At Flame we believe that it is not just what we are doing but who does it that is important. Many of our staff have already travelled the same journey that our clients are on. Who better to lead the way?

INTRODUCING: Chuch Nakhim

WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND?

My name is Chuch Nakhim and I am 20 years old from the Prey Veng Provance. I have 6 siblings, five are older than me, and my two parents are farmers. When I was very young my parents decided to move my family into Phnom Penh as there was no school in the province that I was living. My family was also struggling for money, so it was the best thing we could do in order to survive. We had to live at one of the rubbish dumps, as it was cheaper to live than other places. By living here my siblings and mother could find bits of rubbish which gave us something to sell and make money.

For the first few months of living there we did not go to school. Our time was spent going through rubbish, finding whatever we could sell so we could pay the landlord, buy food and other things we needed to survive. My father and oldest brother worked in construction building houses, while my mother and Grandmother made mats to sell from the rubbish we gathered. After we settled into this life, my family and I were able to go to school and learn. I began going to school at seven years old, as I was very small and looked to be much younger. When I had tried to go earlier, I was sent away as teachers believed I was too young. Because of this I was very old for my grade, and yet far behind many of the students. Regardless of this, I was keen to learn, and worked very hard.

We lived at the rubbish dump for five or six years, till the rubbish dump was moved to the countryside. Moving was forced on every family who had been living there – not just mine. As a result of this, my family had to move to a slum. Once in this new place to live, we could no longer go to school as we did not have the same money source as we used to. For one year I was unable to go to school, and spent my time helping my mother gather fruit from the countryside, and then sell it from her bicycle. This was long, hard and tedious work. We would have to walk for days out to the country, and then carry heavy fruit back into the city to sell. We had to do it however, as it was all we could do for money.

How did you get involved with flame?

The Bong Paoun Project (the previous name of Flame) come into the slum which I was living and approached my family. They asked me if I and my siblings would like to study part-time with their project. Of course, we were all very excited so I began studying again, and the organisation also helped to support my family financially through sponsors.

Soon I became involved with flame, so when I finished Grade twelve, I automatically could continue onto university with the help of Flame if I wanted to.

What are you doing now?

I’m a member of Flame’s Leadership Academy. And I work for Flame part-time as well.

I am now currently studying Management at University because of Flame helping me. My goal is to one day have my own coffee shop and to help my parents run their own business and have the right processes and business plans.

I feel that the life my family had has been a huge motivator to me to work hard. I want to be a role model, for other poor children to look up to and see that they too can do something more with their life than stay in their poverty. I grew up in a bad situation, but I have not let that hold me back, and I hope that will inspire others to work hard.

WHAT are you grateful for?

I am thankful to God and to the Flame staff for loving me and believing in me and pushing me for better things.  Without them I could not be here today beginning to make my dreams my reality.

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