Enlightened

I was very pleased to meet Asad and Olivia in person for the first time this morning. They visited me at the Hanuman offices as they were passing through Phnom Penh. They've formed an organization called Project Enlighten to help children in Cambodia with educational and vocational skills opportunities that they wouldn't have otherwise had. Both are wildland firefighters in the United States and have been in Cambodia since early December, assessing the needs that their organization can fulful and doing what they can on the ground. They will return to the States later this week. Their dreams and goals for the children of Cambodia are heart-felt and passionate and I wish them every success. You can keep up to date on their travels via their blog.

Another form of enlightenment comes from the Mujestic music camp where Cambodian-born rap artist praCh has posted some of the tracks from his forthcoming album - Dalama...memoirs of the invisible war - onto his website. Click here to listen to eight of his new tracks focusing on the past and the present. For my own exclusive interview with praCh, click here to find out more about his current projects.

For photographer Deborah Groves, a visit to Cambodia in 2004 simply changed her life. Read Deborah's story and the charity to help Cambodians help themselves that she has set up called Helping Hands Cambodia, at the online The Daily newspaper here. And visit Deborah's own website here.