See the Happiness on Their Little Faces - A Visit to Sunrise Angkor Children's Village

Along with being known as one of the most naturallyendangered their lives. They moved to Phnom Penh
beautiful and culturally rich countries, Cambodia alsoin late 1994, carried by Red Cross buses. However,
has a history of violence in the form of war, foreignthis land had previously been used as military
occupation, genocide and civil war. And more oftenbarracks, and the Coup of July 1197 threatened to
than not, innocent children are casualties. Children areevacuate the children again.
often orphaned - their family members killed in warsThe children were forced to move again in January
or murdered due to their political affiliations and in2001 and until September 2002, they stayed in the
some cases dead from disease and starvation. Withtown of Ta Khmao about 12 kms from Phnom Penh
nowhere to go, the Sunrise Angkor Children's Villagewhere they had to look for sponsors to help them
is a haven for such abandoned children.build a center on land provided to Sunrise Angkor
The first group of children, 24 in number came fromChildren's Village. Ever since then, their living conditions
Site B Refugee Camp or King Sihanouk's Camp. Theyhave improved and the children have not been
were children whose parents had fled either themoved. Sunrise Angkor Children's Village ensures that
Khmer Rouge Regime between 1975 and1979 or thethe children are cared for and acts as their 'guardian'
Vietnamese occupation, which followed fromuntil they attain the age of 18. Orphaned or
1979-1992. In 1993 all the refugees (including children)abandoned children come to Sunrise Angkor Children's
were brought back to Cambodia to participate inVillage from villages where they might otherwise end
elections carried out due to UN interference. Althoughup as slaves. The Sunrise Angkor Children's Village
adult refugees managed to find means to live, theencourages eligible persons to either sponsor or
children being orphans were left abandoned in aadopt children from the orphanage.
village called Ampil, in the province of OddarVisitors are encouraged to pay a visit to see the
Meancheay.orphaned children whenever they can. If you are
The village proved quite unsafe, with the death of avisiting Cambodia, don't forget to make a humane call
teenage boy at the hands of the Khmer Regime.at the Sunrise Angkor Children's Village. You can
From here they were moved to another village-spend a day there with the children, participating in a
Sisophon. From there the children were forced tovariety of activities, and the rest for the night at a
move again to Battambang and from there to PhnomSiem Reap hotel nearby. Modern conveniences are
Penh, each time due to military activities thatreadily available at every luxury hotel in Siem Reap.