It could not be more symbolic that Kall Kann, survivor of Cambodia’s killing fields and Country Director in Cambodia of the not-for-profit global organization, Room to Read, will talk about rebuilding literacy in Cambodia at the Rye Free Reading Room at 7pm on Monday, May 9th, 2011. Room to Read Cambodia has already built over 1,200 reading rooms in Cambodia to nurture a life-long love of reading and learning since it started its work in Cambodia in 2002. This has been no small task in a country where virtually all educated people were eliminated in genocidal killing fields and the schooling system all but collapsed during the 4-year communist Khmer Rouge regime from 1975 to 1978.
An improbable torchbearer of education, Kann became orphaned at the age of 12 when the Khmer Rouge seized power in Cambodia in 1975. He was almost 20 before he was able to go back to school, and he finished his schooling at almost 35. Kann credits his family with instilling in him the value of education from a young age, and this gave him the determination to go back to school when he could. “I strongly believe that education is the means – the only effective means – to end poverty,” said Kann in his recent interview with 10 x 10, a documentary group producing the groundbreaking feature film 10 x 10 about the stories of 10 girls from 10 developing countries as they navigate adolescence.
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When you hear about stuff like this, it really puts things in perspective. Our news media spends days and days endlessly blabbing on about Charlie Sheen, or some football player’s tweet — when the stuff that matters, like this, get’s so little attention. Kudos to you for remembering and reminding us what matters.