In The News
December, 2009
Hom has started his Degree course of Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine at Prek Leap National School of Agriculture and is more than happy! SCAO in the future is planed to have education centers at the countryside where training in modern agricultural know how plays a key role for the development of this main economic sector in Cambodia. Hom's studies are a first step toward this vision! His first semester is sponsored by a German with 300 US$. Further sponsors are needed
Since beginning of December the Child care center and its access is completely water-free.
The library (reading corner) has a new paint and several books were added through donations.
A dutch fund raising organization donated a laundry machine and volunteers donated a fridge.
The sewing project becomes more and more effective. We have one more student. Several products are designed and tailored by the students and the teacher: Shirts, shorts, wallets and hand bags out of rice bags. At the moments these products are used as presents for donators who visit the site. Pictures of these products will be sent soon.
There have been several requests for mr. Samith and myself to house more children from poor regions as Preah Vihear (homeland of Srey Hue) and from the slums of Phnom Penh. Mr. Samith has to make the decision to add 2 or 3 children to the care center within the next few months. Therefore extension of the upper sleeping room is absolutely necessary. Construction and furnishing costs are approximately $2.500. A design plan of the necessary construction will be delivered soon. Donations in the next few weeks will be used primarily for the sleeping room extension. Construction should start at the beginning of 2010. Our first guest is a 12 year old, from Preah Vihear who will be invited to join the lovely SCAO family next week.
Once the new sleeping quarters are added the center will focus on a Computer learning project to be set up by the end of January. The reading corner offers place for at least 2 small desks where 4 basic Laptops could be placed and removed easily for safety reasons and to allow for more space at meal times. Daily classes in the beginning will take place for 1 - 2 hours in the afternoon and in the evening, led by volunteers after designing a detailed teaching plan and schedule.
On 20th of December SCAO together with the current volunteers will organize a Christmas Party for all children of the center, the sewing project, the English classes and all children of the neighborhood.
The opening of a second SCAO Child care and Education Center is roughly planed for April 2011. First orientations about location and total start-up costs are discussed with Mr. Samith. Suggestions, ideas, constructive critics and any support is highly welcome!
We urgently need committed LONG-TERM (at least 4 weeks) Volunteers to live at the Center and who are willing and able to support SCAO and Mr. Samith in the daily Management of the project, attendance of interested visitors, fund raising activities, etc.
In total, we can observe that the global financial crisis is hidding Cambodia strongly these months. Over 30.000 garment workers have lost their jobs recently, according to an article in the Phnom Penh Post. Extremely increasing number of robbery cases are another negative side effect that can be observed in the capital. The newest report of the UNDP about global development shows Cambodia's population remains one of the most disadvantaged world wide. See: http://hdrstats.undp.org/
November, 2009
SCAO and other volunteers rented a bus to Sihanoukville where Mr. Samith, the children and our wonderful volunteers spent 2 nights in a basic accomodation giving the children the posibility to see the seaside for the first time in their life and moving away from the infested flood waters. The trip was 100% financed by Nimol from Cambodia, Norma and Kathy from Canada, Maria from Holland and the initiators Jordi and Israel from Cataluña, Spain. SCAO can't extend enough gratitude to these thoughtful people.
It was amazing how confident the children were as they jumped into to the ocean for the first time of their life! Words cannot describe their happiness, their enjoyment with the waves, their responsible behavior and their face expression when they swallowed the salty seawater!
See our slide show of the fun times had by all on our home page.