch of kids was excited to paint.  Some remembered painting the previous year while others were there to find out what it was about.  The kids ranged in age from 4 to 17.  They sat on the floor of the porch and set to work.  They were encouraged to paint what they knew and asked if they wanted to do portraits of each other.  Since they were a little shy, Suezan started to do one.  Soon everyone wanted their portrait done and kept Suezan busy the rest of the afternoon.  At the end of the day, there were pictures of bugs and farms, flowers, beautiful girls and wonderful color splotches by the youngest.  All beautiful in the eyes of the painter as well as those of the teacher.

Final Touches

The next day, I joined Suezan and Sam as they returned to a small P’mong tribal village deep in the jungle of Mondolkiri province.  Again, they brought with them paints, brushes and paper but this time they also had to bring water as there is no water source near the school.  Leaving the main road, we bumped along the dirt road for over a mile, passing several homes and a school.   I was told that this was the school that the students we would be visiting used to attend if they wanted an education.  Many simply did not go because it was too far from their homes.  Another mile or so more and we reached a small school with 25 children and two teachers standing in the courtyard waiting for us.  This school exists thanks to the efforts of Fred and CASF. 

A flurry of activity as we discover that the bowls used last year for painting water were missing and we had to improvise.  Some empty water bottles and my brand new Swiss Army pocket tool and we were in business.  Water was provided, paints squeezed out and brushes distributed.  Soon everyone was painting.  We learned that the supplies left last year were put to good use and the children had enjoyed painting during the year.  Another morning of creativity and fun topped with promises to return next year.

In front of the school

One last item to note… Suezan does not speak Khmer and none of the students are fluent in English.  Most have no English other than “Hello”.  Along with Suezan comes Dany, the sister of our CASF director, to translate.  She is a busy woman working with all the students but still can’t keep up with Suezan.  This doesn’t stop Suezan…she continues on, talking to the students as if they know English, using a few Khmer words and simply communicating with her expressions.  It’s beautiful to see.  As I spoke to Suezan about it afterwards she put it perfectly, “A sweet, shy smile crosses the language barrier”.

By Boporn

Tuesday morning found us sitting in our van alongside the road to Mondolkiri.  Here is the story…

We left the town of Kompong Cham early for a planned day of travel. Soon we began to notice a brand new Cambodian Flag on posts every 10th of a mile or so on each side of the road.  Dary explained that the King was visiting Mondolkiri that day so the villagers must have put these out  to welcome him on his drive through. 

Bridge over the Mekong River

But something else was up.  Now there were guards or military men every mile.  Some were simply standing in the hot sun while the lucky ones had erected hammocks under the rubber trees and were sitting or even lying in them in the shade.  They must have been there for a long time.

After another hour, one of the guards motions our driver to the side of the road.  This is very unusual.  A little nervous, we sit and watch.  The guard doesn’t come over, he just wants us off the road.  All vehicles are taken off the road and we just sit. 

Can we take out cameras?  Can we open the windows?  Get out of the van?  No one knows.  After 10 long minutes, Fred gets out of the van and goes up to the guard.  He learns that the Prime Minister, Hun Sen is on the road returning to Phnom Penh and we must wait for his caravan to pass before we are allowed back on the road.  The guard is very friendly and he expects it will be soon but really has no idea.

Our friendly guard

Another 10 minutes pass and we begin to look around.  We are parked in the dooryard of a new uninhabited home.  Perhaps it is being built to replace one of the rundown homes on either side.  Slowly most of the group exits the van to get some air but there is no shade so I sit in the van with the door and windows open and look out.

Next door is a shop selling fruit so people come and go, either walking or on motos that they ride through the yards or on the edge of the road if the guards aren’t looking.  I see three young girls in their school uniforms come around the corner, look at the group of white people and then glance at the van.  I wave to them and with big smiles they run over, waving and saying “Hello.”  They are intrigued but shy and soon run away.

Fred asks Dary to call over the girls and the other children who have been slyly watching us.  They spend some time with Dary translating, Fred asking questions and talking to the kids until we hear a rumble.  Turning, we see a dozen shiny SUV’s go by at 80+ miles per hour.  Too fast to determine which one carries the Prime Minister, but we each have our own idea, the one in the middle, the second from the end….

Finally we are told we can get back on the road.  After waving goodbye to our new friends and the guard, we continue on to Mondolkiri.

Any traveler to Mondolkiri will pass by the cashew farms, rubber plantations, pepper farms, bamboo forests, beautiful flowering vines and pine forests in the hills, but thanks to the Prime Minister, our “Road to Mondolkiri” brought us closer to the people and a short? (1 hour +) respite on a long trip.

One morning at breakfast, Sam showed us an online newsclip about a man who is bringing light to homes in the Phillipines.  This man uses clear, plastic soda bottles, fills them with water, and inserts them into a tin roof.  The sun shines on the bottle and light is refracted through the water and into the homes.  It’s a simple idea but effective, bringing light inside homes that have always been dark.

At Chantha's home

Monday, visiting the CASF community in Skun, I was reminded of this story.  Skun is a pretty little village northeast of Phnom Penh.  We followed a path past homes, a field of cows and a small, ornate pavillion to the home of Chantha, our local Educational Coordinator.  She lives with her husband and two children in a small shack but she had brought outside, under the trees, tables and chairs to welcome us.  Her husband cut open fresh coconuts for us. (coconut milk is wonderfully refreshing)

The CASF girls in Skun

Chanda had gathered 11 of the 14 CASF Skun students as well as one CASF graduate and the mom of another student.  We sang songs, played games and spoke with each student individually.  Many of the girls we met spoke wonderful English, as did Chantha.  With help from our director, we learned that Chantha helps the local kids learn English, teaching them in her home, and encourages them in all their studies.  She has done this with only a 5th grade formal education and while suffering from various ailments.  She told us that she is feeling much better but has had many problems in the past including several surgeries.

Chantha

Before we left, she took hold of my hands and speaking in English, told me that she was a lucky woman.  She  said that she was happy to help the girls and would love for me to come back and visit her again.

I may be stretching your imagination but I see Chantha as the water, collecting and intensifying light.  Through her determination and encouragement, she is able to spread that light to all the girls in the village and thus create “Solar Kids.”  Without CASF providing “the bottles”, these lights would not be shining so brightly.

Phalkun and Bopha, two of our Solar Kids

Sovanna Phum means “Golden Era” in Khmer.  It is also the name of an independent arts association organized to allow artists  to present their art and make a living.  They have different programs each weekend.  ”Apsara Dance and Large Shadow Puppets” was the program Saturday evening when we attended with 13 of our dorm students.

Before the Show

 The program began with traditional Khmer live music played on various instruments.  Beautiful music and some very interesting instruments.  Soon, the stage was filled with male Apsara dancers transitioning between poses with a graceful beauty.  Following were the female dancers whose flowing fingers and feet move continuously as they keep time with the soothing music.

Next came the Shadow Puppets.  These were large intricate cutouts that the performers danced with both in front of and behind a screen as they acted out various scenes.   It was mesmerizing!

 The evening ended by the performers welcoming everyone onto the stage for photos.  The entire CASF group clambered up and smiled.  A Golden Evening from the Golden Era….

Fred, Rina and Makara with performers after the Show

 Cooking for 28?  Not an easy task but our dorm students prepared Shrimp with Green Beans, Sour Chicken Soup, Chicken Curry and Fish with Herbs for all of us.  We arrived at the dorm, expecting to help chop, mince, stir fry and whatever else but the table (floor) was set, rice cooked and everything ready for us to sit and eat.  The girls were smiling and proud to be providing this meal for us. 

Lisa, one of our CASF team, quickly boiled a pot of spaghetti and threw together a sauce as her “American” contribution to the meal.  The girls weren’t sure about the spaghetti but many of them tasted it and found that it was quite tasty, not to mention fun to slurp!

Simlang, Votey, Kitty, Sopheap, Boporn, Sarom and Lisa

 The food was fresh and delicious.  (Because they have no refrigeration, food is purchased at the market every morning) After a session of picture taking, the dishes were cleared in a matter of minutes, the floor washed down and dessert was brought out.  We had oranges and mangosteen for dessert.  I had never tried mangosteen before…it was divine…I definately have to find more while I am here!

Mangosteen for Dessert

Apsara dancers

Wednesday evening saw us at the National Museum for an evening of culture.  The Children of Bassac is a dance company of youth, aged 16 to 21.  Cambodian Living Arts has joined with this dance company to present perfomances of traditional and folk dances representing Khmer life.  Thanks to the generosity of the CASF volunteers here in Phnom Penh, our dorm students were invited to attend.  We were thrilled that five girls were available to join us along with Dary, our director and her sister.  None of them had ever been to a live performance of Cambodian dance before.

Beh Karwine (Picking Cardamom)

 The evening was  enchanting.  As we sat outside the National Museum, enjoying the beauty of its redstone exterior, we talked amongst ourselves waiting for the perfomance to begin.  Soon, the music started and the troupe walked in from behind the audience, carrying candles.  This was the start of a traditional ceremony which is performed to pay respect to the teachers and to ask for their blessing.

We then enjoyed seven different dances ranging from the traditional Apsara which is based on the etchings in the stone walls of the ancient Angkor temples, to the comedic Chhayam dance which is an improvised depiction of the age-old boy meets girl dilemma.  In between we saw provincial harvest dances, a pestle dance, the ancient golden mermaid/monkey dance and a modern Kroma (scarf) dance.  Every one was so different but a wonderful way to keep alive the traditional culture.

After the perfomance, we walked and talked with the girls who admitted that before the show they didn’t really know what to expect but all five were very happy that they had taken the time from their studies to attend.  We hope that their enthusiasm will encourage more students to attend our next cultural evening.

After the Show

Suezan looking at a map with Sokserey

A half hour’s drive outside of Phnom Penh is a small village in the province of Kandal where 10 CASF students live and attend school.  Today we visited with them in their homes.

The families of these girls grow rice and morning glory to eat and sell.  The homes are generally made with concrete corner posts, a dirt floor, tin roof and walls of palm fronds.  The wealthier families in the village have wooden walls which are better at keeping out the rain during the monsoon season.

Regardless of their circumstances, we are met at each home by a smiling girl, dressed in her school uniform.  We are brought to a low table on which we sit to talk, smile, find out how her year has been, and what we can do to help.  Kitty and Fred ask about her health, her studies and her dreams.  Many of the girls remember Lisa and ask her to sing for them.  Some of the girls will then sing  for Lisa in Khmer.  At the end of our visit, Fred will ask about dreams…the student’s dreams or the parents’ dreams for their daughter.  Many girls think they would like to become doctors or teachers because that is what they know, but all of the girls as well as their parents hope the students can continue their education for as long as possible.  This is a dream that CASF can help with and Fred pinky swears to do his part as the student must do her part and study.  One single mom is brought to tears as she is overcome by the realization that her daughter will be able to gain an education.  We can see the pride in the parents’ smiles as their daughters speak to us. 

Fred pinky swears with Sophorn

After making pinky promises with each of the girls, we climb back into our van to return to the city.  It is just about noon and as we reach Phnom Penh, we see hundreds of young girls in their teens and twenties, walking down the side of the road.  These are the girls who work in the local garment factories and are just heading out for their lunch break.  They work long hours for low wages and much of what they produce is exported to the United States to be sold at prices that are 1000 times more than what is paid to the workers.  These girls, unable to continue their education, go into the factories to bring money home to their families.  As we drive along, it becomes clear to us that the pinky promises made today  will truely give the CASF girls the hope that they need in order to realize their dreams.

The past three days have seen the local celebrations of Chinese New Year.  The CASF students had returned to their home provinces to celebrate with their families so we have been busy with strategy  and planning meetings as well as outside meetings with the local rotary and the US Embassy.  In addition, we have taken advantage of the open schedule to do some sightseeing and exploring.  I toured the National Museum, went to the Choeung Ek Genocidal Center (the Killing Fields), and walked through sections of Phnom Penh, observing the various celebrations.  I hope you get a taste from my pictures.

In front of The National Museum	Memorial Stupa at "The Killing Fields"