Since Cambodian landmine survivor Nil Noy received his 'A Mine Free World Foundation' bicycle repair business in November 2010, his business has been growing in leaps and bounds. Every time we visit his business we are totally in awe of his ingenuity and enthusiasm. His beaming smile and pride are as big as his determination to lift himself and his family out of a life of poverty. Soon after he received his Rotary Club of Etobicoke sponsored business, he began buying bicycle parts from the few dollars he made and started building bicycles!
Last month, Jay and Linda Harrison of Gravenhurst, Ontario donated a new compressor for his business which enabled him to pump up not only bicycle tires, but also the tires of trucks and tractors in the area.
He saved enough money from his business to enrol himself in a 10-day spray painting course in Battambang. He has just returned from this course and business continues to boom. He now has a yard full of bicycles he has built - he even built one using the wheels of a used broken wheelchair - just an amazing man!
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| Nil Noy and His Growing Bicycle building/repair Business |
Nil Noy will also be 'giving back' by building 3-5 bicycles a year which will be donated to children of landmine affected families.
Nil Noy lives in Koh Krala district in Battambang province, Cambodia. He lost his right leg to a landmine in 1988 while serving in the army.
Nil Noy also saved Pauline and I from a possible snake bite :-)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8JCB6ifWig
Your donation will help a landmine survivor by supplying him/her with a self-sustainable business. Recipients receive a business which will provide them income in their rural community. Visit our 'To Donate' tab at the top of this page.
Here is another success story:
Plet Hing lives with her 2 daughters in a poor village in Koas Krala district, Battambang province, Cambodia. Thanks to the generosity of A Mine Free World Foundation donor, Morn Mon of United States, Hing now has 13 healthy chickens that will be laying soon.
Part of her donation package included $40 capital to build a chicken coop. But, Hing has no husband or knowledge of how to build a coop - but that did not deter her! She hired a local village man for $10 to build her coop, bought the coop building supplies for $20, and had $10 leftover to buy rice for her family and her chickens.
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| Plet Hing, Daughterand new Chicken Coop |
Where there's a will - there's a way!
Plet Hing is 48 years old and lost her leg to a landmine. Shortly after, her husband left her and the girls to fend for themselves.
When Kog Koum was 9 years-old, he lost his right arm to a landmine. Children in the rural areas of Cambodian playing in the fields often fall victim to these deadly remnants of war.
Thanks to A Mine Free World Foundation Donors: the Etobicoke Rotary Club , who funded Heang Saret's TV/Radio repair business, and Jay and Linda Harrison of Gravenhurst, Ontario, who bought a year's worth of art supplies for the year-long course, Kog Koum now will have the opportunity to learn what he desires most - Art! He will be taught by landmine survivor Heang Saret who not only repairs TVs, but is known as an accomplished artist in his village.
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| Happy Art Student Kog Koum - Heang Saret Art Teacher looks on Both Landmine Survivors |
Heang Saret and Kog Koum both live in Koas Krala village and know each other. Kog Koum seems an unhappy boy, not being able to fit-in with his peers. He seems uncared for in his small village home - lost amongst his 7 other siblings. But he's a happy young man today, with big smiles and a world of creativity ahead of him. Their artistic relationship will hopefully also result in some positive mentoring for Kog Koum.
Heang Saret lost his right leg to a landmine in 1988 while serving in the army. He and his wife have five children. Their artistic relationship will hopefully also result in some positive mentoring for Kog Koum.
Kog Koum hopes to be able to teach art someday to young children in his village. We'll have some of their art available for sale to help other landmine survivors in 2012.
The Circle of Giving Keeps Going Around :-)
Lisa and Pauline, Battambang
A Mine Free World Foundation
