Janet Vanniroth’s mother, Vannsath Nguon, at the refugee processing center in Chonburi, Thailand, 1980. This is her official photo documenting her sponsorship to the U.S. has been approved.
Janet Vanniroth (in red) in front of the orphanage at the Khao-I-Dang refugee center, Thailand, 1980. Janet is with her mother, Vannsath Nguon (in white t-shirt) and a staff friend, Yanine Ray (in blue), with her son. Yanine’s son now lives in Colorado and is an optometrist.
Janet Vanniroth (center, front row) with some of the staff “mothers” who worked in the orphanage center at the Khao-I-Dang refugee camp, Thailand, 1980. Janet’s mother, Vannsath Nguon, is 3rd from right wearing the black and white striped top.
Janet Vanniroth with children and staff at the orphanage at Khao-I-Dang refugee camp, Thailand, 1980. In the back row, from left is one of the orphanage staff “mothers” (unidentified) and her husband (unidentified); next is Auntie Ray (She is not a blood relative, but it is a common practice in Cambodia to address everyone using kinship terms); other orphanage staff are unidentified. Janet is in the front row, 2nd from right, wearing a dress. The rest of the children are unidentified. Janet’s mother worked at the orphanage for nearly a year (1979 to 1980).
Janet Vanniroth with children at the orphanage at Khao-I-Dang refugee camp, Thailand, 1980. Janet is in the second row, wearing a red dress. Her mother, Vannsath Nguon, is at the far right wearing a white CRS (Catholic Relief Services) t-shirt with black pants. CRS may have been overseeing the orphanage operations. The woman at the far left, also wearing the CRS t-shirt, worked at the orphanage. Janet identified her as Auntie Ray. She is not a blood relative, but it is a common practice in Cambodia to address everyone using kinship terms. The rest of the children are unidentified. Janet stayed in touch with Auntie Ray and visited her in Canada where she received sponsorship.
Janet Vanniroth in the orphanage center where her mother worked in the Khao-I-Dang refugee camp, 1980. Woven mats were used to divide the space into rooms for the children. Staff, like Janet’s mother, lived in the office areas, while their children slept in the orphanage center with the other children. The staff prepared meals and dining was communal. When Janet’s mother learned that her husband had escaped to the U.S., she had the photo taken to send to him.
