Pour un Sourire d'Enfant (PSE) is a French NGO based in Phnom Penh, founded in 1996 by Christian and Marie-France des Pallières. Born from an encounter with children living at the Stung Meanchey landfill, the association has grown into a vast educational and vocational training centre. It welcomes visitors as part of responsible tourism, offering insight into a major humanitarian initiative in contemporary Cambodge.

Why visit PSE?

A visit to Pour un Sourire d'Enfant is unlike any other tourist stop in Phnom Penh. It is neither a temple nor a museum, but a living place where thousands of children study, eat and learn a trade. The encounter offers a glimpse into the other side of urban Cambodge, far from conventional circuits.

• Understand the country's recent social history through a concrete case study
• Support an English-speaking NGO recognized through a guided visit
• See how education transforms life trajectories sustainably
• Balance a darker visit such as Choeung Ek with a forward-looking message

The story of a commitment

In 1996, Christian and Marie-France des Pallières, then living in Cambodge, visited the Stung Meanchey landfill, in the southwestern suburbs of Phnom Penh. They described the place as « terrible, horrible » : heaps of waste drenched by monsoon rains, persistent odours, and especially children working all day collecting rubbish to sell.

Unable to remain bystanders, the founders open a small house on the edge of the landfill. Meals are cooked there, basic care is provided and French is taught, in hopes of gradually removing children from waste sorting. There were about twenty of them at first; several thousand children are now welcomed at the same location.

The original landfill no longer exists: it was closed and the site gave way to a « ghost landfill » adjacent to the educational complex built progressively from the original small house. Christian des Pallières passed away in 2016. Marie-France continued the outreach work in France and the administration of the NGO, which became well-structured over the years.

What to see and understand on site

The PSE centre is not a museum but an educational campus. The visit, guided by the association, provides access to part of the facilities and exchanges with the team. It usually lasts one to two hours.

Schools and vocational training centre

The site includes several levels of education, from remedial schooling to vocational training. The latter forms the heart of the model: hospitality and catering, mechanics, tailoring, construction trades, beauty services and commerce. The objective is to guarantee young people concrete professional integration in the Cambodian job market.

The canteen and services for children

PSE provides daily meals, medical monitoring and social support for families. The visit makes it possible to measure the global dimension of the project, which extends beyond the classroom.

Common spaces and the memory of the place

Panels and photographs trace the beginnings at Stung Meanchey. This is an opportunity to understand the transformation of the neighbourhood over thirty years and the place the NGO occupies in local memory.

Practical information

• Booking: the visit must be arranged in advance with PSE's reception service, by email or via the NGO's official website. Spontaneous visits are not guaranteed.
• Duration: allow 1 to 2 hours on site.
• Cost: the visit is usually free or by donation; confirm when you make contact.
• Code of conduct: appropriate dress, photographs of children forbidden without permission, respect for ongoing classes and accompanying rules.
• Support: you can extend the visit with a donation, sponsorship or a meal at the training restaurant run by students in hotel training.

How to get there

The PSE centre is located in the southwest of Phnom Penh, in the area of the former Stung Meanchey landfill, approximately 7 to 10 kilometres from the historic centre. Access is easy by tuk-tuk or taxi from the riverside or central market. Allow 20 to 40 minutes of travel depending on traffic. It is advisable to ask your driver to wait, as return options are limited in the neighbourhood.

To combine in the area

A visit to PSE fits naturally into a stay in Phnom Penh, but can also be combined with other sites in the country:

• Choeung Ek, the « killing fields » memorial, immediately south of the capital
• Phnom Da, a pre-Angkorian site accessible as an excursion from Phnom Penh
• Nokor Bachey, an ancient temple on the road to Kompong Cham
• Beng Mealea, a temple overgrown with vegetation, further north towards Angkor

Preparing your visit

To integrate Pour un Sourire d'Enfant into a coherent itinerary in Cambodge, combining heritage, memory and encounters, consult our circuit suggestions on our Cambodge travel page.