Hundreds of children, some as young as seven, scavenge the notorious Steung Meanchey landfill site on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. Wearing flip flops, or even going barefoot, they pick their way through mountains of garbage that include hospital and chemical waste, gathering scraps of plastic and metal to sell to recycling centers for the equivalent of a few cents.

The 100-acre garbage dump is not just where they work long hours with little reward; it is also their home. Many of these children and their families live in makeshift huts next to “Smokey Mountain.” The dump is literally on fire. Methane gas from rotting garbage burns easily, generating clouds of toxic smoke. Each day, the will to survive battles with hopelessness.

The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) has renewed its commitment to the neglected children of Steung Meanchey with a grant of US$25,000 that will provide food for over 500 children for a full year. This is the third grant TPRF has made since 2008 to Cambodian Children’s Fund (CCF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to the education, healthcare and safety of children whose families are trapped in a cycle of persistent poverty.

At the CCF Educational Centers in Steung Meanchey, experienced chefs prepare balanced meals on-site, using fresh local produce, meat and herbs to provide the children with the consistent and quality nutrition necessary for their development. Each week, rice is distributed to 72 daycare and 150 Satellite School students and their families to encourage school attendance, and each month over 1,600 people are served nutritious subsidized meals in the Community Centre café. For hundreds of children at CCF, a life of scavenging is being replaced by one of safety, food, learning, and community.

Photos courtesy of the Cambodian Children’s Fund.