Prek Lvea, Cambodia — At 10 a.m. in Prek Lvea, a village across the Mekong River from Cambodia’s capital, among pecking chickens, dirt roads, and palm-shaded hovels, a heavy-metal concert is under way. The show, put on in an open-air kindergarten classroom, is performed by an assortment of local children and teens, and it seems as if the whole village has come out to gape. Watching from the crowd of chirping children and visibly confused adults is Timon Seibel, a bearded, blond Swiss-German – and the mastermind of this rural metal madness.

 

The morning jam session is part of an unusual social program in which disadvantaged children are provided lessons in rock ’n’ roll, mostly of the hardcore metal variety. The program, called CAM Projects, is aimed at growing self-confidence through creative expression for some of the country’s most vulnerable children. Although Cambodia has come a long way in combating poverty after years of war, about 3 million of the 15 million-plus population still live below the poverty line, and some 8.1 million are just above it, according to UNICEF. Many, of course, are children. Mr. Seibel started CAM Projects two years ago. It has a soundproof practice room, a recording studio, an assortment of secondhand music equipment, and about 25 regular students. Many come from tragic backgrounds.

 

“Most of the kids are orphaned. Their parents died or went to Thailand to work or are in prison,” explains Seibel, who is in his mid-30s.

CAM Projects runs under a children’s home managed by Moms Against Poverty (MAP), a nongovernmental organization based in the San Francisco area. The home cares for about 25 kids and also conducts a larger after-school program for local children; they can take classes in English, math, computing, and, if they so choose, rock music. The music could be viewed as a constructive outlet to pass the time – drugs and alcohol are a problem among youths here – but it’s more than that.

 

read more http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Making-a-difference/2016/0901/He-teaches-rock-n-roll-to-disadvantaged-children-in-Cambodia

Mate. You've got my total admiration.

Always wondered what happens on the other side of the river.  Very uplifting

Seeing the headline, for one awful moment I thought Gary Glitter was out on parole.

Interesting, though, to see children whose parents are working in Thailand described as being orphans.