Two Teenage Sisters Recollect Their Lives As Child Servants

By Chea Kimsan and Chin Sopheak

             Under the heat from the sun in a vast paddy field, Reaksmei and her younger sister, Somaly, wearing red and white scarves around their heads and holding sickles in their hands, are harvesting rice, sweating profusely, behind their house in Leak Anloung village, Rolaing Chak commune, Somraong Torng district, Kompong Speu province. But they do not complain about this tiring work if compared to the hard work they used to do during their childhood.

            Sixteen-year-old Reaksmei, whose complexion is as slightly dark yellow as her younger sister, said she and her younger sister had been sent to work as child servants for many years by her mother during which she and her younger sister had also been tortured. Reaksmei said she had 6 brothers and sisters, but she and her younger sister were not lucky to warmly live with their parents, grandparents and other brothers and sisters as her mother sent her and her younger sister to work as child servants successively. Continue reading →