An indigenous, a mother, a woman with same heart, care and passion for nature
Amid the heat of the March's weather in Cambodia, my attention to the narration from an experienced Chorng lady from Areng Valley made me an attentive listener. At my request, we used our small break between lunch and the afternoon session of the network meeting to listen to one side of the story of the Areng communities.
At the age of fifty, Ming Lai has been a single mother to her six children since her late husband's passing in 2002 when her youngest child was just two months old. She recalled that as Indigenous Chorng, after the Khmer Rouge regime, she and her family returned back to live in Chi Phat area. Subsequently, her community discovered that there were people and relatives who were living in Areng Valley and they decided to resettle back to their home area. Since then, 1980s, her family have been living in Areng.
I asked Ming Lai if she is able to send her children to school. She said yes; however, among the six children, her grown up daughters already dropped out from school. The younger daughter still study in primary school in village and one of her son is studying grade 12 this year in Kampong Speu provincial town. Ming anxiously shared with me her grave concern as to weather her son will be able to pass the high school exam later this year. She really wishes he will pass and continue the higher education. I reassure her that, if the son is studying hard, he would surely pass the exam and continue the education.
As I was listening to her, I am inspired by this indigenous mother who has a strong wish for her child to get higher education, to be able to catch up with what has happened in the world and what is all that means for her communities, especially in the context of their live and treasure communal resource being threatened by the mega project of the hydropower dam project.
I asked her whether there are still tourists come to visit the areas as many as before since the government announced the delay of the controversial Chhay Areng Hydropower dam construction. She said there are tourists usually come in group to the area. The community people provides services to the ecotourism through the provision of catering, transportation as well as local guide. For preparation of catering, one meal cost 8,000R (2$) for Cambodian and 9,000 R (2.25$) for foreigner. 1,000R (0.25$) from food catered to each tourist goes to the social fund of the community so they could use it to serve the common interest of the group (including emergency use to attend meeting or get in touch with and maintain external communication).
From Ming perspective, she wishes that her community could leave in peace as continue to benefit from the natural resources surrounding her home and community. They are happy with their way of live. They also see that tourists that come to visit the area also enjoy the simple way of lives of the people here, even these tourists could experience it over a short time during the visit.
At the age of fifty, Ming Lai has been a single mother to her six children since her late husband's passing in 2002 when her youngest child was just two months old. She recalled that as Indigenous Chorng, after the Khmer Rouge regime, she and her family returned back to live in Chi Phat area. Subsequently, her community discovered that there were people and relatives who were living in Areng Valley and they decided to resettle back to their home area. Since then, 1980s, her family have been living in Areng.
I asked Ming Lai if she is able to send her children to school. She said yes; however, among the six children, her grown up daughters already dropped out from school. The younger daughter still study in primary school in village and one of her son is studying grade 12 this year in Kampong Speu provincial town. Ming anxiously shared with me her grave concern as to weather her son will be able to pass the high school exam later this year. She really wishes he will pass and continue the higher education. I reassure her that, if the son is studying hard, he would surely pass the exam and continue the education.
As I was listening to her, I am inspired by this indigenous mother who has a strong wish for her child to get higher education, to be able to catch up with what has happened in the world and what is all that means for her communities, especially in the context of their live and treasure communal resource being threatened by the mega project of the hydropower dam project.
I asked her whether there are still tourists come to visit the areas as many as before since the government announced the delay of the controversial Chhay Areng Hydropower dam construction. She said there are tourists usually come in group to the area. The community people provides services to the ecotourism through the provision of catering, transportation as well as local guide. For preparation of catering, one meal cost 8,000R (2$) for Cambodian and 9,000 R (2.25$) for foreigner. 1,000R (0.25$) from food catered to each tourist goes to the social fund of the community so they could use it to serve the common interest of the group (including emergency use to attend meeting or get in touch with and maintain external communication).
From Ming perspective, she wishes that her community could leave in peace as continue to benefit from the natural resources surrounding her home and community. They are happy with their way of live. They also see that tourists that come to visit the area also enjoy the simple way of lives of the people here, even these tourists could experience it over a short time during the visit.
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| Having a conversation with the Indigenous Chorng lady outside the meeting room. |
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