disappointed
by Rob
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Actually, we *had* planned on going to an orpahange today, after yesterday’s chance encounter with a tuk-tuk driver, who is also a volunteer at a local orphanage. He was not at all pushy, suggesting we might like to visit. He assured us we would be welcome, and he would take us there “no payment, you give what you want”. He also said if we wanted, we could buy some food on the way as a donation. Our kids could play soccer and games with the orphanage kids, and there would be a traditional dancing show at 3 pm, which we could watch. So we arranged to be picked up from our guest house the next day (today) at 1pm. We bought a few bags of oranges and packaged together some of the unopened stickers and craft sets that Aunty had given our children for Christmas. Everyone was quite excited about the visit. Rach even checked out their web site to see if the place looked credible, which it did.
Perhaps because of our previous experiences, mostly just because I didn’t want to be left in an embarrassing situation, I decided we ought to clarify how much the tuk-tuk ride was going to be, and if our small donation would be acceptable. So when our tuk-tuk driver-cum-volunteer arrived to pick us up, I asked him how much he wanted for taking us to the orphanage.
“Up to you, you decide.”
I wasn’t particularly re-assured by his reply, so I asked him how much he was normally paid. The orphanage is not far, so I suggested $US 5-6 in an enquiring tone.
“OK, if you want, $US 10 to 15 is good. For you I make just $US 10.” Hmmm… so much for ‘what you want’. Still, he has to make a living too!
I then move on to my next question:
“So, we already have some food and games here to give. Will this be OK to take with us?”
Without looking at our parcels, he gently says that rice is very important for the orphanage, to feed the 100 children. We should buy a bag of rice to take with us, he will take us to a place on the way. This too, does not sound too unreasonable, although my suspicion alarm started sounding.
“How much is a bag of rice?” we check.
“Only size is 50 kg, is about $US50” he states.
“OK, that is more money than we have to spend,” I reply. “Can we buy a smaller bag?”
“No, only one size bag, you can buy 3rd grade for about US$40.” He also rejects our suggestion that we might be able to buy a half bag from the rice wholesalers at the end of our street.
Rach and I quietly discuss our options, feeling uneasy tht the price is somewhat higher than mentioned on the website. I come up with another suggestion, taken from the brochure he had given us about the orphanage
“How about we take our food, and I give them a cash donation when we get there?”
“No, rice is very important to our people in Cambodia. Children eat one bag per day.”
By now, my scam alarm siren is screeching away inside my head. I politely say to him that if we can not give any donation except the rice, then it will be better for us not to go, as I do not want to embarrass ourselves or him with the orphanage. I explain to the forlorn-faced children that we would not be able to go and visit the orphanage as the rice is too expensive for us. The old children all murmur agreement. There is an awkward silence and reluctantly we walk away. A strange feeling of sadness and disappointment overcomes me as we turn on our backs on this friendly congenial guy. Was he legit? Was there really an orphanage? Why did he want us to only buy rice from his ‘source’? After all, maybe a $50 bag of rice is the ‘accepted norm’ for donations? But why couldn’t we make a donation directly to the orphanage? …. What IS the going rate for a 50kg bag of rice anyway?
200m down our street is a row of rice sellers, their buildings stacked to the ceiling with 50kg sacks. We ask the first one we come to. Maybe we are just too tight with our money? Maybe he was just trying to do the best for the orphanage? To our increasing dissapointment, but not to our surprise, a 50kg bag of first grade rice will cost us US$25. And that is without bargaining. Sigh… what can you do?
Trying not to be too cynical, we had given him the goodies we had already bought and asked him to deliver them. He will, won’t he? Additionally, we decide to email the orphanage director with a brief account of our experience. The rest will be up to them to follow through with. For us, we are just disappointed.
Tags: children, justice, postcard: Cambodia
rayres
That is a really sad tale. And the frustrating part is not being able to know the real situation; the truth behind the actions. Maybe he had a good reason for his unshifting demands . Maybe he had a good reason for over-charging on the rice. Maybe your gifts will reach the orphanage. Maybe, maybe, maybe. But I would have agreed with your decision. And how sad to have to explain the reasons for the cancellation to the older kids. Is it another case of corruption, or are we just viewing it all through our western-trained eyes, insensitive to the ‘way of doing thingd’??
It will be interesting to see if you get a reply to your email. Keep us posted!
hmm… what grandpabear said! (as per usual! lol i can’t say anything that he hasn’t said better 😉 )