A Frechmand, Morvan Gil, with his two daughters begging on the streets of Sihanoukville during the Khmer Pchum Ben (ancestors) Festival.
By Khmerization
Source: Koh Santepheap
Recently, Khmerization and other local media outlets had published the story of the plight of a destitute Frenchman who had a bad run in Cambodia and became a beggar on the streets of Sihanoukville. Originally, initial media reports said that he became a beggar because he was cheated by his Khmer wife.
However, inquiry and investigations by a local NGO chief found out that, contrary to the media reports, the couple had a happy life together. Mr. Albeiro Rodas, head of Don Bosco School in Sihanoukville, did an on-the-field investigation and found out that the Frenchman had tried to escape the emotional pain of seeing his dear mother dying of cancer and got stuck penniless in Cambodia. Mr. Rodas offered to enroll the 15 year-old illiterate boy, the Frenchman's stepson, in his school and set up a charity fund and offering a daily meal to all his young children. Other Khmerization's readers had offered to donate the money as well as offering things to his family.
According to a new report by Koh Santepheap, the tale leading to this Frenchman's plight is intriguing, or rather incredulous. The report said that his name is Ah Jel and is about 50 years old (he looks younger) and came to live in Cambodia for about 5 years already. The report said that according to neighbours, he became destitute when he met his Cambodian wife and both had irresponsibly spent all their money, $80,000 in total. He and his wife had two daughters named Marie and Sophie. The report said that many people wanted to adopt his daughters, but because he love his daughters so much he refused to give up his daughters for adoption.
The latest report from Mr. Rodas is that the Frenchman's family has already had help from another NGO, but the NGO withdrew its support because the family failed to follow their instructions. Below is what he said to Khmerization in an email:
Dear Khmerization, we found (out) today that the man has already (had) help from another NGO and it tried to support the boy to attend school, but the couple did not follow the instructions. I will update the article with the new inquiries tomorrow.
Below is the update I received from Mr. Rodas on Thursday 14th October:
Dear Khmerization, here I put an update to the Morban's case.
Update 1, After the visit of the social worker (10.13.2010)
The social worker, Miss Chan Mala, went with teacher Chhin Sean to make a second visit to Morban and his family. It was about 2PM and the house was alone. Mala asked the neighbors for the children. She reported that there is already a NGO that provides food for the children and they tried to enroll the boy in school, but there is not encouragement of his parents to do so. I did ask Morban if there was any NGO interested in his case, and he said that none. I asked him also why he did not return to France and he said that the situation in Europe is now difficult.
Recently, Khmerization and other local media outlets had published the story of the plight of a destitute Frenchman who had a bad run in Cambodia and became a beggar on the streets of Sihanoukville. Originally, initial media reports said that he became a beggar because he was cheated by his Khmer wife.
However, inquiry and investigations by a local NGO chief found out that, contrary to the media reports, the couple had a happy life together. Mr. Albeiro Rodas, head of Don Bosco School in Sihanoukville, did an on-the-field investigation and found out that the Frenchman had tried to escape the emotional pain of seeing his dear mother dying of cancer and got stuck penniless in Cambodia. Mr. Rodas offered to enroll the 15 year-old illiterate boy, the Frenchman's stepson, in his school and set up a charity fund and offering a daily meal to all his young children. Other Khmerization's readers had offered to donate the money as well as offering things to his family.
According to a new report by Koh Santepheap, the tale leading to this Frenchman's plight is intriguing, or rather incredulous. The report said that his name is Ah Jel and is about 50 years old (he looks younger) and came to live in Cambodia for about 5 years already. The report said that according to neighbours, he became destitute when he met his Cambodian wife and both had irresponsibly spent all their money, $80,000 in total. He and his wife had two daughters named Marie and Sophie. The report said that many people wanted to adopt his daughters, but because he love his daughters so much he refused to give up his daughters for adoption.
The latest report from Mr. Rodas is that the Frenchman's family has already had help from another NGO, but the NGO withdrew its support because the family failed to follow their instructions. Below is what he said to Khmerization in an email:
Dear Khmerization, we found (out) today that the man has already (had) help from another NGO and it tried to support the boy to attend school, but the couple did not follow the instructions. I will update the article with the new inquiries tomorrow.
Below is the update I received from Mr. Rodas on Thursday 14th October:
Dear Khmerization, here I put an update to the Morban's case.
Update 1, After the visit of the social worker (10.13.2010)
The social worker, Miss Chan Mala, went with teacher Chhin Sean to make a second visit to Morban and his family. It was about 2PM and the house was alone. Mala asked the neighbors for the children. She reported that there is already a NGO that provides food for the children and they tried to enroll the boy in school, but there is not encouragement of his parents to do so. I did ask Morban if there was any NGO interested in his case, and he said that none. I asked him also why he did not return to France and he said that the situation in Europe is now difficult.
To read Mr. Rodas's excellent report on the Frenchman's story and view more photos, visit I see Cambodia.
1 comment:
I knew Gil very well.
He is born in 1963 or 1964, and he was nearly 50 when this article was written.
After what he's been through in France, I'm glad to see he is still alive, even if his conditions are bad.
Knowing him, I'm sure he loves his daughters more than anything else.
Bon courage Gil
Laurence
Post a Comment