About Lotus Lives
Lotus Lives is a non-profit charity set up to help orphans, street children, and underprivileged people living in Cambodia. In 2008 a group of people from Galway raised money through The Streets of Galway Road Race to help a children’s orphanage and families living in the slums of Phnom Penh. Such was the gratitude that came back from these people, that it was decided to make this an annual event, and so Lotus Lives was born.
Mission
To raise money and awareness through charitable events in order to support the orphanages, and those organisations working for the benefit of the poorest families. To also make donations from monies raised to local charities.
Background
In developing countries; in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, rubbish, or dumpsite scavengers, are amongst the poorest of workers. Thousands of people live in slums located next to these dumpsites. Most of these people have migrated from their rural communities into the cities to escape poverty, only to find themselves living and working at the dumpsites, out of options and left with nowhere else to go. In Cambodia, thousands of adults and children work side by side upon mountains of smoking garbage from the early hours of the morning until darkness, and often onwards throughout the
night. They work week in week out, sifting through tons of rubbish, picking through the waste for items to sell for recycling, earning on average only $1-$2 per day. Life on the dumpsites is extremely dangerous. There is usually no access to clean water, sanitation, or medical supplies.
Many suffer from the toxic fumes and a variety of serious diseases. During the monsoon season epidemics are commonplace and a percentage of the adults and children just don’t survive. Orphaned or abandoned children are left with the choice of begging on the streets, or continuing to work amongst the rubbish tips, risking daily the dual threats of gangs and trafficking.
Education
Access to education is limited. The cost of half a school day is borne by the Cambodian government. The other half is known as ‘extra study’ and is to be funded by the student or their family. If they cannot pay then the child is denied an education, thus perpetuating the cycle of poverty.
Support
Lotus Lives currently supports two organisations who are working hard to provide these people with education, improved living conditions, and safe shelter: