Giving back
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For the past several years, a local esthetician has been helping the people of Cambodia.
Hea Chhiv, known to everyone as Anna, is originally from a city in the northern part of Cambodia near the border of Thailand. She now lives and works in Tillsonburg, at Anastacia’s Salon Spa and Wellness on Broadway. Since moving to Canada in 2005, she has made the trip back to her home country on a regular basis, to visit family members who still live there and to give something back to the children and adults of this developing nation.
“We go to Cambodia every three years,” said Chhiv. “And every time that we go I help people.”
Chhiv feels very fortunate to now live in a country like Canada and doesn’t take her freedoms and blessings for granted.
“I just want to help people because I lived there before,” she said noting a very difficult time in Cambodia’s history between 1975 and 1979 under communist rule. “We didn’t have school - we had nothing.”
Although it is no longer under communist rule, life in Cambodia is still very difficult for people who live in smaller towns and villages throughout the country.
Each time she has returned, Chhiv has bought school supplies such as pens, pencils, paper and books for the children at schools in different areas across Cambodia.
She helps these children and villagers by using her own money and recently, funds that were raised through local support.
“I collect and use my tips, every time that I go,” said Chhiv.
During her last trip, Chhiv learned of a small village that did not have clean drinking water and wanted to help them build a well.
She raised approximately $1,000 to take with her to build a well in the small village. She returned to Cambodia this year on February 1, and stayed for four weeks.
“I saw a place that didn’t have it - a well and clean drinking water, so I talked with Stacey (owner of Anastacia’s Salon Spa and Wellness).”
Chhiv and Anastacia’s Salon Spa and Wellness began collecting donations from clients, staff members, the Tillsonburg Chamber of Commerce and the general public to raise money for the well in Cambodia.
“We had a chamber party here and we collected around $120,” she said. “We collected all the money and we totalled together, around $1,000.” The funds raised were just short of the amount needed so Chhiv said she gave a few hundred dollars of her own money to help complete the well project.
Chhiv said she is thankful for the opportunity to help the people in her home country and appreciates the support from her employer, fellow staff, the Tillsonburg Chamber of Commerce and from the community.
“I feel very good. I am so happy that I helped the people in Cambodia,” said Chhiv. “We are happy to give it to them.”