About

The Sok Cambodian Children's Sanctuary and Orphanage was opened on December 7th 2007.
It is managed by Chinsoka, known as Sok.
Sok was born in 1980, in the countryside about 70km from Siem Reap. He was orphaned when he was 10 years old. His father died when he was 3 months old - a victim of Pol Pot's regime. His brother and sister were also killed by the Khmer Rouge. His mother died when he was 10 years old. He then stayed with relatives in the village but they didn't take care of him. There wasn't enough food and he didn't go to school. So he left the village and joined a monastery.While at the monastery he was able to finish school and get a job. For five years he worked in a restaurant. They didn't pay him but he learned to speak English from the visitors to the restaurant and the restaurant owner then agreed to pay him $35 per month. He saved up and bought a motorscooter and was able to earn more money picking tourists up from the airport and taking them to the temples. In 2005 he took the examination to become a tour guide. Three days after taking the examination he met a tourist who would change his life.
This young American tourist was so touched by the poverty she saw around Siem Reap, was so sad to see all the orphaned and abandoned children, that when she got back to the US, she raised the money to open the Sok Cambodian Children's Sanctuary and Orphanage. She asked Sok to manage it while she works in America to fund it.

Sok on the right with a tourist friend

" All the children there my family . They given a lot happy in my life . All the children they change a lot my life , I will know a lot now then before .I am very much happy for doing spending my life my children staff all . We will keep up the best working all for our children keep had strong for they make living my them self . I know when they leave from me children will be happy with they education the best " Sok