Mr. Chenla Chan

Mr. Chenla Chan is an inspirational man.  His parents escaped Cambodia to a refugee camp in Thailand in 1980, just after the notorious Khmer Rouge era began.  Laterthat year he was born in the refugee camp, the first of 7 kids.  He lived there with his parents and six brothers and sisters for the first 14 years of his life.  Living in the refugee camp was very difficult, he did not have enough money for food and the only way he could earn any was by waking up before sunrise to pick up leftover rice, bottles, cans and sell them to a Thai business man.  After that he would go and learn the Cambodian language from 7.30 am until 10:30 am every morning.  After his studies he would go back to picking through the garbage to find scraps and things that could be recycled.  In the afternoons he would return home to help his mother take care of his younger sisters and brothers.

Mr. Chenla Chan returned to Cambodia with his family in 1994.  They were homeless, landless. and facing severe difficulties.  There was not enough food, no income, no employment, and no shelter to stay in when they arrived in Cambodia.  They asked relatives for permission to live on their land, but many weren’t able to help; finally, his uncle gave them some land and they built a temporary tent to live in.  Mr. Chenla Chan was now old enough to be a motorcycle taxi driver in the village and he took a job to support his family while he continued his studies for two more years.   After finishing the 7th grade at 16 years old he decided to go to the capital Phnom Penh to find a job.  There he was introduced to Mr. Seng who taught him how to make jewelry while he learned English part time.  With over a decade of experience Mr.  Chenla Chan is a very skilled jeweler that makes jewelry from recycled brass bomb shells.  Mr.Chenla Chan is delighted to have a decent job. He now has a lot of time to spend with his two kids and his wife.  Every day he takes his kids to school and goes to the market with his wife.  He is more freedom and independent to work as a home based artisan.

In June 2014 him and his wife, Ms.Kuoch Reaksmey Wong, started a new church with money they have saved from selling their jewelry.  They currently help provide care for 35 children that live in surrounding poor communities; many are malnourished and lack love and care from others.  Reaksmey works for the church on Sundays, she teaches, sings and tell stories.  She also helps to care for some of the children who don’t have a stable home.  She cuts their nails, washes their hair, bathes kids and sometimes cook food for them.  Together they have provided the kids with clothes, notebooks, pencils & pens and other school supplies.  During the week they provide them with snacks, drinks and a safe place to spend time.

Mr. Chenla Chan is still facing difficulties, he has old equipment and works from a tiny space in his home that is way too small for his needs.  He sleeps eats and runs his church from the same room.  He has space behind his house for a new workshop but doesn’t have the money to build it yet.  With every order he gets closer to being able to build the workshop and expand the space for his church.