Theavy Bun, now 35, was born in 1982 in Battambang, Cambodia, and runs the Safe House in Battambang, which is funded by the NGO AVEC. Theavy has been working in the humanitarian sector since 2004. She is a special woman and we would like to start our series of interviews with strong women with her portrait on the occasion of International Women’s Day. Regardless of MeToo and other calls for solidarity, it is precisely these strong women around the world who are making a difference – for both women and men. We are honored that Theavy spontaneously – and at very short notice – made herself available for an interview:
What were your school days like?
My school years began under the terrible Khmer Rouge regime and during my first three school years, many bombs were dropped on the city. School was extremely important to me and I was a very hardworking and motivated student as I came from a very poor background that was badly affected by the war. I wore the same school uniform for four years, which didn’t even have a zipper anymore, which made me feel ashamed all day long. As soon as I finished school, I started working to help my parents and build a future for myself.
Why did you decide to work in the humanitarian sector?
I have always been in contact with very poor families who were struggling to survive in a very difficult environment immediately after the Khmer Rouge genocide. Deep inside me, I already felt the desire to help these widowed or abandoned mothers who struggled every day to feed their many children. I realized very early on that the only way to combat this abject poverty was through education and access to schools.
What did you want to be when you were a child?
I wanted to become a doctor so that I could have cared for my parents later.
How many children do you look after?
In a way, I am the mom of the 38 children who live permanently in the safe house. The youngest is 3 years old and the oldest is already 24. That’s also the reason why I hardly ever go on vacation – it’s a job that takes up all my time and leaves me with almost no private life. Fortunately, I share this huge task and responsibility with my husband. We are very happy that we can offer these abused children a safe place. We demand a lot from the children and we are aware of that, but their future is very important to us and most of them are also very diligent at school.
I also look after the schooling of around 70 children from extremely poor backgrounds with parents who are mostly illiterate. We look after these children so that they get the best possible education.
We also look after around 20 children in various villages who live with a family member so that they can attend secondary school.
There are also ten young women living in the safe house who are doing a one-year tailoring apprenticeship with us.
What does your typical daily routine look like?
I come to the Safe House every day at 08:00 and stay there until 20:00 – seven days a week. I take care of the organization of the Safe House but also of the youngest children in the Safe House. I eat all meals together with the children, because it is very important to me that we spend time together and that I can talk to the older children – these are very nice moments together!
Your greatest professional success?
I am very humble when it comes to calling something a success – because in raising so many children with traumatic experiences, there are always setbacks. You have to constantly work on the injuries they have suffered in the past. What immediately comes to mind is that I managed to free a baby and her little sister from the hell they were living in and help them work through their trauma day by day. But above all, that they have found their smiles again.
Your biggest challenge?
Changing the mentality of children who are not motivated and do not want to make an effort to create a better future for themselves. And, of course, to help the abused girls to rebuild themselves and find their smiles again.
Your biggest defeat?
The fact that I was unable to help a child out of her situation and also that I was unable to free several little girls from their difficult circumstances.
What do you love most about your work?
Teaching the children good values and seeing them grow and become life-affirming again. It makes me happy when I see how the children go to school and that most of them want to continue their education. I know the story of each of these children, the incredible stories of suffering they had to go through every day before they came to us. Their success in their new lives is also part of our success – the success of the NGO AVEC and its donors, who are very proud of it – and so am I!
Your biggest wish for Santa Claus?
That the Cambodian men who go to Thailand to work no longer leave their children and wives. And that people in Cambodia stop dumping their garbage on the roadside – then Cambodia would be even more beautiful.
What are your hobbies?
Gardening, embroidery and learning French.
I love working in the garden because it calms me down and allows me to organize my thoughts and forget my problems. It’s my way of meditating.
