People often ask me “What does Awareness Cambodia mean to you?” My reply goes something like this. In the midst of the beautiful Khmer culture I have seen some terrible inequalities. I think of the vulnerable children who lost out in the ‘lotto of life’ – children born into a country ravaged by war, casualties of an education vacuum, crippled by endemic poverty and victims of on-going exploitation.
I believe these children deserve our protection. I believe these children have a right to have their basic needs met. In fact, I have a dream that Cambodian orphans – children with seemingly everything going against them – will one day, with the help of people like you and me who have everything going for us, hold senior positions in their country and, by embracing the best of Aussie values, see their nation’s heart, dignity and opportunity effectively restored.
Awareness Cambodia is a vehicle to realising that dream. Together we are making a real difference while devoting special attention to the most vulnerable.
Awareness Cambodia International (our team on-site) provides shelter and care for orphans and protection for abused and trafficked children, together with support for those affected by HIV/AIDS. Awareness Cambodia International works in partnership with the Kompong Speu community to provide medical and educational projects that focus on rescuing, protecting and empowering lives. It makes me proud to lead the Awareness Cambodia team.
If human equality or protection of the innocent is something you value, then I invite you to join this vital cause. In the words of Lyndon B. Johnson, “There are no problems we cannot solve together and very few that we can solve by ourselves”.
Dr Gary Hewett OAM
CEO/Founder
AWARENESS CAMBODIA
Established 1996