Op 11-10-2014, Internationale dag van het Meisje beschrijft Thida haar verhaal. Ze woont in SCCO en gaat elke dag naar Beltei school. Geschreven door Thida -
I grew up in Prey Veng Province on my Grandparents’ farm.
My whole family lived in the one house; my grandparents, parents, myself, my sister, and my two brothers. We had pigs, dogs, chickens and cats and we grew chilli and greenwater vegetables. All of us went to the local school until 2007, when my family moved to Ang Dong village outside Phnom Penh so that we could go to a better school.
My parents did not have enough money because my father could not get a job. In 2008 my family all returned to the province, but I stayed in Ang Dong and went to live at CPO because I wanted to study English. CPO is a small organisation that provides food and school for around 30 children. We lived in very poor conditions, with no shelter, no clean water and very basic food. I did not like living there, but I had to stay there if I wanted to go to school.
When I was 17 I had to go to work in a factory because my parents could not find work, and couldn’t support my brothers and sister. The factory I worked in employed 500 people in Phnom Penh. I worked from 7.00am until 9.00pm with breaks at 11.30 and 6.00 to eat. My job was quality control of the clothes that were made. I was paid $130-$140 per month in this job. I didn’t like it because the work was so tiring – it was hot and loud. I was very poor because I had to send $100 per month home to my parents, this meant I didn’t have enough food and I had to live with my cousin, which was sometimes difficult. I really wanted to go back and finish school.
I met the directors and supporters of DARA when I was living at CPO and I was so glad that they offered me a place in their centre when it opened. In November 2012 I started Grade 10 at Beltei International Institute in Phnom Penh. I was happy to have the opportunity to go to Beltei as it is a good school and I have met some great friends there. I am now in Grade 12, and am working really hard at school as I want to study Medicine at University. My dream for the future is to work as a doctor overseas, maybe in Australia. I also want to help children in Cambodia to go to school because I know that it is very difficult for them.
I grew up in Prey Veng Province on my Grandparents’ farm.
My whole family lived in the one house; my grandparents, parents, myself, my sister, and my two brothers. We had pigs, dogs, chickens and cats and we grew chilli and greenwater vegetables. All of us went to the local school until 2007, when my family moved to Ang Dong village outside Phnom Penh so that we could go to a better school.
My parents did not have enough money because my father could not get a job. In 2008 my family all returned to the province, but I stayed in Ang Dong and went to live at CPO because I wanted to study English. CPO is a small organisation that provides food and school for around 30 children. We lived in very poor conditions, with no shelter, no clean water and very basic food. I did not like living there, but I had to stay there if I wanted to go to school.
When I was 17 I had to go to work in a factory because my parents could not find work, and couldn’t support my brothers and sister. The factory I worked in employed 500 people in Phnom Penh. I worked from 7.00am until 9.00pm with breaks at 11.30 and 6.00 to eat. My job was quality control of the clothes that were made. I was paid $130-$140 per month in this job. I didn’t like it because the work was so tiring – it was hot and loud. I was very poor because I had to send $100 per month home to my parents, this meant I didn’t have enough food and I had to live with my cousin, which was sometimes difficult. I really wanted to go back and finish school.
I met the directors and supporters of DARA when I was living at CPO and I was so glad that they offered me a place in their centre when it opened. In November 2012 I started Grade 10 at Beltei International Institute in Phnom Penh. I was happy to have the opportunity to go to Beltei as it is a good school and I have met some great friends there. I am now in Grade 12, and am working really hard at school as I want to study Medicine at University. My dream for the future is to work as a doctor overseas, maybe in Australia. I also want to help children in Cambodia to go to school because I know that it is very difficult for them.
 Initiatiefneemster Tirza Josie ontmoet Thida voor het eerst in 2009 in CPO |  Tirza Josie zoekt Thida in 2012 op in haar kleine kamertje waar ze woont samen met haar nicht. Vanuit daar vertrekt ze elke ochtend om 14 uur in een kledingfabriek te werken. |
