Light of Cambodian Children, Inc.

CONTACT:

P. O. Box 1324
Lowell, MA 01853
978-275-1822
www.reaksmey.org

Sayon Soeun, Executive Director

DESCRIPTION:

Lowell has the second largest population of Cambodian refugees in the United States, nearly 30% of the city’s total population. Uprooted, poor, and often undereducated, many are depressed, and still haunted by the Khmer Rouge genocide of the late ’70s. To brighten the future of these youth, and to combat delinquency, drugs, and gang involvement, some Cambodian college students and young professionals in 1998 founded Light of Cambodian Children. LCC provides mentoring, summer activities, and modest college scholarships, encouraging both self-reliance and commitment to the community. They have broadened their purview to include 60% Southeast Asian, 30% Latino and 10% “Other” youths. Their Future Stars Sports Leadership summer camp provides six weeks of varied activities for 100 young people and their counselors (often former campers). Their Cambodian Folktale and Theater Project translates folktales into dramatic performances, and their Mentoring and Advocacy Project works to reduce recidivism among first-time young offenders by helping them advocate for social service programs. Praise for LCC comes locally from police and social service departments, and nationally from the Brookings Institution and even the White House. Your support can help them reach more children with these life-changing experiences.

(2007: HUMAN SERVICES: Children & Youth)