Perth, Crawley & Dalkeith Rotary Polio Dinner: Addheka's story

Guest Speaker, Addheka, runs the Aid Projects of Mercy for the very poorest of children in Cambodia. She lived through the horrors of the Khmer Rouge Regime.  In April 1975, Addheka was diagnosed as a two-year-old with Polio, she learned to walk aged fourteen. Addheka became part of the forced evacuation of the entire population from the city of Phnom Penh. Her father had 24 children and three wives. Within days, the family became scattered and isolated. For much of the next four years, Addheka was alone, surviving unusual hardship and witnessing the fanatical, irrational and murderous reality of the Khmer Rouge regime. A large proportion of the population especially the better educated suffered and died. Addheka became part of the forced population away from the capital Phnom Penh. Most of her family were killed by the regime. After the end of the Khmer Rouge regime, Addheka returned to Phnom Penh to find her surviving family members. She became part of the reconstruction effort of the city working in a major hospital, before becoming a language teacher and its Principal soon after. Addheka went onto become a force in rebuilding Cambodia and founding of the Aid Projects of Mercy for the very poorest children in Cambodia. Addheka’s story is amazing.

Bookings close on 20th October at 5:00pm