For 13-year-old Sear Kim used cans, plastic bottles, and metals are treasures. Every day, in her stained and dirty outfit, she walks barefoot on dangerous streets searching for recyclable products.

"Plastic is the most valuable because I can earn 1700 Riels [US$0.42} per kilo while metals can be sold for 1300 riels [US$0.32] per kilo and cans at 900 riels [US$0.22] per kilo," she says, smiling.

Sear starts collecting every day from 7 in the morning till lunch and again till 5 in the evening. She finishes her day by categorising wastes for sale to a junk dealer. She could make 7000-8000 Riels (US$1.75-$2.00) per day.
 
"I've been working as a scrape collector since I was nine. I don't like the job but as the oldest daughter I have to support my family's living, or we won't have food to eat," she explains.

Now it's time to return home. Sitting right in the middle of other village houses along the riverbank in Battambang province, Sear's house is comparable to a stable. The house is run-down and pokey. The roof leaks and walls have holes in them. Inside the house there is a clay-made cooker, a pot, some plates, and old clothes scattered on the bamboo floor.

Sear's mother, Seang Soy, in her 40s, sits in the middle of the doorway knitting girls' bracelets while her three-year-old daughter sleeps next to her. She looks pale and skinny. From her appearance, it's easy to see that she is not well.

"The doctor has diagnosed me with a heart disease. I have no energy. Sear is a pillar of the house. She has been feeding me for years, I know it's a very hard work for her," says Seang.

Sear used to have a father like other children. For income her father left the family to work in Thailand three years ago and never returned. His abandonment of the family brought despair to Sear's childhood.

"I am too busy to play. Besides collecting rubbish I have to take care of my younger sister and cook rice. Only when I get sick, do I rest," Sear explains.

When asked to recall the happiest moment in her life, at first Sear frowns and shakes her head as if she has never experienced such a time.

When asked to make a wish she would like to come true, she smiles and answers, "I want a stronger and bigger house. My current house shakes when people come inside…and some nights while I was sleeping, I have fallen out of the house through the holes in the walls."

Practical solutions for child labourers
World Vision's Combating Worst Forms of Child Labour Project in Battambang province reaches out to children like Sear every day. Through the project, World Vision aims to increase protection, care and reintegration of children, promote behaviour change in families and challenge communities to reduce the number of children working in hazardous, harmful and exploitative labour.

Since the project began in January 2006, 1,676 children have been contacted by the outreach team. 284 children attended the project's drop-in centre, 122 children received assistance to return to public school and 69 out-of-home children have been reintegrated with their original families.

One of the biggest challenges to the work is in ensuring that the basic needs of the family are still met, and that both parents and children are involved in decisions around if, how and where they will work.

When Sokunthy Sun, Family Reintegration Officer with World Vision, first came to visit Sear's family in their bleak situation, she was careful to explain how the services, such as non-formal education, a drop-in centre and regular outings, could only be of benefit. Seeing these opportunities open to her daughter, Sear's mother agreed to register her with the project.

"At the centre, I enjoy the non-formal education class the most. I learned to read, write and calculate numbers," says Sear.

Seeing Sear's enthusiasm and study habits, the project staff worked with a school principal to identify suitable classes for Sear. Now, Sear is officially registered and attending grade 2.

World Vision Cambodia is committed to increasing opportunities available to children and their families so that they can escape hazardous labour. For Sear and her family, the support of World Vision's integration programs means the whole family can receive assistance.