Phanna and Phanith at the Teuk Thla temporary protection center in Phnom Penh.
SOK Phanna, or “Dad” as the children call him, greets us one morning in November at the Teuk Thla temporary protection center in Phnom Penh. As he has done every day for the past 30 years, he is preparing to dedicate his day to the capital’s underprivileged children.
“I joined Krousar Thmey in 1993,” he recalls. “At the time, Bénito was looking for educators to work with street children at the Psar Depot center in Phnom Penh. I had already worked for ten years in paediatric care in the Site II refugee camp in Thailand, and I knew I wanted to work with children. I myself lost my father at the age of eight and grew up in a Pagoda. Their stories touched me and I wanted to contribute to a positive change in society. In 1997, the situation necessitated the opening of a new reception center in the capital, Chamkar Mon, followed by several family homes across the country. I recruited the new teams and supervised these structures until 2013. After that, I dedicated myself to my role as Director of the Chamkar Mon center, which will move to Teuk Thla in 2022.”
Born in 1954, Phanna is now preparing for retirement. Next January, he will hand over to Phanith, the current team leader of the social workers at the Teuk Thla center and a former Krousar Thmey beneficiary. Quite a symbol.
SOK Phanna, late 90s, accompanied disadvantaged children from Poipet to a protection center in Sihanoukville.
“I have no regrets,” says Phanna. “I’m happy and proud to have worked for Krousar Thmey for 30 years.” As for Phanith, he points out: “I think he’ll make a good manager, because he’s a quick learner and knows how to take the initiative. If I had to give him one piece of advice, it would be to follow these three values: respect, honesty, and compassion. In all circumstances.”
For his part, Phanith recalls: “For me, Krousar Thmey is like a second home, and working for the Foundation is also a way of giving back what I’ve been given. I’m delighted and honored by this appointment; it’s already a form of accomplishment, and I can’t wait to get started.”
