A house for Mum in Cambodia

Meet my mother in law. Her name is Noy. Noy survived the Cambodian genocide in which nearly 3 million people were killed by Pol Pot and his notorious regime. But her house did not. Her story is hard to tell. Her house was on the battle front. During a bloody firefight she ran to hide in a bomb crater with her 5 year old daughter, but her daughter was bitten by a snake. Noy had to run through hellfire holding her daughter in her arms to try and get help but was unable to make it and her daughter died.  Pol Pots men - the Khmer Rouge - destroyed her house.

My wife, Sreymoch, is her youngest daughter. She was born in the year that the Vietnamese army invaded. This invasion led to another decade of life on the battlefront. The Khmer Rouge used to pass through her village at night time killing and stealing. So the villagers used to put out landmines each night to stop them. One morning Noy's husband went out to collect the mines but instead he stepped on one and was killed. Sreymoch was only 10. Noy has lived ever since in a shack made of palm leaves and sticks. We believe it is time she had a real house.

Sreymoch lives in Pottsville with me, and our daughter Holly, who is now 8. Over the years we have sent thousands of dollars to help support Noy and Sreymoch's brothers and sisters. This money was to buy food and clothes, and for bulls with which to plough the land for rice farming. We have not had enough to build a house though, and now I have discovered gofundme and we are hoping that your help will enable Noy to spend her last years in some kind of comfort, in a small, secure house, and to perhaps to believe in humanity again.

In Cambodia a house is no bigger than the living area of our Western style houses. It is about 10 meters by 5 meters. It costs only about US$5,000 to build. 

If we can raise more then we can also build another house (or hopefully more) for her brothers and sisters, who also live in broken leaf and stick 'houses'.

This is the House that Sreymoch's mum lives in now. She sleeps in there with the bags of rice from the last harvest:


When it rains there is nowhere to go. We managed to put some tin up for a roof. Before the rain just came in. She has been forced to live like this for more than forty years.


This is the kitchen out the back:


This is the dining room:


And this is her son Chork's house:


And her other son Chai's house, where he lives with his wife and 3 children:


And this is Chai with a couple of the bulls:


And Sreymoch and Holly with another one, with Chork:


My mother visited Noy too:


Life is extremely difficult in Cambodia. If you visit Phnom Penh you wouldn't think so, but all the money is concentrated there. In the countryside life is a daily struggle just to survive. But the people are beautiful and so welcoming.



More of Noy:





If you can contribute even a small amount to Mum's house it will make a difference - that's how crowd funding works, lots of people giving just a little bit can make amazing things happen. 

Everyone who contributes is invited to come to Mum's village in Oudong, just an hour outside of Phnom Penh. You are welcome to stay in the village and meet the family. The kids will want to practice their English!


And thanks in advance to everyone who can help make a difference. You are angels!

We would appreciate it so much if you could pass this on!

Love and thanks from Sreymoch, Pete and Holly on behalf of Noy.

Sreymoch will be in Cambodia for the Cambodian New Year when all the family gets together. It would be just fantastic if we can announce to Mum that we can finally build her a house!

We will post photos as the house is built. It will be exciting for everyone - especially for Moch ! This has been her dream for a long time!