For the Smile of a Child

For the Smile of a Child
Enjoy lunch at a renowned restaurant that is offering a better future to the children from the municipal dump in Phnom Penh. The experience: Le Lotus Blanc specialises in fine Asian and European flavours and draws a
regular crowd to indulge in its popular set lunches. Established to offer vocational training to children who live around the Stung Meanchey municipal garbage dump, the restaurant has earned a name for itself thanks to subtle flavours and attentive service. As well as the popular restaurant, there is also a hotel school here and several rooms are available for guests. However, these tend to be popular with visiting supporters of PSE projects, as the location is a little out of the way for most tourists. There is also a beauty and spa school, so visitors can also arrange a massage to help relax after a delicious lunch.

How it helps: Le Lotus Blanc is run by Pour un Sourire d’Enfant (PSE - For the Smile of a Child), a French NGO that has been protecting, feeding and educating children who live and work in the streets around the Stung Meanchey dump since 1996. In order to offer them a better future, PSE provides vocational training in the hotel and restaurant sector.
The main PSE centre is open to visitors on weekdays from 0800 to 1700 and on Saturday mornings. It is possible to witness all the PSE activities on a visit to the centre. PSE supports almost 5,000 children from birth through to young adulthood. PSE provides the youngsters with food, healthcare, education and vocational training.

As well as vocational training for the hotel andhospitality industry, there is also a shop where PSE sells handicrafts made by the parents of the young children at the centre. Many visitors help by giving money or becoming regular donors to PSE. However, PSE is happy to welcome visitors for a meal or a massage, as this helps to improve the training of the students. PSE does not make a profit through the restaurant and spa, but both need customers to ensure students experience training that closely mirrors the reality of the workplace. The better trained the students, the better equipped they are to find a job and help their families.
Eat a meal, take a drink or relax with a massage, a visit to Le Lotus Blanc is helping impoverished Cambodian families towards a better life.


Designs for Life
Striking silk designs cause a stir in northern Cambodia and help vulnerable women work towards a new life.
The experience: Mekong Blue is the silk weaving showroom of the Stung Treng Women's Development Centre (SWDC) and has become famous throughout Cambodia for the high quality of its handwoven silk. Mekong Blue has a range of international clients for its silk. With the volume of overland tourist traffic between Cambodia and Laos increasing, the outlet is set to become a popular stop for visitors in Stung Treng.
The first weaving centre opened in 2003 and is now the flagship Mekong Blue operation with almost 30 women working. Mekong Blue products are 100% silk fibres, use natural dyes and are woven on traditional handlooms. UNESCO has twice honoured Mekong Blue with its Seal of Excellence award for Mekong Blue silk scarves in 2004 and 2005. Mekong Blue has more than 200 patterns and encourages customers to create their own designs to improve the confidence and knowledge of the weavers. As well as visiting the
weaving centre, there is also a café and gallery open to the public, offering a mouthwatering range of Khmer and international dishes. Order some food and browse the gallery, which includes a selection of the finest weaving from Mekong Blue. Mekong Blue is located about 4 km from the centre of Stung Treng. Visit the website to have a look at their online catalogue, which includes scarves, clothing, accessories and bedding.
How it helps: Mekong Blue has created dozens of jobs for vulnerable rural women in Stung Treng province. The jobs have boosted confidence, improved livelihoods and empowered people to better plan their lives and make decisions about their future. Mekong Blue has reinforced the vision that with opportunity, meaningful human development in Cambodia is possible.

The SWDC was originally established as a crisis centre for the terminally ill, mainly those infected with HIV-AIDS. However, the focus has steadily shifted towards preventing infection in healthy young people, particularly vulnerable women. This has led to an expansion in education and healthcare programmes combined with training and employment opportunities to provide more choices in life.
Current programmes include literacy and health education, school sponsorship, vocational training in weaving and sewing or carpentry and construction, and child care. All these are dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty and giving new hope to the women of Stung Treng. Proceeds from Mekong Blue are ploughed back into the SWDC to improve and expand existing programmes.