Voice 1
Welcome to Spotlight. I'm Joshua Leo
Voice 2
And I'm Liz Waid. Spotlight uses a Special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
For decades, the country of Cambodia has suffered from war. In 1975 a communist political group, the Khmer Rouge, took control of the government. Before they took control of the country, Cambodia was a leader in international sports. But the Khmer Rouge stopped this.
Voice 2
Today's Spotlight is about a group working to bring sports back to Cambodia by working with disabled people.
Voice 1
The Khmer Rouge ruled the country of Cambodia in a violent way. They wanted to change the whole Cambodian culture. They wanted Cambodia to be communist. They forced educated city people to become farmers. They killed anyone involved in "free market activities". This included killing most people with education, people living in large cities, and people with connections to foreign governments. Today, people remember the Khmer Rouge as one of the most deadly political groups of the twentieth [20] century. During their rule, they killed about one fifth of the total population of the country.
Voice 2
Today Cambodia is a free country. But there are problems that still exist because of past wars. For years, armies buried land mines in the ground all over Cambodia. When a person steps on a land mine, it explodes and injures the person.
Voice 1
Estimates show there may be around three million [3,000,000] land mines still buried in Cambodia. These land mines continue to kill and injure children and adults. Even when a person survives a landmine explosion, they often lose an arm or leg. So, a large group of people in Cambodia have to learn to live without a leg, arm, or hand
Voice 2
Groups are working to remove these land mines. It will take years before all the land mines are gone. But Cambodia is healing. And sports have been an important part of the process of change
Voice 1
Sports can be a great way to teach positive values. Values like working together, respect, and fairness are all important elements of sports. One group in the city of Phnom Penh is working with disabled people in the city. They encourage these values by playing volleyball. The group is called the Cambodian National Volleyball League (Disabled) or CNVLD.
Voice 2
Volleyball is a sport where two teams stand on either side of a large rope net. The teams hit a ball back and forth over the net with their hands. But everyone on the CNVLD teams is disabled. They have lost arms or legs because of land mines or other problems.
Voice 1
The group started in 2002 and has grown to include eighteen [18] teams. These teams make up the club. Many of the teams have members who fought against each other in civil wars. Former Khmer Rouge soldiers and government soldiers play on the same team. They try to forget the past and look toward the future. They forget about bad things and work together to be a good team.
Voice 2
Every year the club teams compete against each other. The final winning team wins five thousand [5,000] dollars. This is two years worth of money for each team member. The teams train often and play very seriously. The team members do not let their disability prevent them from playing well. Christopher Minko is one of the leaders of the CNVLD. He knows that the club teams are very skilled.
Voice 3
"At this point in time there is not one single able-bodied Cambodian team that has the courage to play against our national disabled team."
Voice 1
The CNVLD is rated number three in the world. They often beat non-disabled teams, including the Australian Navy team.
Voice 2
The volleyball teams include only men, but the CNVLD also has a program for women. The women do not play volleyball. Instead, they participate in wheelchair clubs. This program is called "Women on the Move"
Voice 1
The wheelchair program includes forty [40] women. It is the first time in Cambodia that disabled women are involved in sports. Usually, disabled women in Cambodia cannot live normal lives. Often they stay in the home. But the disabled women in the wheelchair club find new meaning to life. The group helps disabled women to find a new way to enter back into Cambodian social life.
Voice 2
The Group gives each woman a special wheelchair made for racing. This wheelchair design was the first racing wheelchair ever made in Cambodia. On either side of a small seat there are two large wheels. In the front there is one wheel. The women gather together and train in the streets of Phnom Penh. As they ride, they show people in the city that disabled people can do great things too. The women also teach people about the problem of land mines.
Voice 1
Often, people with disabilities feel bad because people do not see them as equals. Many able-bodied people feel sad for people with disabilities. Often disabled people are given money. But the CNVLD knows that money will not always be available. This is why they use sports as a way of improving the lives of disabled people.
Voice 2
The CNVLD believes that team sports can improve a person's body, mind, and social situation. Using sports, they help the health and physical recovery for disabled people. Teaching a person how to play sports is a great way to keep their body healthy and help them heal from injuries.
Voice 1
CNVLD works to make the lives of all people in Cambodia better in many different ways.
Voice 2
The group improves life in cities and towns by creating sporting clubs. These clubs become important parts of communities and help the cities to grow.
Voice 1
They teach people about disability issues. Many people in Cambodia have incorrect ideas about disabled people. The CNVLD wants to change these ideas. They want to let people know about the challenges that disabled people face. They want to show that disabled people are a valuable part of a community.
Voice 2
They work for women's rights. The "Women on the Move" program encourages disabled women to become involved in sports.
Voice 1
The groups also cares for the environment. They do this by making environmentally friendly sports areas. The wider community can use these sports areas.
Voice 2
And finally, the CNVLD works to find jobs for disabled people.
Voice 1
The CNVLD continues to grow every year. The group hopes to make big changes in the country of Cambodia. They are greatly improving the lives of disabled people all over the country. And the sports teams continue to find success all over the world. This group is bringing sports back to Cambodia - one person at a time.
|