02 - The Troupe
16.11.2008 (Siem Reap)
Since about two years – about the time we met - T manages a troupe of handicapped men and women, coming from the Siem Reap area. They were injured by landmines, accidents or polio and now perform an acting and dancing show called „Live is Struggle, Live is Hope“ in different hotels in Siem Reap. Since the government or their families cannot provide much help to them, this is a good opportunity for an income as well as for meeting other handicapped that share their fate.
We also try to integrate them into the work of the Garden Shuttle. Many come from villages around Siem Reap and can establish and maintain contacts to the local farmers and villagers.
And now S, a film producer in Los Angeles, plans to make a movie about the troupe members and their show. He even tries to bring them to the US and promote them there. In order to produce a presentation reel he needs some film material. Therefore we spent much of the day filming the show in different locations and conducting some interviews. The tapes will be sent to Los Angeles and then we will see. According to my knowledge, none of the troupe members has ever been outside of Cambodia. I actually doubt, that one of them even has a passport. So it would certainly be a great opportunity for the troupe members, to go to California.
During the interviews it was very touching, to hear the individual stories. One girl drove in a train, when the train hit a mine and the explosion captured her and threw her out. She lost one leg. Another girl was ill for many years (I suppose it was polio) and could not be treated properly. When she realized, that she would never be able to walk and behave like other girls again, she tried to commit suicide by taking a large amount of pills. One man was a soldier, patrolling near the Thai border, when bullets hit him into his legs. It took half a day to give him some medical treatment and after one year or suffering, both of his legs finally had to be amputated. All of them share one experience: They feel without support in their community and they feel respected and recognized through the work in the troupe. Besides they can make some money and are supplied with food there.
Since about two years – about the time we met - T manages a troupe of handicapped men and women, coming from the Siem Reap area. They were injured by landmines, accidents or polio and now perform an acting and dancing show called „Live is Struggle, Live is Hope“ in different hotels in Siem Reap. Since the government or their families cannot provide much help to them, this is a good opportunity for an income as well as for meeting other handicapped that share their fate.We also try to integrate them into the work of the Garden Shuttle. Many come from villages around Siem Reap and can establish and maintain contacts to the local farmers and villagers.
And now S, a film producer in Los Angeles, plans to make a movie about the troupe members and their show. He even tries to bring them to the US and promote them there. In order to produce a presentation reel he needs some film material. Therefore we spent much of the day filming the show in different locations and conducting some interviews. The tapes will be sent to Los Angeles and then we will see. According to my knowledge, none of the troupe members has ever been outside of Cambodia. I actually doubt, that one of them even has a passport. So it would certainly be a great opportunity for the troupe members, to go to California.
During the interviews it was very touching, to hear the individual stories. One girl drove in a train, when the train hit a mine and the explosion captured her and threw her out. She lost one leg. Another girl was ill for many years (I suppose it was polio) and could not be treated properly. When she realized, that she would never be able to walk and behave like other girls again, she tried to commit suicide by taking a large amount of pills. One man was a soldier, patrolling near the Thai border, when bullets hit him into his legs. It took half a day to give him some medical treatment and after one year or suffering, both of his legs finally had to be amputated. All of them share one experience: They feel without support in their community and they feel respected and recognized through the work in the troupe. Besides they can make some money and are supplied with food there.
posted by Nihilissimus at 2:43 PM
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