In the lead-up to World Day Against Child Labour, LICADHO is releasing a two-part digital photo essay series highlighting linkages between child labour and issues such as poverty, school drop-out rates and land eviction. The first video will be released on Monday, June 9 and the second will be released on Tuesday, June 10. LICADHO will issue a full statement on June 11, the day before World Day Against Child Labour which officially falls on June 12.

In late 2006 and early 2007, Kompieng’s family was one of 51 families evicted by authorities from O Tres commune, Preah Sihanouk province, during a land dispute with a company and a private landowner. Many of the families claimed that they had been living at O Tres commune since 1993. Kompieng’s family relocated two kilometers away after they were evicted. However, her parents’ sudden loss of livelihoods, the high cost of transportation, and her mother’s ailing health pressured Kompieng to drop out of school and start doing odd jobs to help support her family. She dreams of finishing school and improving her life.