Perhaps the most striking moment of a day filled with visits to beautiful temples, was our time with the artists of Artisans d’Angkor. This cooperative of men and women are skilled artisans who are have continued to practice traditional handicrafts. They are now working on a variety of crafts to supports themselves and their families. The years of war and genocide in Cambodia have been hard on the people.
Artisans d'Angkor employs over 1,000 people including landmine survivors and young people studying to make a living. After working at Artisans these people can go back to their village and trade their merchandise and play are role in society. In Cambodia parts of the community are beginning to find ways to help people get their lives back.
These individuals have emerged from their tragedy with a purpose in life: bringing beauty into the lives of others, while making a place for themselves in society.
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