Giving the garbage kids a chance

Pour un Sourire d’Enfant - ‘For the Smile of a Child’

One of the organisations who have done an amazing job in supporting the children and families who inhabit the municipal garbage dump at Stung Meanchey on the outskirts of Phnom Penh are PSE (Pour un Sourire d’Enfant). I’ve visited their headquarters located near the dump and it’s simply stunning what they have achieved so far, and are planning for the future. Providing schooling, food, health care and accommodation for the children, they’ve managed to give over 5,000 children an alternative future to picking through the debris and detritus of the city’s dwellers.
Founded in 1996, they base their support on education and training and have 1,000 children in their schools on-site and another 1,000 youngsters studying in their vocational center, which focuses on hotel training courses; cooking, service, bakery & pastry, and housekeeping. They also run courses such as hairdressing, beauty & spa, gardening, fishing, car maintenance, and much more. The PSE center is located on the way to the Killing Fields at Choeung Ek and amongst its excellent facilities are a handicraft shop, spa and training restaurant called Le Lotus Blanc. The restaurant has just reopened for the high season and is well worth a visit for their 3-course set menu costing $6 that will open the door to the world of PSE.
Link: www.pse.asso.fr