The world children prize vote recently came to an end in Sweden, with Ms Somaly Mam, the child activitist and global vote nominee from cambodia clinching the prize for the rights of the child (WCPRC) 2008. Over 15 milliion children in all voted for the three candidates, whoes work centered on the struggle for child welfare.

Somaly Mam, who is from Cambodia, had contested with Josephina Candori and Agnes Stevens from Peru and the USA, respectively. Ms Mam was said to have won both the election and jury prizes, with the election prize being the one voted for by the global school children, and the jury prize being a special prize awarded by a panel of jury, who is responsible for the counting of the global votes. In fact all three candidates received prize money for their work in child rights, the total sum for each candidate been 150, 000 US Dollars.

This years award ceremony was held in Stolkolm at grispsholm castle in Mariefeld, Sweden, on the 18th of April, 2008.   The award ceremony tradditionally take place in mid April, and this, they say, is in memory of the first winner of the global prize, Masih Iqbal, from Pakistan. Mr Iqbal was killed on the 16th April 1995.

Somaly Mam has since been involved in the long and dangerous struggle for thousands of girls sold as slaves in Cambodia. Her humanitarian being out of experience, Somaly herself had been sold to a brothel as a child. So, she had vowed to ensure that all girls who have been slaves should have equal opportunities in life as others.

Through her organisation, AFESIP, she built three safe houses for girls they rescue from slavery, and provide them with not only a shelter, but a home, together with the regular provision of food, health care, and the chance to go to school, as well as training for jobs. Above all, Somaly gives the girls safety, warmth and love.

Today over 3000 girls who have been slaves have better lives, thanks to Somaly. She and her organisation speak on behalf of the girls in Cambodia by constantly encouraging the government and other organisations to take care of the country’s homeless and victimised girls.

"The most important thing is that we give the girls tenderness and love; there is nothing more important than that.  Most of them can grow strong and cope with life, despite everything they have been through", says Somaly herself.

Cambodia, Somaly’s homeland, was hard hit by a series of bloody conflicts that raged for about 30 years, with the consequent destruction of the infrasructure of the country, and the lose of many lives, and millions of people got displaced.  As a result of war and violence, Cambodia is now one of the worlds poorest countries, with a third of the population living on less than a dollar a day, and almost half (45%) of its children undernourished. The close to three decade’s conflict and violence has not only made Cambodia extremely poor, but it has also destroyed a whole generation as many have lost their sense of right and wrong.

"People have become brutal and think only of their survival, so that other people’s life is not worth much. The only thing that makes me really happy is seeing these victimised girls play and laugh again",  remarked Somaly.