“When I see other children my age with extra time to play, food to eat, and nice clothes to wear, I am jealous and disappointed with what little I have,” fifteen-year old Ly Long complains as he recounts his life as a scrap collector.

Long is the oldest son in his family, living with a widowed mother and 4 siblings; struggling for day-to-day survival in an illegal settlement of Battambang province. The family lives in a 5 meters by 2.5 meters cottage on the bank of the river, surrounded by zincs. The shelter can hardly withstand a strong wind blow. During the rainy season, when water level rises, Long’s family is forced to leave their cottage to sleep on the streets until the water level drops before returning to the cottage.

Each day, Long walks on bare feet in search of recycled waste along the roads, which he resells for a small sum of money. What little he earns plus supplements from his mother’s laundry service, can only keep the family living from hand-to-mouth.

Just nine months ago, Long’s alcoholic father died suddenly. Although the incidence makes Long an orphan, he actually prefers living this way because his father never provided help to the family.

“I am scared every time I look into my father’s face because I’d think he’d want to hit me” said Long.

The locals know Long’s father as a village drunk because of the daily abuse of his wife and children. Long, being the oldest brother, has been experiencing his father’s abuse since the age of five when his father threw him in the river. Later, Long received an even stronger “beating” at the age of twelve, when his nose became severed from the firewood his father had thrown at him. His nose received 5 stitches and healed over time. Long’s abusive father never worked to support the family. Instead, he had spent the family’s money on alcohol. If Long and his mother refused, they would receive a beating.

“If I return home from scavenging without money, my father would beat me and scold me about wasting time.” Long recalls.

Like other children, Long avoids getting beaten by his father at all cost. When faced with abuse, he runs and begs for help from his mother, and when she’s not around, he’d go to the local villagers. Similarly, when Long sees his father beat his mother, he’d call for the elderly people and siblings to help, but this often resulted in his father fighting with the rescuers.

Long is a good example of a model child. Despite the day-to-day obstacles and challenges he face as a scrap collector, Long's commitment to his family's well-being is unparrelled. Putting his family first in his life, Long was forced to quit school and has not returned since the second grade.

“Sometimes, when I search for waste in front of people’s homes, they would chase and accuse me of being a thief trying to steal their clothes,” said Long.

In response to children living in difficult circumstances such as Long, World Vision Cambodia established the Combating the Worst Forms of child Labour project (CWCLP) in 2006 to reduce the worst forms of urban child labor in Battambang and Phnom Penh through community mobilization and empowerment, direct assistance, capacity building, awareness raising and advocacy.

At this time, there are approximately 102 children involved in the part-time non-formal education. CWCLP is open to help child laborers such as child domestic labourer, and children working in brick factory, constructions and scrap collecting to access informal education through providing library material and recreation.

Since the start of the CWCLP, Long has registered with the World Vision center to participate in the informal education opportunity. The part-time informal education center will help Long to complete his schoolings. Moreover, the playground and recreational activities helps to return the smiles and excitement of childhood back into Long’s life that he had once lost.

“The center brings me a lot of friends and fun, I really enjoy playing in the center.” said Long.

With support from World Vision Cambodia’s project, Long is now able to return to school with other children. Long and his family receives household items and school uniforms and materials that enable him to continue his education.

“My family’s condition has improved from day to day. Now, my mother encourages me to attend class regularly. My favorite subject is literature. I’d like to become a great teacher in the future.”