Khmerteens Band of Hope
Story by: SOK ENG
Undergraduate Student of Department of Media and Communication
Date: 13, Dec, 2012
“Fight or Flight” is fundamental physiologic response of human when facing with danger. Then their body is prepared for two options “give up or go on”. In the other word, facing with a difficult moment, people have different method to seek for solution. Some may find it hard to deal with and was defeated by the destiny, while others have managed to do it quite well and make their own destiny. “It is unjust for me when other can have a happily life but I don’t, but instead of giving up myself I stand up and struggle for life”, said Sut Samphos.Sut Samphos, 30 years old a country boy who moved from his home town Kratie for setting a new life in Phnom Penh, is one example among the many successfully fight against the hardship of life. At the same time, he has saved many unfortunate kids that have similar background as he used to be.
One big secret for his life is his companion, “Music”. he used music as his incentive and motive to struggle for life and again he used it to inspire those of 11 kids.
“Music could amuse me while I am sad”, said Samphos.
Samphos is a founder of Khmerteens Music Project found in 2007. It got charity funding from his friends in Phnom Penh and those in Sweden and Japan. It is a music band consisting of poor kids and orphanage as the member of 11. Its mission is to bring hope and build motivation and make a new chance for street children.
With a smiling face, he used to be in a miserable situation and he could feel how they {street kids} are feeling. He said he provides assistant with only the unfortunate kids, who may be a street kid and who lose their parents and who of course need help.
“I used to be saved now I want to be a savior myself” he said.
It was not easy when they are able to group together and stick with the same goal to create this band. Samphos said that he had to go to several orphanage centers to interview and select the kids to join the group. And one criterion to be selected, the kid must have the interest in music. He has to hire a house and buy the music instrument with his own money. And luckily, he do not have to spend money to hire music teacher, as he has received a sympathy from a well know music teacher, Svay Sor. So they can learn music free of charge.
Went back in time, he recalled his childhood that he did many things in order to earn a living, as he was born in a poor family with ten children. Without much education, little Samphos has to work since he was seven.
“I sold candy, bread, sticky rice cakes on street and in the cinema in Kratie and I sold water convolvulus in the market I had to work to support my family and my self”, said Samphos.
His life continues to be loaded with work until he was 20, the time when he secretly flee from home as the poverty concern. He came to Phnom Penh a lonely with only 45000 Riel in the pocket. He slept in the street during the night, while other guy in the same age like him would have a warm blanket to cover when sleeping.
It was a luck and also with a good communication skill, Samphos got pity and assistant from several foreigners from America, Japan, and Sweden. They offer him a chance to study English and to obtain the association degree at Build Bright University of Business Administration and to get a diploma of English at Pannasastra University.
He said he got sympathy from people because he simply asked for it and he used his communication skill.
“I was just being honest and I have a gut to tell them my story. I was born poor, so I have no chance to study but I do want to study and change my destiny”, said Samphos.
Now Samphos works for Kamonohashi Project. it is an international NGO community in aiming to solve the problem of child prostitution in Cambodia, the root cause behind it, to solve poverty, protect the smiles of children in Cambodia.
This job is an inner push for him to do a little thing for poor kids, he then came up with this Music Project. He wants music to comfort the feeling of them and provide those kids with a profession with music.
“Music could eliminate sadness, and since I can play music and I want to provide a basic training to help the kids. This was my first idea”, he said.
Samphos is the team leader but he is not the player in the band. The band has been gradually heard and hired from time to time. They usually play during the occasion of the school, wedding, and birthday party. The place they usually plays at is Koh Pich, Baloom Baloom restaurant and Mondial wedding hall. They also play for the charity event to raise money several times for orphanage center where they used to live.
First, there were 11 members in the team who were received training, but until now only 6 members catch the profession as the music players.
With a long hair and a bow on the head, Chin Soben, 24, a member of the band said “he came to me, observe me play the instrument and ask do you like music and do you agree if I want to teach you how to play music”. This is how he was asked and selected to join the band, said Soben.
Soben has a special talent in playing music instrument both traditional and class one despite his disability. Of course, he cannot walk, as he became a handicap since two years older when you got the injection.
Since then music became his best friend, and he always listen to classic music whenever he got depress. And it helps, said Soben.
He also said that he is happy to join the band and become the professional player. he is now can earn money by his own and do not have to depend on others. He said no matter how hard his situation is he has to struggle it. he does not want to be the society left behind.
“I do not want to beg people money, I have to strive for a successful life”, said Soben.
Ratha, 23, is one member in Khmer Teen band. He said in one event they could earn 15 to 20 dollar each, and if they play in province the income could be raised up to 40 dollar.
“I am with Khmer Teen Band for around 5 years. I am happy now, I have money to spend on my own need. And I don’t feel lonely anymore. Khmer Teen band is just like my family”, said Ratha.
Music project has produced 6 professional music players, and it is going to continue to expend its mission for help the many unfortunate kids in Cambodia. It is now go on the blogspot in order to get more support and for planning there will be a charity concert in Phnom Penh to get support for street children to show and to share life experiences to young Cambodian how to fight against life difficulties and learn to share love to make peace for Cambodia.
