The housemothers

There are seven housemothers working in the Tani children’s village. They live in the children’s houses and are responsible for them. The housemothers get up at half past four every morning to prepare breakfast for the children. After the children go to school, they have some time for themselves, to eat and take a shower. Then, one housemother heads to the market in Tani to buy fresh meat, fish, fruits, and vegetables for lunch and dinner. When she comes back, they immediately start preparing lunch. They have to cook food for around 30 children and all the staff members. In the afternoon the housemothers sometimes tutor our children in Math and Khmer, especially the younger ones who just learned how to write and read. Our housemothers have a clear schedule, that determines when which housemother has to do the dishes, cut vegetables, clean the washrooms, water the flowers and more.

Apart from their duties in the kitchen and houses, they spend time with the children. They are their substitute mothers and you can clearly see how close they are with the children. They take care of the children’s hygiene, show them how to keep their houses tidy and clean, provide advice when needed and have an open ear for everyone. Thanks to them, the children grow up in a family-like environment and feel safe and loved in our children’s village.