My name is Heng. I was born in Anlong Sleng village, Kandal province. I have one brother and three sisters. Before coming to the orphanage I lived with my aunt. I stayed with her because when I was younger there was a problem in my family. When I was 10, my parents were arguing a lot – they left each other and divided their property. I went with my father to live with his mother. I stayed there a long time but one day my aunt visited and invited me to live with her. I left my father’s house without my father’s permission and went with her. In the morning I imagined my father would be very angry with me.

At New Year I went back to my father’s house and was surprised to learn that he had a new step-wife. My mother had left home and my siblings were suffering because of this. Luckily my grandmother accepted me to live with her. I was angry with my parents – they took no responsibility for my life.Later my aunt’s husband had to stop work and they became poorer. I tried to help her weaving silk and cleaning the house, but she had many children of her own – so my father decided to bring me to the orphanage.