Last weekend, our SAHAKA staff gathered at the awe‑inspiring Angkor Wat, not just for training, but for an experience that would remind us of Cambodia’s deep heritage. While the team explored the temples, I sat with an old friend nearby. My legs no longer carry me across long distances, and the steep admission price for foreigners wasn’t worth the disruption I might cause. Still, the moment carried its own quiet meaning: sometimes presence is enough, even without the climb.
By Monday, the grandeur of stone gave way to the fragile realities of Prey Veng. For two days we visited families referred by village chiefs and Social Services, carefully evaluating which children might join our programs in the new school year. Not every referral can be accepted. One visit struck me deeply: an HIV‑positive orphan living with his grandmother. Cases like his are rarer now, but they remind us that HIV and AIDS remain part of Cambodia’s story.
Back on campus, the week was filled with building and repair. Dara, ever resourceful, fashioned new playground equipment for the preschool… sometimes with the eager help of children whose small hands blurred the line between play and labor.
Meanwhile, workers finally finished applying cement to the school’s outer walls, shielding them from the weather. A long‑overdue project, but one that felt like a promise of durability.
By Saturday, the campus was hushed. No children’s laughter, no hammering or mixing of cement. Just Dara, patiently training staff, weaving strength into the team for the days ahead,
In the span of a single week, we moved from the timeless stones of Angkor Wat to the fragile homes of Prey Veng, from laughter on the playground to the silence of an empty campus. Each place carried its own lesson: heritage reminds us of endurance, hardship reminds us of compassion, and quiet reminds us of preparation. Together, they form the rhythm of our work: building, protecting, and nurturing, so that hope can take root where it is most needed.
The SAHAKA donation page is available for those who may want to help us in this coming year with a tax-deductible donation. If you live in Cambodia, you can make a QR donation (below) to the SAHAKA FOUNDATION. At this time, we are running on private donations only.
