Anyone who has spent any amount of time in the streets of Siem Reap will know these children. While most would have been hassled by their begging, only some would have had the pleasure of getting to know the kids themselves – their humour, tenacity, cunning, hope, trust and friendship. The sad reality is that these children, as young as 5 years old, are often the primary breadwinners for their families. Their living conditions are often desperate, either living in very poor housing or no housing at all. Many of the children were sleeping unaccompanied on the pavement, defenceless to abduction, abuse and disease before Green Gecko gave them a new home.

 

The GREEN GECKO project is about educating and teaching them skills so they can eventually stop begging and earn money in a safer, healthier way. It also provides a safe house shelter, care and stability for those physically battered or psychologically in need. The GREEN GECKO headquarters has grown from a small rented house to a leased purpose built community. The children are actively involved in building, cleaning and cooking daily. At the house the children can eat a hot lunch, attend an English class, feel secure, play, dance, get a hug, put their pictures up on the wall, have a shower, get their hair combed, brush their teeth and receive medical attention. All things we take for granted here.

 

Our greatest threat to the project is the kids' parents. They are either hungry or have an addiction problem and have little concept of the future. Our greatest hurdle is convincing them that all their lives would benefit if only they'd allow their child to take a few hours off begging to learn a new language and vocation. It is a huge, long standing complex issue and we hope to attract community involvement in addressing it. You can donate from as little as $25 a month. Or a one off donation too for school and healthy food supplies.

 

Children growing up in the Green Gecko Project have been given a new direction in life. Prostitution and Gambling are no longer the obvious career path for these children. Thank you Green Gecko! Our world is a better place thanks to Rem, Tania and the hundreds of volunteers.

 

If you would like to donate to the green gecko project or learn more please visit www.greengeckoproject.org. Nature's Child has sent crayons, clothes and cash assistance to the school since November 2005. Nature's Child continue's to support Green Gecko every time you purchase a mosquito net from us, we donate one to Cambodian Families. We also sell the Cambodian Cookbook written by the Green Gecko Team which has delicious recipes for you to cook while 100% of profits goes to the Gecko Project. We also sell their calendar and christmas cards at the end of each year, look out for them on our website.

 

Our CEO Jannine Barron donates monthly. We maintain a close relationship to the school and its founders and continue to donate to this fantastic initiative to add value to the lives of street kids in Cambodia. The GREEN GECKO project is an initiative founded to benefit the lives of the Cambodian street children in Siem Reap by Rem and Tania Palmer. Rem is a Cambodian Citizen and Tania is Australian.