Eat, love, enjoy [in Cambodia]

Nitesh Square | Agency: DNA | Saturday, November 10, 2012

Staff meeting of Mith Samlanh

I just saw my first waterfall (Asia’s biggest) at Don Det, the 4,000 islands, spent the night by the river, made new friends and had a ball. Yes, that felt good after being on the road for more than 11,000 kilometres. We left for Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Sunday afternoon and after changing a few buses managed to reach our destination. I had the most amazing time of this journey, interacting with the kids on the border of Cambodia and Laos.

By the way, a special tip if you are a vegetarian. Please learn a few lines of the local languages before visiting Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Do also read about the currency exchange rates and denominations. We did struggle a little when it came to food. Surprisingly, Cambodia also deals in the US dollar. Almost any kind of transaction happens in dollars if you are a traveller. Even locals tend to deal in the same currency.

We were shopping at the Russian Market in Phnom Penh and read something about disabilities on the billboard of a shop. Curious, I ventured closer to read more about it. Luckily, the owner of the souvenir shop was there, Sam Oeurn Ourk. He started Ta Phohm Souvenir Shop, with a self-help team of women with disabilities, along with his wife Kong Chim in 1993. They sell silk products made by people who are physically challenged or poor. This wonderful couple tries to employ such people, who society tends to ignore on a daily basis. Sam’s wife met with an accident when she was 12 and recently got an artificial leg. Till now, this couple has supported 50 families and takes care of food and accommodation of 12 disabled people who work with them. When I asked Sam why he didn’t employ non-disabled people, he smiled and replied, "If I do, then who will take care of people who are not able to keep up in our fast-running society."

On our last day in Phnom Penh, we met Man Pally, Programme Co-ordinator for Mith Samlanh (friends in English), a a local organisation started in 1994. They work with Cambodian street children, their families and the community to develop creative projects that allow children to become independent and productive members of the community. "Our aim is to facilitate the children’s social reintegration into their families, the public school system, the workplace, and their culture. So far, we have supported approximately 5,000 street kids," says Man.

By the time you read this column we will be in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. We will be spending the last days of our De Paix Yatra in Vietnam and take a flight back to Mumbai on November 13. But do wait for my next column to read about farewell in Vietnam and stories of unsung heroes from Ho Chi Minh City.

Photographer/filmmaker Nitesh has undertaken a Peace trip from India to Vietnam on his trusty bike