{"id":38897,"date":"2025-12-11T14:15:12","date_gmt":"2025-12-11T07:15:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/friends-international.org\/blog\/?p=38897"},"modified":"2025-12-11T14:23:26","modified_gmt":"2025-12-11T07:23:26","slug":"futures-for-families-a-grandmothers-dream","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/friends-international.org\/blog\/index.php\/futures-for-families-a-grandmothers-dream\/","title":{"rendered":"Futures For Families – A Grandmother’s Dream"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Keeping A Dream Alive<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Takmao town lies on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. There, a 68-year-old grandmother has become the steady center of a family shaped by hardship. With her daughters unable to care for them, she is now raising four grandchildren on her own. Each child carries their own story\u2014some marked by loss, others by abandonment\u2014but all connected by their grandmother\u2019s unwavering love. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her 15-year-old grandson, the child of her second daughter who is serving a 25-year prison sentence, is only in Grade 5. He is four years behind in school, not because he lacks ability, but because his grandmother, the family\u2019s only breadwinner, simply could not afford regular schooling. His father passed away years ago, leaving the grandmother to shoulder every responsibility. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her other daughter left behind two more children: a 13-year-old boy with a heart condition and an 11-year-old girl who attends school regularly. The children\u2019s mother has started a new life outside Phnom Penh and remains distant, leaving the grandmother to navigate the children\u2019s health challenges and education alone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fourth child\u2014a 10-year-old girl in Grade 4\u2014was abandoned by her mother who left to be with a new partner. Like the others, she found safety in her grandmother\u2019s care and has been able to attend school consistently. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite her age, her worries, and the weight of responsibility she carries, this grandmother has never given up on her family\u2019s future. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Building Futures for Families: Support That Strengthens a Household<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Our Phnom Penh program, Mith Samlanh, stepped in to ensure the family were not facing challenges alone. Together with the grandmother, they shaped a path forward, which included:<\/p>\n\n\n\n