"You must be the change..."

Be a SPARK!

We’ve kicked off our recruitment drive for volunteers! Our volunteers are special, they are akin to a spark which lights up a flame which in turn lights up the children’s lives. So we think the name SPARK for each of our volunteers is very apt!

To be a SPARK, you’ll need to have these qualities:

Kind heart
Sincerity
Love for Children
Commitment
Patience

If you think you have what it takes to spread love, hope and joy to Cambodian children, we need you! To sign up as a SPARK, please email to limchih@yahoo.com.

The Awful Truth

The following statistics are evidence that Prevalence, Abuse & Exploitation of Street Children are real and a very serious problem! We hope it’s just a bad dream, but the awful truth is it is a nightmare that won’t go away (i.e. if we just sit around and do nothing)…

• There are 1,200 street-living children in Phnom Penh, and between 500 and 1,500 children are living with their families on the streets in provincial towns.
• 27,950 children between the ages of seven and 17 are in child domestic labour in Phnom Penh alone. Almost 3/4 of the child domestic laborers do not receive any pay. Almost 26,000 cases of injuries were recorded (some cases several injuries were suffered by the same child), and 17,602 children reported ill-health.
• A local NGO has reported a monthly intake of approximately 60 street children into its shelter for vocational and literacy training. The NGO reported observing 80 to 100 new children on the streets every month.
• Around 50% of Cambodia’s 12 million population are children under 16 year-old and about 55,000 of them are working as prostitutes!
• 45% of children – nearly 2.5 million – suffer of malnutrition and lack of medical care. 35% of all street children registered in 2002 displayed stunted growth. Poor mental health is an issue for street children who show low self-esteem and exhibit self-destructive behavior.
• 66% of children do not have access to clean water.
• In the year 2001 there were 50,000 orphans, children of AIDS patients’ parents. The UNICEF estimates that if the growing rhythm of AIDS continues the same, by the year 2010 the country will have around 142,000 orphans.

"At first I refused to have sex with men. Then I was beaten so badly I had to hide my face for a month, until it healed. Then I was told again I would have to sleep with the customers. I knew if I refused I would be beaten again. I had no choice but to agree."
Quote from a Cambodian girl's trafficking ordeal

The truth hurts, doesn’t it? If you are disturbed by the facts and figures, why not step up and do something? The first thing you can do is to help spread the word around. The more people are aware of the children’s plight, the more chances they have of a better and brighter future.

Amazing Story: Gaining New Perspectives from Rubbish Dump

DBS Bank current "Living, Breathing Asia" advertising campaign is really cool! The ads feature true stories of exceptional staff who make a difference to the lives of less fortunate in developing countries like Cambodia and Vietnam. One story which struck a chord with me is about two colleagues from DBS Hong Kong who went to Stung Meanchey, the largest trash dump in Cambodia, to bring smiles and hope to children scavengers. You can read their amazing story at http://www.livingbreathingasia.com/en/web/ext_intro.aspx?sid=8. These gentlemen, Richard Wong and Lui Tsz Fai, definitely deserve mention for their care and compassion!

Our Mission Statement Unveiled!

LittleMatchKids.org Mission Statement

A picture tells a thousand stories. Hence, our mission is to shed light on Cambodian children’s plight through photography. And by lending our support to accredited NGOs, giving our time and care to the children, We Light Up Their Lives! ™

Why Do I Care?

We all have our own lives to live. We work to pay the bills, to provide food on the table for our family and to save for our retirement. Given my hectic schedule as a copywriter and family commitments, why do I still care so much for Cambodian children? So you say they are not my flesh and blood. True. But we are all God’s children, aren’t we?

Here are the reasons why I have to care:

Why do I care?

Why do I care?
If I don’t, the children will face abuse at home, run away and end up lost as street kids – how can they find their way if there is no one to show them?

Why do I care?
If I don’t, how will the children get a good education and learn life skills so that they can get decent employment when they grow up?

Why do I care?
If I don’t, millions of children will continue to live in slums with poor sanitation, giving rise to diseases. And who will provide them with proper healthcare?

Why do I care?
If I don’t, orphaned and street children will be sold or kidnapped as slaves and prostitutes, their lives shattered forever.

Why do I care?
If I don’t, the joy I see in the children’s eyes today will turn to sorrow and desperation tomorrow.

Why do I care?
If I don’t and you won’t, then who will?

A Lesson The Children Taught Me

I love taking photographs of children. But they can be a challenge to photograph as they can't stand or sit still for too long. And if they're in a bad mood, good luck! You'll have a hard time to coerce a smile from them... But most of the children that I've met in Cambodia are always forthcoming with their smiles. Some would even gamely strike a pose! In my book, these kids are natural born models - their eyes would sparkle like gems and their smiles easily worth a million dollars!

"They look so happy! Are you sure they are having a hard life?" you might ask. Well, this is one of life's greatest ironies. In a poor country like Cambodia where most children have never seen or played a Gameboy, strangely enough they seem contented playing with whatever they have or do not have. Where I come from, the children are the exact opposite. Give them a remote car and they'll want a Playstation. And when they get the Playstation, they will soon tire of it and want a new toy. "My classmate Tom got an iPod for his birthday! I also want one!" Oh dear, even our children are keeping up with the Little Joneses!

Why is it that even though we have more, but we are less happy than the people who have so much less?

Let's learn from the Cambodian children. If they can be happy with what little they have, why can't we (with all our material possessions) be happy too? I remember my first trip to Cambodia in July 2006, I drove past a village on my way to Kbal Spean. I saw many children happily playing along the dirt roads and splashing about in murky ponds. I suddenly felt so humbled.

These children taught me to count my blessings and be grateful for what I have. It was them who changed my life - I have gained a new perspective and purpose... I shall forever be grateful to them for teaching me this valuable lesson.