Makara’s parents divorced, and his father abandoned Makara and his siblings, leaving his mother to shoulder the responsibility of both raising the children and repaying a bank loan. To cover the monthly debt, her mother had to move to Phnom Penh to work in a garment factory, but she is only able to send money home occasionally, leaving Makara and his siblings with little financial support. While his mother is working in Phnom Penh, the children remain in their home without any adult supervision. For meals, they rely on their aunt and uncle, who live next door The aunt and uncle make a modest living by collecting cow dung to sell. They manage to collect around four bags per month, earning 2,500 riel (S$0.83) per bag. Aside from this small income, they receive government assistance of 34,000 riel (S$11.30) per month through a poverty certificate. Makara and his siblings want to continue their education hence they are willing to come to HVPV for a better future.