Helping Hands Cambodia is a small
grass roots aid organisation which was founded by Deborah Groves.
Deborah used to run a wedding photography business on Australia’s
Sunshine Coast.
2004
– APRIL - DEBORAH VISITS CAMBODIA AS A TOURIST
Deborah travelled to Cambodia in April 2004 and was so moved
by the poverty she saw there that she decided to move to
Cambodia to try to do something to help the poor people. Deborah
thought she might simply teach English to poor children. She
never imagined that she would set up an aid organisation.
2005 – JUNE - FIRST VISIT TO PRASAT CHAR VILLAGE
On 7th June, 2005 Deborah and a friend visited
Prasat Char village, a poor village approximately 25km’s from
Siem Reap. At the very first house they came to they met Mr Som.
Mr Som was dying of tuberculosis and had been sick for two
years. His family were so poor that they couldn’t afford medical
help. They had pawned everything they owned. Deborah felt
compelled (and obliged) to offer help to Mr Som and his family.
Deborah organised for Mr Som to be taken to hospital in Siem
Reap, but unfortunately he passed away about 10 days later
Deborah sent out an email asking for donations from family,
friends and acquaintances to help pay for Mr Som’s medical
treatment. People were very generous. Deborah even received
donations from people she didn’t know.
2005 - JULY
- HELPING HANDS HAS “UNOFFICIALLY” BEGUN
Deborah then began asking the villagers how she could help
them. Their requests were simple and dignified, they didn’t ask
for handouts – they asked for watering cans, tools and seeds so
that they could grow vegetables.
2005 – DEBORAH MEETS LITTLE LEE-A
Deborah encountered little Lee-a in the same village. Lee-a
had been burnt as a baby and had received little medical
treatment at the time. Deborah organised for her to go to Phnom
Penh to have rehabilitive surgery.
2006 - MAY - THE FIRST BRIDGE IS BUILT
Because
of the state of this bridge during the wet season Prasat Char
village was virtually cut off. It was clearly ready to collapse
and was very dangerous.
A decision was made to build a new bridge, despite the fact
that Helping Hands only had $3,000 in the bank. (The
bridge cost $9,000 in total). Fortunately donations
always came through in time. The villagers were
employed as labourers on the bridge.
2006 – MAY - DEBORAH MEETS CHANTY
Chanty
has been employed by Helping Hands since May of 2006. He is now
the Director of Helping Hands and oversees the implementation of
all of our projects.
2006 – OCTOBER -
HELPING HANDS BEGINS ITS “
WORK
FOR A BICYCLE PROGRAMME”
After consultation with the villagers about the best ways to
assist them, Helping Hands starts its work for a bicycle
programme.
2006 – OCTOBER - A SCHOOL IS BUILT
Helping
Hands builds a school in the village of Prasat Char. The school
has more than 200 students and teaches English, Cambodian
literacy and health and hygiene subjects.
2007 HELPING HANDS
BECOMES OFFICIAL
In 2007 Helping Hands is officially
registered as a Non-Government Organisation in the Kingdom of
Cambodia.
2006 to TODAY
HELPING HANDS EXPANDS TO INCLUDE OTHER
PROGRAMMES AND EMPLOYS MORE STAFF
Helping
Hands now has 10 Cambodian staff (plus Deborah, who is an unpaid
worker. Deborah supports herself through her photography
business).
Programmes now include:
2007 to TODAY - HELPING HANDS CONTINUES TO EXPAND
INTO NEIGHBORING VILLAGES.
