Ty Thun was born in 1998, and he is one of a family of 3 children. The family is Buddhist and like the majority of people in this province they speak Khmer. Ty's family home has a roof made of palm leaves. Houses tend to have walls of bamboo, palm or coconut leaf, and are built on stilts to protect against flood and wild animals. Most houses have just one room and people cook outside, generally under a shelter to protect food if it rains.
Growing rice is the main occupation for families living in Svay Rieng. With less than 1.5 hectares of land and relying on the rains to irrigate their crops, they can rarely produce enough food to last more than four months a year. To supplement family incomes, men and women look for daily labour in the rice fields, construction sites or garment factories, often across the border in Vietnam. They will earn less than 70p a day.
Although 85% of children in Svay Rieng go to school, those who go are faced with overcrowding - over 60 children in one class, poor teaching skills and a lack of basic equipment. Ty is fortunate and attends school. Children also have the pressure of working in the fields, looking after younger siblings, collecting water, carrying wood and helping with domestic chores. This leads to many children dropping out of school.
Health problems among children include dengue fever, diarrhoea and typhoid. Malnutrition is also a problem. The health centres available can only treat minor ailments and women have to rely on traditional birth attendants. Many women suffer anaemia and reproductive health problems.
ActionAid is working in partnership with a local organisation called Association for Development Increase and Family Economics (ADIFE). Together, we will work with communities in Svay Rieng to improve access to food, water, education and healthcare. Families will also be supported to improve their livelihoods. With your support, we can give children like Ty a better future. |
