It comes as no surprise that the majority of Cambodian children are faced with the need to make money at a very early age.   With an average monthly income of less than $20.00 USD, the children of Cambodian adults are contributing to household incomes by the time they learn to walk.  Due to this harsh reality, these children rarely, if ever, get a chance to play or actually enjoy being children, but the Mango Tree Garden (MTG)– through story telling, painting, drama, singing and dancing – offers these disadvantaged children a reason to smile, laugh and play!

During the month of May 2006 two FACE members visited the MTG and experienced first hand the positive impact that this organization is having on the children living on the outskirts of Phnom Penh city, the capital of Cambodia. Most of the 80 kids who currently attend the program are orphans living with their aunts, uncles or grandparents.  Their lives are filled with hardship, to say the least, and many will develop psychological problems as a result of common traumatic situations which they are highly likely to encounter. Headed by a female Khmer National who has a Masters degree in Child Psychology, the MTG uses creative therapy to lengthen the children’s attention spans so that they can focus in school and enables them to build strengths and confidences rather than serious psychological problems.  The children are also given access to guidance and counseling and a chance to build relationships with young and older Khmer staff members who are devoted to being positive role models for the children.

The MTG is a new and developing organization that plans on expanding to eventually offer long-term housing for children with domestic issues as well as increase the variety of the services it offers.  To help this process along, devoted FACE members and volunteers raised $2000.00 CDN during March 2006 with this goal in mind and after personally conducting an in-depth evaluation of the MTG to ensure efficiency and careful handling of each dollar, FACE has donated these funds to MTG for the first construction that will take place on the property.  A large, full-scale playground will be built within the surrounding area of the MTG so that the children have a place to play even when the program is not in session.  Keeping in line with the program’s creative philosophy, even the playground itself will be built designed according to a long running oral story that the children themselves have had a part in creating. Further development will include residential units and increased services and resources, but for now the children are ecstatic about the new addition to the program and FACE and the MTG are deeply indebted to all the wonderful people who have made this possible!

For more information on the Mango Tree Garden, please visit www.mangotreegarden.org.