What remains of the slum neighborhood of Borei Keila. Photo: Baltimore Sun

This article originally appeared at Dissent Magazine.

Approximately 70 people sat outside the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh last week in the sweltering heat because, quite frankly, they had nowhere else to go. They were members of some 300 families who were forcibly evicted from their homes in Phnom Penh’s Borei Keila district on January 3. Their homes were bulldozed to make way for corporate development.

Urban poverty has remained a constant in Cambodia’s capital city since it was repopulated following the madness of the Khmer Rouge in the late 1970s. With little to no help from the ruling Cambodian People’s Party, many of the country’s poor have no alternative but to rely on philanthropic institutions and Western NGOs to meet their basic human needs. Indeed, the Cambodian government has often prioritized corporate investment, accompanied with the expected kickbacks for the political elite, above the needs of its citizens.

This was the case in the Borei Keila tragedy. The Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO) provided a brief history of the situation in a recent press release that documents the government’s support for the construction company Phanimex, at the expense of the poor of Borei Keila:

In early 2003, a “land-sharing” arrangement was proposed for Borei Keila, which allowed the well-connected construction company, Phanimex, to develop part of the area for commercial purposes while providing housing to the residents on the remaining land. Phanimex was obligated to build 10 apartment buildings on two hectares of land for the villagers in return for obtaining ownership of an additional 2.6 hectares for commercial development.

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In April 2010, Phanimex unilaterally reneged on the agreement, however—with the approval of the government—and only constructed eight buildings. That left 300 Borei Keila families excluded from the original agreement—and still living in housing on the site. These were the homes that Phanimex representatives destroyed today.

Cambodian police took a pounding before firing tear gas back at the displaced residents. Photo: Khmer440.com

Many of the homes were bulldozed before its inhabitants could gather their personal effects from inside. On January 4, things turned violent. Several villagers began throwing rocks at the various individuals participating in the destruction, including police officers, security guards, and Phanimex workers. Police responded by firing tear gas at the protesters. The Phnom Penh Post reported that ten people were injured and ten more arrested.

This is not the first time the residents of Borei Keila have faced discrimination from the government and Phanimex. On June 18, 2009, twenty HIV-affected families living in the community were evicted and sent to a remote resettlement camp fifteen miles away. This action was so egregious that it prompted Human Rights Watch to write a letter to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen decrying the creation of a “de facto AIDS colony.” The families evicted were told they didn’t qualify for the free housing that Phanimex (falsely) promised it would build for displaced residents..

With little recourse from their own government, about seventy former inhabitants of Borei Keila decided to camp out in front of the U.S. Embassy last week, hoping to garner some international attention. The embassy, via its official Twitter page, issued a bland statement about the need to clarify property rights, and called for both sides to refrain from violence and to “exercise maximum restraint.”

It does not appear that the United States will do anything else. Since the Cambodian government has sided with Phanimex, the country’s civil society will likely have to provide for the families of Borei Keila, who are now, in effect, homeless, abandoned by their own government.

Photo: Operation Christmas Child: Children who live at City Rescue Mission in Oklahoma City decorated and filled 16 shoe boxes with gifts to give to other needy children.

It is that time of year again; for many the chill of winter has set in, and as we bundle-up with something hot by the fire, we think about giving to others. Regardless of your religious beliefs, the holiday season reminds us to give back to our communities and others in need, especially children.

I wish there were a way we could capture this holiday spirit and keep it going all year long. In the hopes that these accounts will inspire you to do just that, I thought I would share a few stories of children who have gone above and beyond the general spirit of giving:

Recognizing their power and potential to make a difference in the lives of others, more than 113,000 kids and teens joined generationOn and pledged their commitment to service, ensuring a donation of more than $1 million in toys and games from Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) to Toys for Tots.  As a result of these commitments to serve, tens of thousands of children across the country will now have the opportunity to experience the joy of play this holiday season (PR Newwire).

15 year-old Kaci Bowman, has been giving back to children in all over the world for years through Operation Christmas Child (OCC), a program of Samaritan’s Purse International Relief organization. ‘This year, Bowman collected 162 shoeboxes full of small gifts and personal hygiene products…’ and then traveled to Denver to help sort and organize gift boxes for children in Mexico and Haiti (The Norwood Post).

Kindergarten students made four large gingerbread houses during the school’s holiday parties and donated them to the Defenders of Freedom Veterans Home & Shelter (The Registered Mail).

Honor roll fifth-graders at Village Academy in Delray Beach are receiving hand-painted TOMS Shoes donated by students at Saint Andrews School in Boca Raton. Saint Andrews fifth-graders painted the shoes, provided by a parent donor in association with Sound Tree Entertainment to supply needy children at home and abroad with shoes (Palm Beach Post).

Middle School students team up to fulfill 50 Angel Tree wishes (Daily Gleaner).

Girl Scout Troop 20379 and Brownie Troop 20049 at Clinton School are helping to feed 15 kids in three families over the 10-day holiday break (South Orange Patch).

10 Great Philanthropists Who are Kids was published in January of this year and provides 10 unique and inspiring stories of children giving selflessly to those in need.

Don’t under estimate the power of youth; children can have a powerful and lasting impact on the lives of other children and our world. There are many ways that children can get involved and make a difference. Think outside the box; never be afraid to think too big; remember that even small efforts can make a big impact. Volunteer opportunities for adolescents aren’t difficult to find, and one of the best places to start is with your school, local place of worship, or service groups. There are a number of youth centric organizations, such as Kids Can Make A Difference, that also help children and teens find ways to serve both local and international communities and find causes.

Encouraging children to do volunteer work is one of the most important things you can do for them as a parent or leader, and the best part is teenagers love to volunteer! Students who do volunteer work actually do better in school than those who don’t volunteer. In fact, volunteering provides many benefits for teens, it increases self-esteem, creates a sense of value, presents an opportunity to meet new people, leads to the acquisition of valuable new skills, not to mention the amazing memories these opportunities will create. When teenagers serve others, they become empowered; they learn that they can make a difference in the world and are already investing in the future. It is the fuel they need to be the best leaders of tomorrow.

Here are a few ideas of ways children can get involved and give to other children around the globe:

1. Grow and donate your hair to Locks of Love and help a child in the United States or Canada under age 18 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis, get a hairpiece.
2. Visit your local hospital children’s ward, or send drawings and letters of encouragement to children who are suffering from illness or trauma at home or overseas.
3. Collect stuffed animals for local police and rescue personal to give to children who have suffered a tragedy.
4. Make jewelry, or other arts and craft items, to sell and fundraise for your favorite cause.  You can even use items that are already helping those in need like, Paper to Pearls.
5. Hold a concert or play and donate all of your ticket and concession sales to charity.
6. Organize a community yard sale and donate all the money to help children in need overseas, such as AIDS orphans, children affected by conflict or natural disaster, to provide needed childhood immunizations.
7. Ask your school, church, sports team, or scout group to adopt a cause or charity for the year and then host a series of fundraisers such as bake and rummage sales, donation drives, etc.
8. Volunteer at your local homeless shelter or soup kitchen.
9. Collect donated school supplies and backpacks for kids in need around the world.
10. Organize your friends to donate your gently used toys and books then take them to local homeless shelters.
11. Use your talents and interests in a creative way to help others!  Don’t forget the biggest impact you can have is often spreading awareness of the issues children in need have across the globe. So start a blog, host film screenings and spread the word about your causes.

Keep up the spirit of volunteering and share it with your friends and family. You can make a world of difference just by setting an example.  If you have a story of a special child activist or philanthropist, please share in the comments section, for the spirit of giving is truly contagious!
Links to organizations established by, or for, kids:

Resources for Children and Young Adults
JustGive.org Kids Corner - Learn about kids making a difference
Just Give – 50 Ways to Help Children
Starlight’s StarPower program -showcase’s young people working to help other kids.
Children Helping Children - International Musical Charity, holding In-Hospital Concerts and Gala Benefit Concerts
Kids Helping Kids with Nothing
Kids Helping Kids Heal 
Kids Helping Kids
Project Linus New Jersey - Providing handmade blankets and handcrafted toys to children suffering serious illness and trauma.
The Loose Change to Loosen Chains Campaign
Families with Purpose - Community Service Projects
PBS Kids Zoom Team - You can you help the world.

Thursday, December 1, was World AIDS Day.  Each year, people gather worldwide to remember those lost to or affected by HIV/AIDS and to raise awareness.  It’s also a time to reflect on what’s been accomplished and what remains to be done, and the day serves as a time for politicians, celebrities, implementers, and activists to speak out.  This year, thirty years from the official beginning of the epidemic, proved similar. As always, discussions about increasing financial support of HIV/AIDS programs were at the forefront of most speeches, articles, and press releases.  For World AIDS Day, the UN released an ambitious set of goals to reach by 2015, which they acknowledge are “aspirational.”  In this uncertain funding environment, fears of budget shortfalls, program closures, and stock-outs of vital anti-retroviral drugs are very real.  AIDS-related deaths and new infections are on the decline, something that felt almost unimaginable just a decade or so ago.  We are close to radically altering the course of the epidemic, but the global economic recession is putting progress at jeopardy.

The Atlantic put together a series of articles for World AIDS Day.  Dr. Mitch Besser of mothers2mothers (disclosure: I used to work at m2m) focuses on prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) efforts, highlighting UNAIDS’s Global Plan for elimination of MTCT by 2015 and the importance of US foreign aid programs.  Other highlights at The Atlantic include discussions on new scientific developments, a snapshot of the HIV epidemic in the United States, and what it will take to achieve an HIV-free generation.

As per usual, Bono had a thing or two to say.  Although his opinion piece for The New York Times  was a bit slick (and tripped in the end on an image of flag planting, which was meant to parallel the moon landing but inadvertently and unfortunately evokes colonialist imagery) , there’s no denying what he has done to shape the fight against the epidemic.  The piece recalls the frustration of the early years of ART, when drugs were available in high-income countries but not elsewhere.  Bono also acknowledges the vital role the US played in funding efforts to curb the epidemic, listing the names of the politicians and other figures from both sides of the aisle who contributed to the government’s legacy on HIV/AIDS.  He concludes with a shrewd argument about “smart power”–that the effects of US foreign aid efforts contribute to national security and global diplomacy.

US President Barack Obama spoke on Thursday and reiterated and expanded his commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS domestically and around the world.

He pointed to the declining rates of new infections and deaths around the world and the paradoxical steady rate of new infections in the US and the toll of the epidemic on minority populations in particular.  President Obama, perhaps to counter activists’ claims that he has not done enough to address HIV/AIDS, pointed out his administration’s increased financial commitment to HIV/AIDS programs and the lifting of the travel ban against people living with HIV, which will allow the next International AIDS Conference to be held in the US for the first time ever.  He underlined the need to implement the new US national HIV/AIDS strategy and pledged $15 million in additional funding for the Ryan White Program (which supports HIV clinics in the US) and $35 million extra for state ARV assistance programs.  He also called on countries to fulfill their pledges to the ailing Global Fund and for countries who were once recipients of aid but are now able to create foreign assistance programs, such as China, to make pledges of their own.  President Obama also announced two goals: to provide ARVs for 1.5 million pregnant women over the next two years for PMTCT and to get 6 million people on ART by 2013, which was greeted with hoots and wild applause.  He ended with a request that Congress continue to work together, saying that the gains made under the last three presidencies show “that we can do big things when Republicans and Democrats put common humanity before politics.  We need to carry that spirit forward.”  President Obama’s remarks are heartening, and it’s good to see his administration re-focus on HIV/AIDS efforts.  Julie Pace of the Associated Press reports, however, that PEPFAR will not see an increase in funding and that decreasing the cost of treatment and making current programs more efficient will be required steps to fund the the ambitious goals set out on Thursday.

I’d like to end with Susan Sontag’s definitive piece from 1986 called “The Way We Live Now,” which The New Yorker re-released this week.  It’s a heartbreaking reminder of the earliest days of the epidemic and of how far we have come in the twenty-five years since it was published.  Here’s to making even more progress, expanding commitments, and “getting to zero.”

Photo, via Wikimedia Commons, depicts activists from South Africa’s Treatment Action Campaign in Cape Town in 2003.  The photo is from the TAC.