The Cambodian Children’s Painting Project was started in 2004 by Roger Dixon, an English artist. While painting on the beach, he sparked the interest of children who normally sell and beg to tourists. Realizing the extreme poverty facing these children and how vulnerable to exploitation most of them were, it was clear how these children needed an advocate.
With the support of a group from Ibiza, Spain who vacationed in Cambodia, the project was formed with the simple intention of improving the quality of life for Sihanoukville’s children. Initially, we supplied fresh drinking water, a meal, and an opportunity to paint. The project was registered as an NGO two years later in 2006, when Felix Brooks-Church, a young man from Ibiza, Spain, laid its existing groundwork.
More than 500 children have been part of our initiative, and we currently support 160 children and their families. At our core, we provide a safe place for children to express their creativity, which is essential to their development. Art is therapeutic and self-affirming, which promotes a child’s sense of well being.
Since our inception, we have evolved into Let Us Create, supported by a loyal network of volunteers and sponsors, as well as a full-time staff, who have been inspired to make an impact in the children’s day to day lives.
