My name is Hak and I was born on the 1st of January 1987 in a small village near Tonle Sap lake called Thnal Dach (also known as Tanol Dak or Tonal Dak). I was the youngest of three children to my mother Mon and father Heead. My brother, Da, was one year older than I and my sister Men was three years older than I. During the early part of 1995, I along with my siblings, accompanied our parents to the rice fields where I spent the afternoon playing with Da and Met, while my parents looked after the rice fields. Since working on the rice fields was my families’ only source of income my siblings and I spent many memorable days running around and playing with one another. Of all days this would be the most memorable and also most tragic.
Following the end of the Khmer rouge takeover of Cambodia, many landmines which had been planted throughout the country remained buried within the land. As I was running through the rice field, my brother and sister behind me, I stepped on one of these unused landmines and detonated it. It was a forceful blow that ultimately led to the loss of my lower leg and to the death of both Da and Met. Hours later I awoke in hospital with no recollection of what happened and no idea that both Da and Met were forever gone. The months that followed were anything but easy. I often cried out of anger, sadness and frustration but at the same time I was thankful my life has been spared. Over the next few months I re-learned how to walk on my one leg with the assistance from a pair of crutches my father had made me from wood. I even learned how to ride a bike with one leg. I was determined to succeed and to not allow this handicap to stop me reaching my goals.
In 1999, Aki Ra, a former Khmer soldier, devoted to clearing landmines was working on clearing landmines in my village where he found me, a 12 year old boy, maimed by the exact same thing which he was diligently working on clearing. He asked my parents if he could bring me to Siem Reap, where I’d be given a roof over my head, food, and an education in Khmer, English and Japanese. Since having lost two of their children my parents were hesitant about letting me go to a city nearly 50km away from our village. In the end I joined Aki Ra and three other children who had also been affected similarly by the landmines. We lived at the Cambodian Landmine Museum and Relief Centre. It is here that I learned how to speak both English and Japanese. As determined as I was at adapting to my one leg I was even more determined to study. I knew that education was the only way to advance myself and provide a better future for myself and family. Before I studied diligently and quickly acquired the Japanese language I was rewarded with a fully paid trip to Japan at the age of 16. At the age of 24 and after approximately 12 years with Aki Ra I packed my bags and returned to my village, armed with new knowledge and experience. Again I was determined, this time to help the children in my village become educated in English, a language, important not only around the world, but in Cambodia. At 27 years of age, with the assistance of an NGO – Open Mind Projects, I opened up a volunteer organisation in my village called ‘Volunteer and Village help in Cambodia Organisation’ which is aimed at teaching the village kids English. Although it’s been difficult getting volunteers, it’s been worth the effort and determination. The children love having the volunteers and are eager to learn just as I was.
Read more about the Cambodian Landmine Museum & Relief Centre – www.CambodiaLandmineMuseum.org
Read more about the Open Mind Projects – http://www.openmindprojects.org
Hak's Project 