Preparation
This past year proves, more than any other, the importance of having empathy for others, and what can be achieved by cultivating the spirit of giving. In an ongoing effort to help impoverished families facing hardship due to Covid-19, we continued the positive momentum with our Random Acts of Kindness campaign part two. This time we focused on Vihear Suor Tbong a Village in the heart of Kandal District.
Hot on the heels of RAK I, and in close collaboration with local village authorities, Little Hearts distributed food packages to more than 130 disadvantaged and poverty-stricken families.
Funds received from generous donors in RAK II were used to prepare for RAK II. We assembled food packages each consisting of a 20 kilo sack of rice, a large supply of noodles, and bottles of fish and soy sauce. Giving this to the villagers would help alleviate the poverty brought about by Covid-19’s serious disruption to the local economy. The aim for RAK II was to create a much larger impact by reaching the most vulnerable families hardest hit by the pandemic.
To ensure we had a good location for the event, we scouted many locations during the week. These included the pagoda, school, commune hall and nearby villages in Vihear Suor Tbong. The people living here have been unemployed and struggling to make ends meet, a situation resulting from the shutdown of local garment factories. Once the distribution points were selected (Vihear Suor Tbong Pagoda, Vihear Suor School and five other nearby villages), LHO teams went in full force and spent the whole day cleaning up garbage until they were spotless. At the same time, over at Little Hearts, a young team of happy packers assembled all the food items, and packages ready for distribution in the village.
The Big Day
On the morning of our big event, Little Hearts kids, team members and partners met up bright and early at 7am. The group was split into three teams: School, Pagoda and Mobile teams. After a 45-minute bus ride to Vihear Suor Tbong, it was a welcome sight to see everything set up, and so many villagers already lined up, patiently waiting for their food packages.
Distribution of the food packages went smoothly and was presided over by local village authorities, responsible for logistics and registration. As some of the elderly villagers weren’t able to carry the sacks of rice, we all gave a helping hand. The kids were more than eager to assist, running back and forth carrying the heavy loads always with smiling faces.
There is still much more work to do, but thanks to all the support we’ve received from our donors and partners, we are moving in the right direction to help improve the lives of others. As COVID-19 continues to sweep across Cambodia, Little Hearts continues to be active in community service projects, not only to provide aid to poverty-stricken villages but also to help spread empathy by encouraging others to join our Random Acts of Kindness.
Please check out our RAK 2 video created by one of our older boys currently studying marketing.
A very special thank you to Khmer Times for their all-important media coverage and collaboration:
