There are 289 orphanages in Phnom Penh and when NHCC was established in 2006 it was the only place that would take HIV positive children. Government orphanages refused to take these children, and that is why NHCC only accepts children with HIV (and their siblings) as there is no-where else for them to go. At the moment there are 250 children at the village and it has hit capacity, so NHCC is collaborating with Sunrise, an Australian run NGO to open up a new place very similar to the one in which I am living. This place is in the process of being built, and it is located in a place called Ream, about 20 minutes from the beach.
At the moment, while construction continues, there are about 30 children living in a rented house in Phnom Penh, waiting to be transferred there next year. On Friday I was lucky enough to hitch a ride down to the beach with John to see how the construction was going. Employees of Computer Share, an Australian company which is a major donor to the project, were completing a sponsored cycle ride through Cambodia, which ended at the new orphanage, and so all the children from the house in Phnom Penh were also bought down to the beach to see their new home being built, and to greet the Australian cyclists. After looking at the site, we had a few hours until we had to meet the Computer Share guys, so we decided to head to the beach. As we were walking down to the sand, both busses of children pulled up at the side of the road ready for a quick swim too. Most of the children are newly orphaned, having lived in poverty for most of their existence, and therefore had never seen a beach in their life. It was just such a great moment to see them running out of the bus, over the sand and into the water screaming and laughing. They were all having the time of their lives, as were the staff who were all in the water laughing and playing with the children. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me to take pictures, but I spent a lot of my time with a little girl called Sophan, standing next to me in the photo below. At first she was scared of the water, but then after a while was splashing and kicking and laughing, only stopping briefly when she surprised herself by splashing salty water in her eyes.
After fun on the beach we went to meet the cyclists in the new orphanage, and they were very touched by the children- it’s always nice for donors to see the children that their money is benefiting, and there were quite a few tears from the Australians as they heard about the lives that some of these children have lived. As it is a four hour drive from Phnom Penh (and after a certain senior moment with John, a near death experience- see photos below for unusual road vehicles!), it was too far to go back in one night and all the children got to go and eat at a restaurant and spend the night in a hotel- I am sure that they can’t wait to move down near the beach after that trip!
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