A reason for our existence.
These children need our help.
They need an opportunity a hope for a better future for themselves.
Poverty is not a choice for them under their circumstances.
What Project ToothBrush aims to do is to provide basic infrastructure for the children who are either orphans, disable, street kids, vagabonds, or children from indigent families to grow into people who can sustain themselves in the future through our little means like providing them with the basic necessities to get through everyday life. i.e. tooth brushes, toothpaste, soaps, stationary etc. etc.
Currently, we aim to make our contributions to the Assisting Cambodian Orphans and The disabled Organisation (ACODO) is a Cambodian non-governmental organization assisting the orphans, the disabled and indigent families through providing Life-and-Vocational Skills and Indigent Family Support. ACODO was registered as a charity in Phnom Penh on the 14 of July, 2008.
A little help a day can actually bring these children a long way...
Pictures from our trip in May 2009...
The Calling.
This was one of the most emotional moments for me, as it really tugged at my heartstrings, seeing the children live in such poverty, where eating meat is a luxury.
They were 9 & 10 but looked like 6, they were of skin and bones and undernourished. They were dirty and smelt.
When we asked them what they wanted, they only said rice.
It made me reflect upon the life that we have here, where the want for rice is already long forgotten.
It made me reflect on how much that 17USD could buy for these children that can make their lives better. 6 kgs of rice, biscuits, 6 toothbrushes and 12 toothpastes. And gave me insight on how my one handbag can help change the lives of these unfortunate children or even help them build a shelter costing only 3000USD.
Poverty is not a choice in their land.
They were really very thankful, with the children coming up to us with thank yous.
The word “Thank You”, I had never felt that kind of sincerity behind those 2 words until now.
I was teaching this little girl “ABC..” and through that I saw how much hunger they had to learn, and that kind of perseverance they had to learn as she wrote in the mud.
In such a place, the teachers themselves were finding it hard to survive and when we asked why weren’t the children in school, they told us that because the teacher isn’t free today, as the teachers there doubled up as tut tut drivers and guides as that gave them more income than being a teacher.
I wonder what goes on in the childrens’ minds… but it certainly isn’t too optimistic.
At such a young age when there should be joy & life, there were none in their eyes.
Their eyes have already long lost their light…
I broke down many times after the visit just thinking about the children and how dim their futures were...
and i just knew that this "incidental" visit to them happened for a reason and this is really my opportunity to make a difference to humanity and to truly feel what compassion for humanity is like.
So what are you searching for in your life?
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