| Savang Chhorm Lovan |
| Rising above fear and struggle by Laura Salinger |
| It is amazing to hear about the struggles that some people have faced in their lifetime. For those of us raised in middle-class America, it is sometimes unfathomable. Such is the case with Savang Chhorm Lovan. Now a childcare specialist worker at MATC and president of the Khmer Association of Wisconsin, Lovan's life began during a time of turmoil. Lovan was born in Cambodia in 1975, the year that also marked the beginning of the Khmer Rouge's reign in Cambodia. Referred to as "one of the most lethal regimes of the 20th Century," the Khmer Rouge was responsible for the displacement, starvation, and death of millions. Led by leader Pol Pot, this extremist communist organization attempted to depopulate Cambodian cities and force nearly the entire population to become farmers in labor camps. They closed schools and hospitals; outlawed all religions; and confiscated all private property. It is estimated that they are responsible for the deaths of 1.7 million people, although some claim this number is much higher. Lovan's entrance to this world was marred by struggle from the onset. Her parents, once farmers in Battambang, had their land confiscated by the Khmer Rouge and were left to care for their younger children in the forests of Cambodia. Lovan's older siblings were forced to work in labor camps. According to Lovan, "they worked from dawn until dusk." Four would eventually die from starvation. In 1978, Lovan's parents would take their children and attempt a treacherous escape across the Thailand border. Strewn with land mines and dead bodies, the journey was literally life or death. Lovan was only three years old at the time. "I was very young," she said. "What I remember the most is hearing the bombs." The family eventually made it into Thailand and sought safety at a refugee camp. Lovan's father, a Buddhist monk, lived in the temple there, while the family struggled to find food. "Living in the camp was very tough," Lovan said. "We never had enough food. We were always struggling." Lovan's father died when she was five and she clearly remembers that horrific morning. After spending two years at a Thai refugee camp, the family was moving to a different camp. As they were loading the bus to depart, her father collapsed. He was soon pronounced dead. "I remember crying every single day after my father died," Lovan said. / At the second camp, Lovan's family struggled each day to make ends meet. Although the refugee camps were meant to be a safe haven for those fleeing war-torn countries, Lovan said she lived in constant fear. "We were scared all the time," she said. "There was robbery all the time. I even witnessed the death of a family [due to] robbery. They caught the robbers. I remember their faces when they drove down the street." It is these memories, Lovan said, that still remain fresh in her mind. She essentially grew up with fear as a constant presence in her life. "We were always fearful," she said. "But we survived. You survive daily by doing what you need to do-with your own power. No one's going to give you food unless you work for it." Lovan and her family left Thailand in 1981 and moved to Indonesia. "It was a better place for us," she said. "There was electricity, although not where we lived. There were public toilets. We had our own little garden and I would go and sell vegetables." Lovan's family lived in Indonesia for several years, until they eventually moved to Chicago. Although the United States was dream-like in Lovan's imagination, the reality was filled with struggles of a different kind. Knowing no English and nothing of the culture, Lovan still faced daily fears. |
| "When I first went to school it was really a struggle," she said. "I didn't even know how to ask my teachers to go to the bathroom. I literally [urinated] on myself, because I thought I would get in trouble." To make matters worse, Lovan's mother died when she was just a freshman in high school. She moved in with one of her older sisters and her family. They moved continuously. Lovan, who was trying so desperately to adjust to this country, was forced to transfer schools four times in just one year. Eventually, Lovan would move with her sister's family to Madison and take up residence on Allied Drive. But fear was still a constant presence in her life. Her sister's husband was abusive and Lovan had little freedom. She was expected to come straight home from school each day and was not allowed to participate in any extracurricular events or activities. "My sister and her husband were very traditional," she said. "I was never able to experience anything that a real teen-ager does. My senior year, I left home, because I couldn't stand it anymore." Lovan moved in with a Mormon family in Cross Plains and converted to the religion. She was finally able to become active in different activities, including becoming president of the international club at her high school and a panel member for human rights discussions. "I finally got the opportunity to figure out who I am," she said. Lovan met her future husband as a senior in high school. They were married the next year. Now a mother of four children and recent graduate of MATC's early childhood education program, Lovan is rising above her struggles and aiming to lead her community. For the past three years, Lovan has headed the Khmer Association of Wisconsin and is now looking to rejuvenate the organization by increasing membership and providing additional services. She admits it has been difficult because she is young and female, something that has turned off some older and more traditional members. Her goal is to bridge that generation gap and create a successful organization. She is currently working with students at UW-Madison to create questionnaires for Cambodian community members in Madison to learn what kinds of services they need and desire. She is also seeking to form a relationship with the Buddhist community. |
| "We are essentially starting from scratch," she said. "My main goal is let people know we are out there. The big picture is to be visible to the community. We want people to know we can serve them." The Khmer Association of Wisconsin provides translation services, limited youth services, and will host a New Years celebration in April. They plan to expand programming in years to come. |
| For more information on the Khmer Association of Wisconsin, contact Savang Chhorm Lovan at slovan@matcmadison.edu or (608) 217-2990. |
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