Children at Grace Place

Gender: M

Nationality: Khmer

Date of Birth: January 10, 2001

“My name is Ben. I am 8 years old. I have one bother and one sister. Our parents were farmers. Every day they left home to rake the soils and grasses to plant vegetables. Unfortunately, one day in 2004, while they were raking the soil, one mine exploded and both of them got seriously injured. My father died and my mother was blinded in her left eye. After this, my mother was forced to work in Thailand as a construction worker. In 2005, she was in a traffic accident and her left leg was broken. We continued to live with our lame mother, but it was hard. We had to work for our neighbors carrying water, washing clothes, and things to get money. I never got to go to school. One day our home was visited by an organization who told Asia’s Hope about us. My mother was then offered that we could live there. She is happy for us and I am happy to have a nice place to live and to go to school.”

Favorite Food: Sour Stew

Hobby: Soccer

Gender: F

Nationality: Khmer

Date of Birth: Feb. 2, 1999

“My name Nga. I am 10 years old. I have one brother and one sister. Our parents were farmers. Every day they left home to rake the soils and grasses to plant vegetables. Unfortunately, one day in 2004, while they were raking the soil, one mine exploded and both of them got seriously injured. My father died and my mother was blinded in her left eye. After this, my mother was forced to work in Thailand as a construction worker. In 2005, she was in a traffic accident and her left leg was broken. We continued to live with our lame mother, but it was hard. We had to work for our neighbors carrying water, washing clothes, and things to get money. I never got to go to school. One day our home was visited by an organization who told Asia’s Hope about us. My mother was then offered that we could live there. She is happy for us and I am happy to have a nice place to live and to go to school.”

Favorite Food: Soup

Hobby: Jumping Rope

Gender: M

Nationality: Khmer

Date of Birth: April 4, 2003

“My name is Chann.. I am 6 years old. I have one bother and one sister. Our parents were farmers. Every day they left home to rake the soils and grasses to plant vegetables. Unfortunately, one day in 2004, while they were raking the soil, one mine exploded and both of them got seriously injured. My father died and my mother was blinded in her left eye. After this, my mother was forced to work in Thailand as a construction worker. In 2005, she was in a traffic accident and her left leg was broken. We continued to live with our lame mother, but it was hard. We had to work for our neighbors carrying water, washing clothes, and things to get money. I never got to go to school. One day our home was visited by an organization who told Asia’s Hope about us. My mother was then offered that we could live there. She is happy for us and I am happy to have a nice place to live and to go to school.”

Favorite Food: Fried pork

Hobby: Soccer

Gender: M

Nationality: Khmer

Date of Birth: Oct. 8, 2004

“My name Kim Kan. I am 4 years old. My father was always drunk addicted to wine. He never cared for the needs of my bothers or mother or me. Because of this, my mother had to earn money as a night club woman. Then she found another boyfriend. Soon my parents got divorced and abandoned me because I was so little. I lived with my widowed handicapped aunt since 2004. She makes a little money selling things in the market. I am too young to help her make money to feed her family and me. My aunt wanted to send me to a good center to give me food and schooling. She met with Vannak, director of Grace Place, and is happy to send me here to live. She felt that there is no other orphanage better than this one. I have lots of friends and smile with hope because I have a good place to stay. I want to grow up to be an English teacher.”

Favorite Food: Soup

Hobby: Soccer

Gender: M

Nationality: Khmer

Date of Birth: Feb. 10, 1999

“My name is Nork. I am 10 years old. I have one sister. My father was a drunkard and was ferocious to us children and our mother. Because of this, my mother was seriously sick and coughed up blood. She had a womb disease as well and died in 2005. Our father then became absentminded and a lunatic. Sometimes he didn’t know what he was doing and didn’t care for us. Some days my sister and I were fed by neighbors who showed pity on us. Sometimes we worked for them for money to buy food to eat. Our neighbors and village chief saw our condition and reported us to an organization who told Asia’s Hope about us. They came directly to get us and take us to Grace Place. I am excited about new clothes and good food I never had before. I am glad to have a chance to study at school. I want to be a teacher.”

Favorite Food: Sour Stew

Hobby: Soccer

Gender: F

Nationality: Khmer

Date of Birth: June 1, 1997

“My name is Phalla. I am 12 years old. I have one brother. My father was a drunkard and was ferocious to us children and our mother. Because of this, my mother was seriously sick and coughed up blood. She had a womb disease as well and died in 2005. Our father then became absentminded and a lunatic. Sometimes he didn’t know what he was doing and didn’t care for us. Some days my brother and I were fed by neighbors who showed pity on us. Sometimes we worked for them for money to buy food to eat. Our neighbors and village chief saw our condition and reported us to an organization who told Asia’s Hope about us. They came directly to get us and take us to Grace Place. I am excited about new clothes and good food I never had before. I also have a desire to study to be a teacher.”

Favorite Food: Sour Stew

Hobby: Jumping rope

Gender: M

Nationality: Khmer

Date of Birth: April 12, 2001

“My name is Meng Huoth.. I am 8 years old. My father was a soldier for awhile and then a farmer in a jungle village. He left everyday to do farming such as plowing or raking ground for planting trees or vegetables. One day he came home and called for my mom, but he couldn’t find her. All day and night he looked, but she had disappeared and was gone for good. I was one year old when this happened. My father felt lonely and became insane and takes no care of me. I then lived with a poor neighbor. I would get hired to work everyday picking tambourine lives and water grasses to sell at the market. I could not go to school. My neighbor could not feed his children and me, so he decided to put me under the care of Grace Place. I am so glad to live here and enjoy playing with the other kids. I am happy to have clothes and food and to go to school. I want to be an English teacher.”

Favorite Food: Sour Stew

Hobby: Soccer

Gender: F

Nationality: Khmer

Date of Birth: May 15, 2000

“My name is Srey Nith. I am 9 years old. My father was a soldier. He died one year after my parents’ divorce. My mother had a bad head injury and become very ill for one year. She died in 2005. I have one brother and 2 sisters. My brother and I lived with my our grandparents, but they had no job. My grandmother had to take medicine for diabetes and high blood pressure. They knew they could not take care of me and send me to school. So when they heard about Grace Place, they decided to send me there. I was so happy to see the home and have warm greetings from other children. I am happy with my new clothes, shoes and delicious food. I always smile to play with my new friends. I am very glad to have the chance to study. I would like to be a teacher on day.”

Favorite Food: Sour Stew

Hobby: Jumping rope