Just Go Places Magazine Cambodia Cambodia | Page 58

G OOD

TO

K N O W

Places masquerading
as proper orphanages
often solicit donations
from tourists by offering
them tours or making
the children perform.
The children rarely see any of the money
that is made from these visits. Sadly.
Don’t accept any invitation to tour an
orphanage. Orphanages are not tourist
attractions. The children may not even
be orphans.
In fact, according to UNICEF, 77% of
children in orphanages are not orphans.
Why? For example, some families sent
their children to an orphanage in order
to be educated because the costs
associated with sending them to schools
themselves could run to about 25% of
monthly earnings.
Although the Cambodian government
has introduced policies to impose child
protection standards, the implementation
of these standards uniformly has not
been achieved. In fact it’s still relatively
easy to set up an orphanage and there
are no checks on the founders. They
could be anyone, including predators.

Visit the Childsafe website
for more information on how
you can be a savvy tourist.
Your responsible attitude will
promote the well-being of
vulnerable children exploited
by greedy adults.

pho t o : http ://thi nkchildsaf e.or g/t hinkb ef or evisit ing