Saturday, July 5, 2008

PAGODAS REMAIN GOOD PLACES FOR THE POOR

By Soy Sophea

It took nearly ten years for Chham Roeung, 30, to become properly qualified and later, employed, after leaving high school in Prey Veng province.

Roeung was born in Mesang district of Prey Veng, about one hundred kilometers east of the capital. He decided to fi nd a new life in Phnom Penh and pagodas played a vital role in helping him reach these goals.

In retelling his life story, Roeung said he became a Pagoda Boy in 1998. He said that staying at Wat Than, located located on Norodom Boulevard about one kilometer from the Independence Monument, gave him support necessary over the four years it took to earn his Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. It has all been well worth the effort, for as the enthusiastic graduate said of himself, “I have changed my life from being a farmer to being an NGO offi cer and eventually, I hope, a successful businessman. Without the helpof the pagoda, I would have gained nothing.”

Moreover, the man who wants to progress towards postgraduate qualifications advised all students to take their work seriously and study hard.

“Time doesn’t wait for you and four years at university seems to be over in the blink of an eye. If you neglect your studies, you will get left behind very quickly,” said Roeung.
Long Heng, 28, who has also stayed at pagoda for many years, was born in Kroch Chmar district, Kampong Cham province. He moved to the Sampov Meas pagoda in Phnom Penh in 1994.

He said the reason why he moved away from his family was because he saw no prospects in his homeland, about 150 kilometers from Phnom Penh.

He went on to describe his life at the pagoda. When he first arrived, he found it hard to adjust to pagoda life. He made his living selling newspapers and bread, but now he
is able to make a better living as a journalist.

He said in 2006, he studied hard at university and was then qualified to work as a journalist for Xinhua News Agency in Phnom Penh office.

“Life was limited for me at my homeland,” he said. “I can say that the pagoda has changed my life in countless ways and turned me into a good, productive citizen.”
He said he learnt a lot about life at the pagoda by listening to monks’ advice. He
also praised the pagoda boy’s capacity for empathy and solidarity with his fellows.

“As a pagoda boy, I benefited from the learning of monks. It is now my turn to
share knowledge and experience among our pagoda boys,” he said. “They are good
at studying and appreciate the effort.”

The Venerable Huot Nget, 40, Director of Choun Narth Library at Wat Than, said that a pagoda provides good shelter for all, not only the poor but also those who want to study as well. He has supported nearly one hundred pagoda boys over the years. Those boys have gone on to become doctors, government officials, NGO operatives and shining examples of the benefits of the pagoda tradition.

The phrase Pagoda Boy is known throughout Cambodia. Decades ago, all men needed to serve their time as monks before they could get married, otherwise the parents of marriageable ladies would not allow their daughters to tie the knot. At that time, there were fewer public schools than there are today. The majority of schooling was conducted in pagodas and men with academic dreams therefore had to become monks in order to study. This situation change independence from the French Colonial in 1953. (CW)

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