From Kings to Killing Fields

Before I get started, please know it's difficult to attach photos to this blog from my phone and trying to position them among the text nearly impossible so if you're here for the photos, they're all at the end of this post. And in reverse order of how I want them to show up (sigh). Now that I got that out of the way... 

It's been a busy two days in Phnom Penh. Starting with a visit to the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda. Amazing architecture, emerald Buddhas, silver elephants and roaming cats. I'd love to tell you more about the history but I opted not to hire a guide and the map was not so informative. Gives me something to look up later. 

Afterwards, I used an app to order a $1 tuk tuk ride to Wat Phnom, a temple on a hill that houses four Buddhas found by Lady Penh and a colony of flying fox bats! I spent most of my time there watching, and listening to, the bats. They sound like birds and kind of look like them when they fly around. So cool. 

A short visit to the Central Market where I was too overwhelmed to buy any of the items on offer, clothes, jewelry, electronics, souvenirs, haircuts, fish, crabs, fruits and vegetables. The building is art deco style and there are 4 entrances. Much like parking your car, it helps to pay attention to which side you enter if you want to exit the same way. 

Next was a sunset cruise on the Tonle-Sap River. Lovely to get little history while enjoying the view and marveling at the traffic on the river. Tourist boats, fishing boats and car ferrys all vying for a spot on the water. I shared a table with a Finnish couple who plans to move to Phnom Penh in a few years. Then at dinner I met another couple from Australia and China who moved here and haven't looked back. You can rent a house for $100/month and you never have to shovel snow out of your driveway. Most exciting if you're coming from Finland. Time to start rethinking your retirement. 

Today, I went on a tour of the Killing Fields and Toul Sleng Genocide Museum. It was as grim as you imagine, maybe even more so. If you don't want details, skip to the photos. 

The area we went to is one of many killing fields in Cambodia where the Khmer Rouge executed people and left them in mass graves. Flooding in the area is causing the ground to sink and pieces of clothing and bones are surfacing as a result. There is a stupa on the site where the bones of almost 9,000 people are being kept. Our guide shared the story of his parents and their experience during that time. He also shared more gruesome details about the site which I will spare you. It's hard but important to witness. 

Then we went to the museum. A former high school where the Khmer Rouge took people to interrogate, torture and kill. Walking through the buildings there are room after room with hundreds of photos of people that were taken when they arrived. Of the 20,000 people sent there, only 12 survived - 4 of whom were there answering questions and selling books they wrote about the experience.

After all of that, what can you do to lift your spirits? Go to Walk Street - a temporary pedestrian only zone that stretches over a mile along the riverfront. Grilled meat and seafood, matcha soft-serve ice cream, vendors, performers and hundreds of people walking, eating and hanging out. I walked all the way to the night market where I ordered "friend" noodles with pork (that's what the menu said) and got a huge, delicious portion for only $2.50. There are mats all over the ground for people to sit and eat their food. It was a wonderful way to see the resilience of the Cambodian people all while soaking up some culture and getting my steps in. 

Feel Good Friday - Volunteer Building Cambodia

With my volunteer trip to Cambodia coming up and 2026 being the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development, I'm excited to spotlight Volunteer Building Cambodia this week.

Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Siem Reap, Cambodia, Volunteer Building Cambodia (VBC) aims to improve the living conditions of families in need in rural areas by providing them with wells, toilets, and safe, dry housing. You can find details about this work and their partnership with the JJoy Foundation in my post from December. Today I want to highlight VBC's education programs.

In rural Cambodia, inadequate education and lack of skills mean many people remain jobless or struggle with unskilled labor, resulting in limited opportunities for families to break the cycle of poverty. VBC established the Volunteer Building Cambodia Community Centre (VBCCC) in 2017 to provide a crucial step on that ladder out of poverty.

Located about 25 kilometers outside Siem Reap in Bakong village, VBCCC teaches English language and computer skills to children and teenagers who have limited or no access to these classes at their own schools. These programs complement the local Khmer curriculum and open doors for young people looking for job opportunities as well as students planning to attend universities that use English language textbooks and require digital literacy. Through their English classes, VBCCC also provides education on hygiene and sanitation, the environment, and other important subjects.

VBCCC has had a big impact in the community. With only four full-time teachers, the school serves around 200 students every day and more than 50% of them are girls! In addition, VBC has plans to create a vocational training facility starting with basic building skills to help adults in surrounding villages gain greater opportunities to find work and better provide for their families.

If you'd like to support Volunteer Building Cambodia, there are many ways to do so. You can make a donation, join a volunteer trip to build homes or teach at the Community Centre, and amplify their message on social media. Follow VBC on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn and share their stories of hope and opportunity with your network. I'll be sharing photos and stories from my trip on my Hey Miss K blog so stay tuned! 

Dazed and Confused in Phnom Penh

Chom reap suor! After 26 hours of travel - but you know, door to door so maybe that's reasonable - I landed at my hotel in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. 

I was so excited to shower and explore town, I left the door to my room unlocked. Luckily for me, no one is interested in walking up three flights of stairs in 92 degree heat, not even me, so everything was as I left it. Lesson learned!

I went to the National Museum and saw a lot of sandstone Buddhas and a lot of school children diligently writing in their notebooks as they listened to the museum staff. Having checked a cultural activity off my list, I went looking for a noodle spot that was recommended.

Along the way I opted not to get a snack at the bug cart. Didn't want to ruin my appetite. The noodles were good but I can get hand pulled noodles in Oakland so next time I'll have to try a Cambodian specialty.

One thing I was quickly reminded about as I walked from place to place is the perils of street crossing. Much like in Hanoi and Cairo, there are tons of cars, even more scooters and pedestrians have to find a way to enter the flow without stopping and let the drivers adjust. I tried to cross with other people when I could but had to do some solo scampering as well. Eek. And, when the sidewalk is blocked with cars, scooters, pop up meat grilling stations, tables with people eating said meat, you have to step into the street and walk bravely into the oncoming traffic. That was enough new city, new country adventure for me!

I have a few more days of sight seeing here before I head to Siem Reap to join the volunteer crew to build a house. Will do my best to post again in a few days, assuming I'm not stuck on a corner trying to cross the street.

Feel Good Friday - Mamatoto Village

Today is Maternal Health Awareness Day, a day to raise awareness about the importance of safe, respectful maternal health care for all women. That makes this a perfect Friday to spotlight Mamatoto Village.

Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., the mission of Mamatoto Village is "devoted to serving Black women through the creation of career pathways in maternal health; and providing accessible perinatal support services designed to equip women with the necessary tools to make the most informed decisions in their maternity care, parenting, and lives."

The organization addresses an urgent crisis. In Washington, D.C., Black women make up 90% of maternal deaths. Across the nation, Black women are nearly three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. Mamatoto Village was founded by co-founders Aza Nedhari and Cassietta Pringle to transform this landscape through a powerful two-pronged approach.

Their flagship program, Mothers Rising Home Visitation, provides comprehensive care teams for expectant and new parents. Working with perinatal community health workers, participants receive health education, care coordination, labor and breastfeeding support, mental health services, nutrition assistance, and parenting support during pregnancy and through the infant's first three months of life. The program serves families in D.C. and Prince George's County, Maryland.

What makes Mamatoto Village truly unique is their Mamatoto Village Academy workforce development program. Many clients who receive services through Mothers Rising return to complete the rigorous training to become perinatal community health workers, lactation consultants, and community birth workers themselves. The training takes over 160 hours and is grounded in reproductive and birth justice. Graduates either receive employment at Mamatoto Village or assistance securing employment at other community-based organizations.

Mamatoto Village has had a big impact in the community. Since they began, Mamatoto Village has served more than 3,400 individuals, trained over 250 women, and maintained a 0% maternal mortality rate! Their breastfeeding initiation rate exceeds 85%.

If you'd like to support Mamatoto Village, there are many ways to do so. You can make a donation, explore their training programs if you're interested in maternal health careers, and amplify their message on social media. Follow Mamatoto Village on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn and share their vision of healthy mamas, healthy babies, and healthy communities with your network.

Feel Good Friday - Equal Justice Initiative

Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a time to honor Dr. King's legacy of fighting for racial and economic justice through service and action. That makes this a perfect Friday to spotlight the Equal Justice Initiative.

Founded in 1989 and headquartered in Montgomery, Alabama, the mission of the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) is "ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the United States, challenging racial and economic injustice, and protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society."

EJI operates as a nonprofit law firm providing legal representation to people who have been illegally convicted, unfairly sentenced, or abused in state jails and prisons. Under founder and Executive Director Bryan Stevenson's leadership, EJI has secured relief, release, or reduced sentences for over 140 people on death row. Their work has resulted in landmark U.S. Supreme Court rulings, including a 2012 decision that banned mandatory life-imprisonment-without-parole sentences for all children 17 or younger, a ruling that impacted thousands of cases nationwide.

Beyond the courtroom, EJI challenges the narrative about race in America through groundbreaking research and public education. In April 2018, they opened the Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery—powerful spaces that trace the arc from slavery through lynching and segregation to mass incarceration. These Legacy Sites have attracted over 650,000 visitors from around the world. EJI also produces an award-winning wall calendar, A History of Racial Injustice, that features a different historical event each day.

Their anti-poverty work includes a Hunger Relief program that has served thousands of families struggling with food insecurity and a health clinic that provides free care to vulnerable people.

If you'd like to support the Equal Justice Initiative, there are many ways to do so. You can visit the Legacy Sites the next time you’re in Montgomery, Alabama, make a donation, and amplify their message on social media. Follow EJI on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube and share their stories of justice and redemption with your network.

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day! 

Feel Good Friday - United We Dream

Today is Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, a day when India celebrates the contributions of its diaspora and honors the day Mahatma Gandhi returned home from South Africa in 1915 to lead the fight for justice. That makes this a perfect Friday to spotlight United We Dream.

Founded in 2008 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., United We Dream (UWD) is the largest immigrant youth-led network fighting for dignity and respect for all immigrants in the United States whether they’re coming from India or any other country. The mission of UWD is to "create welcoming spaces for young people – regardless of immigration status – to support, engage, and empower them to make their voice heard and win!”

The organization grew from a loose network of young undocumented students into a powerful movement. UWD puts immigrant youth at the center of decision-making, with over 60% of members identifying as women and 20% as LGBTQ. Their vision celebrates diversity through multi-ethnic, intersectional organizing that addresses immigration alongside racial justice, LGBTQ rights, education, health, and climate change.

The network operates through several key programs. Their DACA Renewal Fund provides direct financial assistance to help DACA recipients pay the $495 renewal fee. Since they began, UWD has helped more than 1,700 immigrant youth access DACA renewals through partnerships in 16 states! Other programs include Deportation Defense with Know Your Rights trainings, Education Justice to clear pathways to higher education, the UndocuHealth Initiative for mental health support, and the Queer Undocumented Immigrant Project for LGBTQ immigrant youth leadership. 

UWD has had a big impact across the country. The organization has grown to over 1 million members nationwide, with more than 100 local groups operating across 28 states. They reach over 4 million people every month through their social media platforms, email, and text messaging.

If you'd like to support United We Dream, there are many ways to do so. You can make a general donation or contribute to their DACA Renewal Fund where 100% goes directly to recipients. You can also join their network as a member and share their work on social media. Follow United We Dream on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube and share their stories of empowerment and justice with your network.

Feel Good Friday - Winning Futures

Happy New Year! January  is National Mentoring Month, making it the perfect time to spotlight Winning Futures and their transformative approach to helping students plan their futures.

Founded in 1994 and headquartered in Troy, Michigan, the mission of Winning Futures is "to be an exemplary business-education partnership that inspires and prepares young people to be self-reliant and successful through workforce preparation, life skills, strategic planning, mentoring, and scholarship programs.” 

Winning Futures runs a unique seven-year Workforce Prep Mentoring Program that starts when students are in 10th grade and continues through four years of college, trade school, or other continuing education. Each student is paired with a volunteer career mentor from the business community who attends monthly sessions at participating schools across Metro Detroit—including Detroit, Harper Woods, Warren, Sterling Heights, Hazel Park, and Pontiac. This video explains more about what mentors do and the impact they have.

The program covers everything from career exploration and goal setting to financial literacy, emotional intelligence, and strategic planning. Students learn to create five-year academic and career plans, develop resumes, practice interviewing, and build the life skills they need to thrive. That means tackling topics like time management, overcoming obstacles, networking, and coping with stress—all the real-world skills that don't always get taught in traditional classrooms.

Winning Futures has had a big impact in the community. Since they began, they’ve worked with more than 50,500 students and awarded over $2.2 million in scholarships! In the 2024-25 school year alone, 98% of their seniors graduated from high school, and 92% of Year 3 students reported being more prepared to persevere through challenges. A University of Michigan study found that the program has a statistically significant and equitable impact across all races, income levels, and genders.

Winning Futures is the first and only mentoring program in Michigan to earn the National Quality Member designation from MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership—a testament to their commitment to excellence.

If you'd like to support Winning Futures, there are many ways to do so. You can volunteer as a career mentor or help with scholarship judging, make a donation and amplify their message on social media. Follow Winning Futures on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, or subscribe to their YouTube channel, and share their stories of student success with your network.