source: radio veritas asia
Phnom Penh’s apostolic vicar Bishop Olivier Schmitthaeusler inagurated a two-story building to educate and care for young children, notably garment industry workers’ children, in Prey Tea I Village, Sangkat Choam Chao III, Khan Por Sen Chey. on August 22.
The new building is called the Lindalva Center, run by daughters of Charity Sisters in Cambodia aims to educate poor children.
There were approximately 100 Catholics and Buddhists present.
“The center was like a small village in Bethlehem, a special place to welcome children to get an education and a place to give love and care in the way of Mary,” said Bishop Schmitthaeusler during the blessing and inauguration of the building.
The bishop stated, “The center provides, the way the center shows love to children and its neighbors comes from glorifying God from morning to night, and Mary as an example to preserve the love received.”
In 2006, Lindalva Center was established by the Daughter of Charity Sister of St. Vincent de Paul on a leased plot in Prey Tea I Village to meet the needs of safety and care for young children.
Sister Eulalia N. Desacula, DC, NGO Country Representative, said that most migrants from other provinces work and earn money in factories in that region, and some families cannot afford to care for their children or send them to school. They hide from the outside every day and then go to work or conduct business, leaving their children in the room out of fear that they will encounter difficulties.
Choam Chao commune is a thriving industrial location with numerous factories and exporting businesses. In some of these areas, migrants from the provinces congregated to work in construction, garment factories, and garbage collection.
Over the past 14 years, rents have risen steadily, and during the rainy season, the rental house is constantly flooded, making it difficult to continue activities.
Sister Desacula added that due to this difficulty and the needs of Cambodian children, a generous Cambodian friend gave a piece of land to our nuns to use for charity work, we have already sought help to build this building and it was finished in August.
“Lindalva Center helped my children to go to school from the age of 4 until today, and without the Center, I don’t know what will go on with my children’s future. Maybe they are illiterate,” said Ms. Thavy Huon, 56, who is currently a garment worker at a factory in the area near the center.
She said that the center is a relief for her family, a place that provides love, peace, and relief to all children whose families are poor, who go to school and have an education to have a bright future like other children.
20-year-old Oun Liza has known Lindalva Center since she was 10 years old, describing it as a place of life, warmth, love, and the care of a compassionate nun.
Lisa always gets clothes, food, school supplies, and some money from the center for her studies.
She added that she has become a new person with courage, knowledge, daring to do social work, and getting work to support her parents.
The Center accepts children from the age of four, provides daily care, and nutrition, and has a kindergarten program, a literacy program for children unable to attend public schools, and scholarships for poor children in secondary to bachelor’s degrees.
According to Sister Desacula, DC, the center asks parents to contribute 15,000 Riel (3.75 USD) per child per month, but if the parents cannot afford it or are garbage collectors and garbage workers, the center provides free services.
