Site Visit

Early Sunday morning Jess and I went to visit our Youth Legal Training Program. Our Director decided not to come last min which left the two of us to get ourselves there. Thankfully his wife gave our tuk tuk driver some good first step directions. We get close then drive around in circles for a bit, then finally after a few calls the driver turns down this railroad track. The path was tiny and the houses were built on the tracks so there was barly any room to drive. This is also a place that westerners would never find let alone go down, so the people were very confused and looked a little shocked to see us. That’s never a good feeling…. the area is one of the poorest in the city. Finally after about 15 mins the driver stops and then our co-worker steps out and we are at the school. The students were amazing. Soooo into the lesion- Sunday they were teaching about drugs. They were so interested and paid attention. they were boys and girls aged 15-20. The program was piloted earlier this year and was so successful they chose the top 3 students to become peer teachers for this round. They are going to start bringing the training to the dump site (look it up its super awful) and start educating the kids there. They focus on the legal rights that exist and ones they have. They also talk a lot about trafficking and whats legal and whats not. There were some young girls that were hanging out at the school and were at first terrified of me and jess. Then after a big they started warming up a little to us. We finally were able to play rock paper scissors with them and watched them play hid and go seek. They were so much fun.

This week I’m working on a proposal and I’m down to the wire right now. Its going well just really overwhelming that I’m the one in charge! We are presenting to the Minister of Women’s Affairs this week to get her on board with some funding for our new rape crisis center (first one in Cambodia) that will give medical, mental and legal counseling and aftercare placement to anyone who reports a rape or domestic violence. Sounds like its going to be really great. Just need the funding now!

That’s all for now- I’m going to go to Bangkok next weekend to hang out – I’m sure I’ll come back with some good pics and stories!! (below is jess with the cows after we finally found our ride home)