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Cambodia
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Bordered by Thailand, Laos and Vietnam, Cambodia is one of the world's 20 poorest countries. It went through 20 years of war, during which nearly 2 million Cambodians died. Every family suffered traumas which will mark them forever and many children found themselves orphaned or abandoned.
Source : World Development Indicators Database, 2001
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Recent Cambodian History
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A French protectorate until 1953, Cambodia was caught up in war from 1970. In 1975, Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge regime took power and led a reign of terror until Vietnam invaded. War and oppression didn't stop until after the signing of a peace accord in Paris in 1991. During the dark years, between 1.5 and 3 million Cambodians lost their lives. Hundreds of thousands of others fled to refugee camps in neighboring countries. In order for free elections to take place in 1993, the UNHCR repatriated displaced people to a country that was still mined. Much remains to be rebuilt and today Cambodians still face a fragile economic situation, the result of recent history. Hardship touches almost everyone in the country, especially children. [more] |
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A visitor to Cambodia
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How can you begin to understand a country in only three months, especially one as complicated as Cambodia? The surface is not what it seems, the smiles often a façade, the scenery not always as beautiful as it first appears. But slowly a hazy picture emerges of a people navigating difficult waters to reclaim pride in themselves and their country. It's a struggle many in others countries would find overwhelming... [more] |
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Discovering Tonle Sap |
Krousar Thmey has an exhibition on Tonle Sap lake. The main objective is to make people aware of the richness of their environment and the need to protect it. The exhibition travelled around Cambodia from October 2001 to July 2002, stopping in 16 towns. Krousa Thmey organized transportation and visits to schools to reach the most children... [more] |
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Le riz au fil des saisons par |
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Au Cambodge, à la fin de la saison des pluies, la couleur des rizières vire doucement du vert tendre au jaune doré. C'est le temps de la moisson qui s'annonce et l'arrivée de la récolte du riz, base de la nourriture des Cambodgiens. Peut-être rencontrerez-vous au hasard des chemins, des enfants qui s'amusent en train de repiquer le riz, d'arracher les mauvaises herbes ou de ramasser les épis à grandes brassées: ce sont les enfants de Krousar Thmey qui chaque année, participent avec entrain aux travaux difficiles et méticuleux de la culture du riz. Courageux, ces enfants nous montrent quelles sont les étapes pour obtenir ce beau riz blanc dont tous se régalent. Si nous découvrions avec eux la longue histoire du riz, au fil des saisons... [more] |
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