As always with Children of the Mekong projects, hands-on assistance will be incorporated into the training for parents, ultimately allowing them to develop new competencies and support them on their journey to autonomy.
“This training, for a start, is to help them become more responsible and to learn how to manage their modest income by limiting their debts”, explains Camille as she arrives near a house from which the cries of a newborn escape.
Camille introduces us to Sreynech. The mother has just given birth to their fifth child, though none are old enough to go to school. As such, the family cannot benefit from child sponsorship. Their situation remains highly precarious. “Their house is very old, and only the children can go upstairs because their parquet is close to collapse. We bring them rice and hygiene products for her newborn girl.” In this slum, sometimes the mothers have AIDS or are in prison; these situations are critical for the families. The Mother-Child programme, run by the Centre Doctor, Christophe Mérieux, supports sixty women by distributing the powdered milk they need for their children.