Valentine’s Day at Friendship House

To celebrate Valentine’s Day, Mith Samlanh along with its Peer Educator teams organized a special event at Friendship House, one of six drop in centers around Phnom Penh.

Ms Norng Pholla, outreach project manager said “This event is a fantastic opportunity to entertain vulnerable children and youth whilst also raising awareness of HIV/AIDS especially during this Valentine period”. Ms Norng Phalla added that Cambodian communities are now promoting Valentine’s Day as a day of love and care. The day is seen to express the love between children-parents, brother-sister, husband-wife or lover-lover.

Friendship House’s Peer Educators are young people within the Phnom Penh Southwest community who volunteer to work with marginalized children and youth. They connect to peers in their community by educating and training on topics such as HIV/AIDS, reproductive health, drug prevention, safe migration, etc. Since the introduction of Peer Educators many prevention and protection systems have been implemented. Through this program there has been a reduction in danger and harm amongst vulnerable children and youth in the communities.

Friendship House Sign

A Mith Samlanh outreach member addresses the children during the performance.

Children at Friendship House enjoying the performance.

Children at Friendship House enjoying the performance.

ChildSafe trained tuk-tuk drivers watch the show in their new ChildSafe shirts.

A tuk-tuk driver looking sharp in his new ChildSafe shirt.