Junior Writers Reporting: Visit to Cambodia, and poverty of children, was a shock
May 30, 2016
by Chiaki Yamada, Junior Writer, 16
To learn about current conditions in Cambodia, which suffered genocide at the hands of Pol Pot’s regime, I traveled to that nation as part of a training program organized by my high school.
Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, has made remarkable progress, appearing similar to Japan in its development. However, behind the scenes, I learned that some children seek to earn money by selling what they scavenge from garbage dumps. In Siem Reap, where Angkor Wat is found, I saw children, even less than 10 years old, rummaging for plastic bottles in piles of trash. I felt so shocked by the sight, I was speechless.
Garbage dumps can be dangerous places, our local guide told us. Seeing children laboring amid such conditions, I keenly realized how blessed we are to live in a place like Japan.
We also visited a local school and took part in an exchange with the students there. We made a presentation about the damage caused by the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and the steps taken to revive the city. The high school students in Phnom Penh explained how Cambodia has recovered since the time of Pol Pot.
Inspired by this exchange event, we are now connecting with the high school students in Cambodia through Facebook. Together, I want to explore how issues involving poverty and human rights can be resolved.
(Originally published on May 30, 2016)
To learn about current conditions in Cambodia, which suffered genocide at the hands of Pol Pot’s regime, I traveled to that nation as part of a training program organized by my high school.
Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, has made remarkable progress, appearing similar to Japan in its development. However, behind the scenes, I learned that some children seek to earn money by selling what they scavenge from garbage dumps. In Siem Reap, where Angkor Wat is found, I saw children, even less than 10 years old, rummaging for plastic bottles in piles of trash. I felt so shocked by the sight, I was speechless.
Garbage dumps can be dangerous places, our local guide told us. Seeing children laboring amid such conditions, I keenly realized how blessed we are to live in a place like Japan.
We also visited a local school and took part in an exchange with the students there. We made a presentation about the damage caused by the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and the steps taken to revive the city. The high school students in Phnom Penh explained how Cambodia has recovered since the time of Pol Pot.
Inspired by this exchange event, we are now connecting with the high school students in Cambodia through Facebook. Together, I want to explore how issues involving poverty and human rights can be resolved.
(Originally published on May 30, 2016)
