Salik, a 14-yearold boy, has become an overnight online star after a Malaysian visitor to the temples (寺庙) of Angkor in Cambodia posted a video on Facebook of him speaking 10 different languages. The post went viral throughout the country and many parts of Asia, throwing the spotlight on the boy.
Salik is one of many children selling simple gifts to tourists. But Salik has surprised visitors with his ability to talk in many foreign languages. His mostly self-taught skills are amazing. With this unusual talent, he earns more than other children. The money goes directly to his mother, who uses it to support Salik's as well as his brothers' education and the family's daily needs. Their home is just a few hundred meters from the famous temple Ta Prohm, and the family has struggled with debt.
Luckily, Salik's days as a temple seller could now be over. Rich businessmen and charities have promised thousands of dollars, donated new bicycles and toys, and agreed to support Salik's
education until he finishes university. With their support, he has made up his mind to further improve his language skills and general education. His dream is to become a tour guide when he finishes school, a dream close to his home and his heart, so he can travel to new countries.
Salik has that chance now while, sadly, most of the other children around him do not. In Cambodia, there are thousands of children on the streets, many of whom are forced to beg. Their job is to be happy and smiling for the tourists, who feel sad for them and give them money, but that money doesn't go to the children. It goes to the men in control of the children and the begging business. Therefore, the best way to help children in Cambodia, and elsewhere, is ''DON' T BUY FROM CHILDREN", according to Bruce Grant, Cambodia's Chief of Child Protection. He explains that the more a child earns, the more likely it is that he will continue to be forced to work.
