Stay Another Day

We wish we could but we have to leave Cambodia. We hope the blog has not become too intense recently. We do hope that we have managed to convey all the positives in Cambodia. On our last two days we decided to do a spot of shopping. We visited the Russian Market ( so named as the Russians were the only major foreign tourists here in the Eighties) and then using a booklet called 'Stay Another Day' which promotes sustainable tourism:
www.stay-another-day.org or www.sustainabletravelinternational.org
During our travels we had found out so often that we had stayed in a hotel or eaten at a restaurant owned by a foreigner, therefore not giving money back to the local people. Using this book we visited a handicraft shop called Nyemo (www.business.nyemo.com) which sold products made by local women who had been abandoned by their husband (tragically through AIDs or simply finding a new wife) This left them with no skills and children to provide for. This charity trains the women in skills such as weaving and their children are educated or looked after in the day care centre. After shopping we were given the opportunity to visit the workshops where the women work and see the children at school. Its just a shame we discovered this book so late into our travels.

We made arrangements to visit The Cambodia Trust: www.cambodiatrust.org.uk. This charity provides prosthetics for people who have lost a limb. During the war many mines were placed around Cambodia but no map was drawn up to show where they are. Many people have lost their limbs, particulary farmers and children. As we have travelled around Cambodia we have seen many amputees, many who beg because they are provided no social security and people will not employ them. This charity provides people with free prosthetics or orthotics (for people who have polio etc), allowing them to find work or for the children, play football. We were shown around by a lovely man who had lost his limb and had been trained by the school on how to make prosthetics. He showed us how they were made and then another very friendly man showed us around the school. Through scholarships they take in a mix of Cambodians and foreign asian students on a three year course training them how to make prosthetics and orthotics so they can take this skill to their own communities. As we walked around the hospital we saw people being fitted with prosthetics and having physio. We also saw a few children with huge smiles on their faces ( of course-this is Cambodia! ) It is an amazing charity but still their tools are rudimentary compared to what we have in the UK. Have a look at the website if you get a chance.

Well our time here has come to an end and we are off to Laos. It has been an amazing two weeks. We are astounded by the resillience and friendly nature of the people despite their recent history and current corrupt government. I think we both would like to return to Cambodia again- it is a place that is hard to forget.


A final wave goodbye.