The Cambodia Trust is an organization that provides orthopaedic braces and artificial limbs to children born with crippling diseases, kids who contract polio , and people injured by landmines (there is visibly large amount of amputees all over the country of Cambodia- victims of Chinese, American and Vietnamese interventions.) I volunteered my photographic services to this organization on a recent trip to the region (summer 2005). The kids I worked with are great, and I met some very tough, dedicated and strong-willed people working under extremely difficult conditions. Part of what the Cambodia Trust does is survey the countryside on long expeditions looking for children and adults who need new limbs, braces, wheelchairs and physiotherapy. Once they find them, they are invited to the clinic to be fitted for prosthetics, and the family - if they are willing - is trained in helping the child grow and learn to live with the new limb.

The Cambodia Trust also makes follow-up visits every year. This is part of what makes this organization so amazing. They actually make door to door housecalls in the country villages offering their services and support completely free to the people. I went out with the follow-up team for a day and met some beautiful children and wonderfully supportive families. One father we met was so proud of his handicapped little girl that he had built her a set of parallel bars to practice walking with in the front yard! In Cambodia, that takes guts.

The Cambodia Trust runs an education centre, the Cambodian School of Prosthetics and Orthotics (CSPO), where men and women learn to fit artificial limbs and orthopaedic braces. The aim of CSPO is to create the foundation of physical rehabilitation services by producing qualified specialists with the skills and knowledge to provide support for disabled people in Cambodia and other developing countries.

It is my hope that these photographs will help bring attention to this amazing organization and assist in raising awareness of these problems. If you are moved by these photographs please consider making a contribution. You can visit their website at http://www.cambodiatrust.com/help.htm

Thanks