L.A. City Worker Builds Water Wells in His Native Cambodia with Help from his Street Services Crew

Tom Eng, a Khmer Rouge survivor, was recognized by the City of Los Angeles Board of Public Works for his “exemplary humanitarian efforts.”

I’m a survivor. Now I see others suffering and I want to help. Tom Eng LA City Maintenance Worker

When Tom Eng made his first return visit to his home country of Cambodia after 14 years, he was overwhelmed to see the needs of villagers who live without power and must walk miles to obtain fresh water. “The people asked me to help but at the time I was too poor,” he said.

In 1999 he began his career with the City of Los Angeles. He worked his way up to Maintenance Laborer in Lot Cleaning and Resurfacing, where he drives an over-the-cab loader and clears illegally dumped debris.

In October 2006 he began collecting donations from his co-workers and managers there, many of whom had heard Tom’s tales of escaping the Khmer Rouge, the brutal regime that ruled Cambodia from 1975 to 1979 and killed around 1.5 million people.

Tom also gathered funds from the Cambodian-American community and matched all donations with his own savings. On November 10, 2006 he went back to Cambodia, where he drilled and built five water wells for five different villages.

“I’m a survivor," said Tom. "The communists almost killed me. I escaped but I had no water. I drank from cow holes—cows walking make holes; the rain comes and they fill up with water. I had to drink that. It was muddy, like milk. Now I see others suffering and I want to help.”

Tom has the admiration of his Lot Cleaning crew. “Just knowing Tom has made me a better person,” said Martin Alarcon.

He was imprisoned by the Khmer Rouge for a year and a half. They accused him of being CIA because his face doesn’t look Cambodian enough (his grandfather was Chinese). They worked him 16 hours a day on ¼ pound of rice per day. “I had to eat mouse, snake, turtle, lizard, snail, to survive,” he said.

He escaped and walked 300 miles to the border with Thailand. “I lost so much weight that when the wind blew I would almost fall down.” He survived Khmer Rouge soldiers who accused him of being Vietnamese and Vietnamese soldiers who accused him of being Khmer Rouge. He made more than one midnight escape before finding himself in a forest battlefield where the Khmer Rouge fought forces of the Khmer Republic.

He and some companions hid in a water hole, from where they could hear UN representatives just across the Thai border calling out on a megaphone in French, English and other languages.

“I could see them motioning for us to run,” he said. “I had no choice. If I stayed I would die. So I ran. The Cambodians shot at me. People running with you, if they fell, they were shot.” Tom was lucky enough to make it across.

He spent six months in a refugee camp. He learned English, and eventually made it to the United States as a UN refugee. “I dreamed of coming to the United States and eating good food,” he said.

In November 2007 after collecting further donations Tom returned and built six more wells in five more villages, which brought water to 320 families. He kept costs for each well down to about $280 by getting villagers to help with the work.

“The villagers were so grateful to the American people and LA City employees,” Tom said. His children Elizabeth and Danny each donated five dollars from their piggy banks.

On January 30, 2008 the Los Angeles Board of Public Works honored Tom with a Certificate “in recognition of his exemplary humanitarian efforts...which resulted in the building of much-needed water wells in his native country. His contribution to this effort is acknowledged and appreciated by the Board of Public Works and the City of Los Angeles.”

At the ceremony, attended by Tom’s co-workers and Bureau of Street Services managers, as well as his wife Marissa and their children, Board President Cynthia Ruiz committed to funding one well herself, and fellow Commissioner Valerie Lynne Shaw, who praised Tom for “giving back to the community in a global sense,” committed to funding another.

Next to each well Tom places a small monument with the names of those who contributed to the project. “I promise to take care of all the money,” he said, “I never lose a penny.”

On his next trip in November 2008 Tom plans to bring medicine, rice, clothing, cooking oil, and dried smoked fish for the old men. Many of the villagers have no income. Many are disabled, having lost arms and legs to war and landmines. Many children have been orphaned by HIV.

“I believe in making a difference all over the world,” Eng said. “This is only the beginning for me but I will not be able to make it alone.”

Those interested in helping Tom can call him at 323-833-9626 to find out how to donate.

Front row, left to right: Raul Henriquez; Jonathan Weathington; Enrique Palmas; Tom Eng (with certificate); Michael Holmes; Phyliss Meyi; and James Johnson. Back row: James Washington and Jorge Sanchez; Martin Alarcon; Deon Jones; Ron Olive; Serarade Nichols; and Jeff Costa.