News
Praise Reports
posted - 18th July 2010
End of year awards night - 6 of our girls came in the top...
Praise Reports
posted - 11th July 2010
Our Project Supervisor last week did 17 Parent Teacher...
Praise Reports
posted - 2nd July 2010
One of our girls just came 4th in her class. How exciting...
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Why did we open?
On my last night in Phnom Penh, my final meal was spent with a twelve year old girl telling me “My friend, my friend. She is 10. Two men tonight. Mother, father sell. You come, you help. Please…?”
How would you respond to that?
That was Leigh Ramsey’s real-life dilemma on a trip to Cambodia in 2006.
As a mother and grandmother Leigh immediately wanted to take action. But running off down back alleys to confront organised crime syndicates who may have been holding this girl captive? That wasn’t going to work.
Instead, Leigh returned to Australia and asked the question: what can I do?
And the SHE Homes were born.
SHE stands for Shaping Her Earth and Shaping Her Eternity. In Cambodia, girls between the ages of 5 and 15 can come and live in a SHE Home to prevent them being trafficked, or to rehabilitate them after they have been rescued from a trafficking ring.
There are complex issues that contribute to a girl being vulnerable to trafficking. Factors such as poverty, abuse, trickery or deception and unemployment or addiction in the family unit. So for a girl to go from exploitation to a point where she can be a healthy, free, contributing member of her society and community is a task that takes time, prayer, teamwork and sensitivity.
SHE Homes work in partnership with local and international agencies in Cambodia to give girls, as well as their families and communities, opportunities to reshape their lives. SHE Homes exist to help these people fulfil their God-given potential.
And is it working?
Well, it’s a long and complex process, but the SHE Team, consisting of both Australian and Cambodian members, are committed to the task. And there are some very hopeful signs along the way.
The SHE Team has had the privilege of working with a number of beautiful young girls and their families to reshape their situations. The girls in particular are supported through their schooling, counselling, medical aid, food, shelter, clothing and rehabilitation. The smiles on their faces are testimony to their continued progress.
There are so many vital roles you can play if you want to be part of SHE’s work in Cambodia. Volunteer your skills to work alongside our incredibly dedicated Cambodian staff, sponsor the school fees of one of the girls, host an event to raise awareness and funds to help stop the trafficking of children, just to name a few.
Our goal is to see the girls are only with us on a short to medium term basis and taking each case individually, they are re-integrated back to their family and Khmer society and that they continue to progress well in all.