Some amazing things have been happening in remote villages in Cambodia
A BIT OF HISTORY…
In 2011, Patti Lee and Barbara Seagram heard of a school in Cambodia that needed bikes to get the kids to school. They raised enough money for 40 bikes and while in Cambodia, Barbara, Patti and 2 others went to see the school. This is how we began to fulfill the promise of Rotary to help Cambodians with resources to:
- Provide clean water, sanitation and hygiene
- Fight disease
- Save mothers and children
- Promote education and literacy
- Grow local economies
While there, Patti and Barbara met Pauline Johns, who has lived in Cambodia for up to 6 months per year and helped to shape the Cambodian organization ‘Banyan Tree Organization’, which manages all of our projects in Cambodia. Pauline, Barbara, & Patti volunteer all of their time and pay for all of their travel and living expenses.
In 2011, many changes have occurred. We went there in a small tuk-tuk along the dusty roads through Phnom Penh and out into the countryside to find that the school was a one-room shack with a cement floor and no desks or chairs. The bikes were given to children, mainly children of landmine victims. It was all very uplifting but Patti and Barbara looked at each other and wondered how long this shack would remain standing.
We inquired how much it would cost to build a permanent school and found that it would cost $24,000.00. We returned to Toronto determined to build a school. We raised $40,000.00 that year, so we also furnished two other schools and built a library at one of the schools. We now have four schools, 525 students, and sixteen teachers and librarians. We remain committed to sustaining all four of our schools at a cost of $62,000 CAD per year. This pays for the salaries of the teachers and librarians, all of the supplies for the teachers and students, lease payments, electricity, maintenance etc. You can see that money goes a long way in this country.
Over the years, many outreach programs have been undertaken to help these landmine-affected families to become self-sufficient: a bike repair business, sewing lessons with a sewing machine, crafts, and a technology centre. We also support a nearby weaving centre, by purchasing their scarves and re-selling them here. This ensures jobs for those women.
There are many who do not have a safe, private toilet. The absence of a safe, private toilet leads to serious health issues, as well as sexual abuse of women and girls. Our schools all have toilets, but many of the government schools do not. We are building toilets and hand washing stations for the government schools, thus ensuring that the girls can attend school even during their menstrual period. Without toilets at the schools, the girls would miss 4-5 days per month. After a number of months, they fall so far behind in their studies that they quit school altogether.
CURRENT AND PLANNED PROJECTS
- We were sponsoring 2 students at university (tuition and books), who have now graduated. Another will graduate next year. And we have chosen 2 new students to begin our scholarship program. This time we have bought them each a computer. We are also financially assisting our Director to get his Masters’ Degree.
- We have now installed 58 toilets for 58 families in the villages near our schools. FIVE more toilets will be installed over the next year for five other families.
- We have installed toilets, wells, & handwashing stations at all of our schools, and we are now installing toilets and handwashing stations at a number of nearby government schools. To date, we have assisted 30 schools, by digging 10 wells and by building 22 banks of toilets and 18 handwashing stations. TWO more schools will receive toilets etc. this year.
- We have taught good hygiene and sanitation practices to all of the young girls in our schools and have distributed Days for Girls kits to each of them. We are extending this initiative to government schools near our schools. This ensures that the young girls can stay in school, every day of the month. To date, we have distributed 1308 Days for Girls kits in Cambodia.
- We have assisted 19 Health Centres to get clean water by digging wells and building water towers for them. And we built a toilet for another Health Centre.
- Our goal is to raise the health and education of the children that attend our schools and to ensure a healthy environment for them and their families.
Update for Fall 2024
What a wonderful year it has been.
Our 4 schools are flourishing with over 525 students learning English, hygiene and sanitation, and many of them learning computer skills on the weekends. When either Barbara or Patti go to Cambodia, we give every student a new toothbrush and toothpaste. It’s amazing to see how much the students love this simple gift!
Our staff has increased to 16, all Cambodian. Our fabulous Director, Savin, and our equally fabulous Assistant Director, Phonn, ensure that all runs smoothly. The teachers and librarians are a wonderfully dedicated group, caring for the students and improving their own skills every year.
Two of our scholarship students, who have been receiving financial support for tuition and books, are graduating this year. Our third student will graduate next year. We have already picked two new students to enter our scholarship program. Besides tuition and books, we are now supplying them with a computer, as well. And Savin is getting his Masters’ degree on weekends with financial support from us.
We continue to dig wells and to build toilets, handwashing stations and water towers. To date, 58 impoverished families have received their own private toilet; 30 government schools now have toilets, handwashing stations, etc; and 19 Health Centres are ensured of clean water because of the wells we have dug or the water towers we have installed.
Add to this 558 Days for Girls kits distributed this past winter, a basketball court re-concreted, and two of our schools receiving some major repairs/renovations, and I think you will agree, it has been a busy year!
And none of it could have been done without your fabulous support and donations. Thank you so much.
We are so appreciative.
Feel free to visit our other websites: www.banyantreeorganization.com & www.pattilee.ca
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