Cambodia's children

My personal guides at Phnom Banan just outside Battambang were Srey Na and Tola

Wherever you are, the children of Cambodia will be close by. It's a country where the largest sector of the population is of school age. That's if they're lucky enough to go to school. Many don't. Some of the children in these photos don't attend school, some go for a couple of hours each day, if their parents can afford it. It's a fact of life here, unlike the easy access to schooling that we take for granted living in the West. Whether at school or not, the smiles and laughter are never far away either and that's the sound that will linger long in my memory from my weekend excursion to Battambang, Banteay Chhmar and Siem Reap. Here's a few of the children I met along the way.

These mini-guides at Phnom Sampeau get some hand-sign training from my colleague Kimhean

These youngsters accompanied our 'norry' bamboo train ride just outside Battambang

Srey Nich and Srey Noch at Banteay Chhmar that did a great job in collecting bottles and cans as well as leaping across the ruins with a small fan in hand to cool me down