Wats Up: Facing the Poor

October 23, 2008 at 11:30 AM | by ced138 | Comments (0)

Be prepared. Visitors to Angkor are confronted with great beauty and terrible ugliness. Indifference toward poverty occurs everywhere, but the contrast is even more stark in a city surrounded by a great world wonder and filled with foreign-owned, five-star resorts.

The ultimate irony of Angkor is that a thousand years ago, poor Khmers built the great temples they were never allowed to enter, and today they are essentially left out of Angkor's lucrative tourism industry.

Because tourists flock to Siem Reap in droves, so do beggars. Aggressive children and disfigured land mine victims fill the streets of the city and surround the gates of the Angkor temples, asking foreigners for donations. The experience can be heartbreaking, and after some time, becomes pretty damn irritating, for those willing to admit it.

Travelers are left with two options. They can either feed the beast by supporting this harmful and unsustainable system, or feel like terrible people by ignoring the requests of those clearly in need. We recommend a third option in order to enjoy your visit guilt-free: Donate to a local charity.

Or if time permits, volunteer. These are just some of the worthwhile organizations that provide real assistance to the Cambodians of Siem Reap:

Related Stories:
· Angkor Hospital for Children [Official Site]
· Sunrise Children's Village [Official Site]
· Documentation Center of Cambodia [Official Site]
· Cambodia Landmine Museum [Official Site]
· Wats Up: Intro to Angkor [Jaunted]

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