MESSAGE

A MESSAGE FROM KENYA

My name is Kenya Prach. I was born in Cambodia and stand as one of the few lucky people who actually survived the bombs which were dropped on the Cambodian border during the Vietnam War. I also survived the atrocities in the Cambodian killing fields. Unfortunately, many of my friends and family members, including my sister and brother did not share my blessed fate and were among the estimated 2 million innocent Cambodians who were either brutally killed, starving to death or forced into slave labor by the Khmer Rouge for four years.

Although I was able to survived the mass murder, I was not able to avoid the Khmer Rouge’s hideous reach. The majority of my childhood was spent either traveling from place to place in an effort to remain free or in labor camps where I was forced to perform impossible work with no food, medicin or education.

Luckily, I managed to immigrate from a refugee camp in Thailand to the United States with nothing but a shirt and a pair of pants to my name. Many people come to the United States to pursue their dreams. My only dream is to stay alive and to help fight the crimes against humanity that were perpetrated against people epecially innocent children.

Khmer Rouge not only killed my family member, but it also took away my dreams.

I was not able to experience a normal childhood and I wouldn’t want any child to go through the same hardship that I went through.

I want to share my life and my fortunate opportunity to help others even though I am still poor.

I have dedicated my life and career to help and save as many lives as possible - and do more to create a better world for all of us to live in.”