Treak Creations

In common with charity shops/op shops/thrift stores around the world, TREAK Creations Charity Shop sells an eclectic range of donated items. It also sells high quality products made by local women who are trained and employed in its own workshop at Treak Community Centre.  The workshop and sewing centre has two purposes: 
 

• to provide local women with skills they can use to earn a living wage and support themselves and their families

• to sell its products to help fund the free English and other classes that Treak Community Centre provides for the young people of this community

 

Treak Community Centre is run by Salin and her staff of local Cambodians, supported by her English husband, Michael.  Salin grew up in a poor family in the extremely challenging years immediately after the Khmer Rouge.  Her father was absent for long periods and she left school at 14 to work and support her family.  

 

Though she’s highly intelligent she feels acutely aware of her curtailed education.  At 19 she grabbed the chance of some free sewing training offered by a charity.  Having had that opportunity herself, Salin is now determined to help Cambodians realise their potential through education and skills training.

 

Her story of the 2020’s mirrors the challenges experienced by Michael’s mother, Laura.

 

Laura Simpson also hailed from a poor working-class family, growing up with the challenges of the Depression years in 1930s Britain.  This was exacerbated by her father’s absence due to his fighting in the Second World War.  Laura was extremely clever but state school ended for her generation at age fifteen and she left to become a wage earner.  She too became a skilled seamstress. 

 

Laura felt that education was the path to opportunity and worked tirelessly to support and encourage her own children to attend school/college/university for as long as they wished.  Her family meant everything to her and she was extremely proud of her children.  

 

Laura passed away all too early in 1998 at the age of 64 but had seen her dream brought to life through her children’s lives and achievements.

Laura’s Dream of access to education, and her spirit of dogged resilience, is alive and well.   The proceeds from the sale of Treak Creations’ products directly support Treak Community Centre, helping it to provide free education for the young people in the local community, and valuable training and employment for local women in Treak village.