Main fundraiser photo

Channthy's dream for her son Makara

The enigmatic lead singer and songwriter of the bands Channthy Cha Cha and Cambodian Space Project was tragically killed in a tuk tuk accident on 20 March 2018 in Phnom Penh.

She was just 38 years old, a single mother and sole provider for her 13 year old son Makara and extended family.

Srey Thy, as she was also known, had risen from severe poverty in a poor rice farming village in Prey Veng Province on the Cambodia/Vietnamese border.

She survived war, genocide and famine to become a rising star on the international stage and screen, an inspirational woman of change and the face and voice of Cambodia's rock n roll revival.

Srey Thy generously supported her entire extended family: parents, brothers, aunts, uncles and cousins, rebuilding her Khmer village to provide them with houses and a sustainable life. She also helped many other musicians and artists in their careers.

Her greatest dream, her FINAL WISH, was to ensure the happiness, health, education and financial future for her beloved young son, Makara

WILL YOU HELP MAKE HER FINAL WISH COME TRUE?

Srey Thy was admired globally for her talent and captivating presence on the live stage and in films. She collaborated musically with Iggy Pop (Stooges), Australia's Paul Kelly, Mick Harvey (Bad Seeds) and hip hop band Astronomy Class, Detroit producer Jim Diamond (White Stripes) and producer Dennis Coffey of Motown Funk Bros. She released five albums with the Cambodian Space Project as well as singles with Astronomy Class and Channthy Cha Cha.

Thy was also greatly admired her determination as a hardworking single mother, who was raising her young son together with her cousin Chan Rean, as Makara's devoted 'other mother'. 

It was heartbreaking for Thy to be apart from her son for long periods touring overseas with her band. Thy knew this was the only way she could succeed as an illiterate farm girl from a war-torn country who had no schooling and she made that difficult sacrifice for their future.

Thy found she not only had a gift in singing, she was intelligent and a very fast learner. She taught herself to speak English, to write her own music and lyrics and to understand the, sometimes unscrupulous, ways of people in the music business who wanted to exploit her talent for their own benefit. She was a clever woman as well as a gentle compassionate flower.

The road to rock 'n roll success was for Srey Thy an exhausting decade-long odyssey, scrapping together money for visas, flights, sleeping at friend's places, on sofas, floors, in cars and buses, freezing unfamiliar climates, food and cultures -performing in 24 countries, returning to many on multiple tours particularly to Europe, the US and her adopted 'other home' Australia.

Thy's remarkable journey is poignantly documented in the award-winning film about her life 'Not Easy Rock 'n Roll' by her great friend, German filmmaker Marc Eberle. The film premiered at the Sydney Film Festival in 2015 and has been applauded across the globe.


In 2015, Thy made her FINAL WISHES known in the event of her passing in a written legal document. She had two clear wishes:
1. Should she die before her son Makara reached the age of 18 years, Thy named her cousin Chan Rean as Makara's legal guardian.
2. Her son Makara is the sole beneficiary of all of her existing assets and future royalties from her music with the Cambodian Space Project band, Channthy Cha Cha and her collaborations with other artists, including her share of proceeds from the sale of merchandise (CDs, DVDs, t-shirts, posters and other promotional materials) or fundraising events using her name.

Thy's first wish has been honoured. Her second wish is proving more difficult.

That is why this Channthy Kak Memorial Fund has been created.

Your donation will ONLY be for the benefit of Makara's health, housing, education and living expenses.

Your donation WILL NOT be used for the benefit of any other party including creative projects by her former CSP band mates.

This Channthy Kak Memorial Fund is being administered by a committee of Srey Thy's close friends both in Cambodia and Australia. We guarantee it is fully transparent in accountability, providing financial reports to the committee and Makara's legal guardian. We are doing this to ensure Thy's final wish is respected and honoured.

Please donate here or contact Jodie Harrison to discuss other ways to assist in making Channthy's final wish for Makara come true.

Thank you for you support. Please SHARE this with your friends.

Organizer

Jodie Harrison
Organizer
St Kilda VIC

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