This week's postings are dedicated to the cleaners and recyclers of Phnom Penh. City cleaners are everywhere. Dressed in green, they sweep streets, gutters and parks, usually in the early mornings.

Recyclers have two-wheeled carts and daily walk miles along regular routes. They announce their presence with hand-held 'squeakers'--kind of like a plastic toy. Homeowners will save plastic and glass bottles, cans and cardboard and take them to the street when they hear the sound. The recyclers then sell their goods at local centers, making $40-60 a month.

That's the way it works in the more affluent neighborhoods. The uglier side of the business is the number of children forced by economics to scavange trash and beg for recyclables. No school means no education which translates to no hope for their futures. We are grateful for the charitable organizations that do their best to help these youth move toward better lives.