Oct 5th, 2018 10/05/18 | Community Stories

A TASTE OF HOME

This year, for the first time, youngsters in CCF’s residential care will spend the Pchum Ben holidays with a family at a caregivers’ home Little Sing, aged two, will be experiencing a proper home and life with a family for the first time this week. Sing and his baby sister, Kannitha, aged five months, will be spending the Pchum Ben festivities with their key caregivers’ and families, in a first initiative of its kind at CCF. The two youngsters are among 17 children in CCF’s residential care who will spend the holiday in a family environment with carers instead of remaining at a CCF facility. In all cases, the children, who range in age from 16 years to five months, either have no parents or relatives or an unsafe home. Some have disabilities. Sing and Kannitha, who is the youngest going to a caregivers’ home, were accepted into CCF after concerns about their welfare with both parents struggling with drug problems and no proper place for the children to stay. Police will not allow the parents to see the children until a more stable homelife can be offered. Caregivers’ were selected to take residential kids home this year as the children are with them every day and feel comfortable in their presence. All caregivers received guidance for the project, ensuring their charges are given the best support and care they need. Sing with be staying with caregiver Ratana and family in her home province of Kampong Cham province, 125 kms from Phnom Penh. Ratana has three children, two boys and a girl and intends to make sure that Sing feels right at home with her family. “I want to take him Sing because I don’t want to see him staying at CCF during Pchum Ben,” she said. “I want to take him to see and have some fun with my family.” Baby Kannitha will be spending the holidays in Phnom Penh but her caregiver, Saveoun, has plenty of trips out of the city planned for the new addition to her family, including travelling to Siem Reap, home to the world-famous Angkor Wat temple. “I want her to have some fresh air and travel,” said Saveoun. “I feel sorry that she has parents but she cannot see them. That’s why I take her with me.” Kate Ginn/CCF
Written by

Kate Ginn

More Stories & News

See all