On Her Own Two Feet in Cambodia 

Din, Cambodia 

Din Srey Roath was 10 years old when her parents died, orphaning five children including Din. Her aunt and uncle could only take Dins younger sisters and brothers in to live with them, leaving Din alone. She was forced to sell weaved jasmine flowers in the market and school was not a viable option. However, after a few months, Din and her sisters were sent to the SOS Children’s Village-Phnom Penh.

Din was eleven when she arrived at SOS Children's Village Phnom Penh
Din was eleven when she arrived at SOS Children's Village Phnom Penh

A New Home & Hope

When Din and her sisters moved into SOS Children's Village Phnom Penh back in 2000 they were some of the first children there. For the girls it was like living in a dream world: they moved into a large house, and every table, every chair, the sofa and the beds - they were all new and just three or four people slept in the bedrooms.

Din felt intimidated by the strangers and the new environment. "I didn't know anyone and I was often homesick." Her SOS mother helped her settle into life at the SOS Children's Village and encouraged her to make friends. The village director also supported Din: again and again he encouraged her to take part in the different activities offered at the SOS Children's Village and "gave me hope," as Din puts it.

It also takes time to learn how to live together in an SOS family. "To start off with," explains Din, "we quarrelled. It wasn't that bad but we had to get used to each other. We now live together like a happy family and support each other." Her SOS mother is an important figure in her life: "She is my role model," says Din, proudly. "She was so concerned about us all, she was always there if one of us was feeling lonely or sad and she gave us a lot of warmth."

Life at the SOS Village

When the heat of the day slowly lifts in the late afternoon, SOS Children's Village-Phnom Penh comes to life. Children play on the lawn between the family houses, the "big" girls chatter to each other and one SOS mother or another enjoys the evening cool, watches her children playing or chatting with other mothers.

Din, now a confident young lady
Din, now a confident young lady - Photo: SOS Archives

Din keeps busy during the afternoon, she's either on her way to her dancing class, karate course or playing tennis. That is, if she doesn't have homework. Din takes her studies very seriously. She is in 12th grade and wants to study agriculture. Din is already mulling over what she'll do when she finishes school: "I'll look for a secure job and then leave the SOS Children's Village. I'll definitely miss my mother, brothers and sisters and the whole SOS Children's Village but I want to live with my aunt for a while, save some money and then buy a house. I'll work hard to do that."

Standing Tall & Proud

It goes without saying that Din will go back to visit the SOS Children's Village in the future. "I have had a lot of opportunities here. I was able to go to school and I found a new home. The most important thing of all is that I had a loving mother who took care of me and a village director who always encouraged me." Din says that it was at the SOS Children's Village that she learnt the "rules of life" and that she is now confident when she meets people. "I have realised that I have the same rights and the same status as people from outside the SOS Children's Village. I can stand on my own two feet and I also know that I can always turn to my family."