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Cambodia Trip 2010
There are a number of charities we contribute to in Cambodia:
Room To Read NepCam Cambodian Children's Fund TABITHA
Want to get involved locally? Help out with fundraising etc? Room to Read Australian Chapters are now in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. For more info, contact Jennie Orchard:
Australia@roomtoread.org, mob. 0413 530 642.
Days left to send pens/letters: 0 ! ROOM TO READ LIBRARY IN CAMBODIA:
Scroll below to read about the donations sent prior to the trip,
or click HERE to read about how the trip went and what else is needed.
January 2010 I will be visiting the library we sponsored for Room to Read to build in Cambodia. Radio National did an interview where we asked for contributions: Pens (suitable for a Primary school student – something fun or colourful) or a letter to a student (ie would love students out there to write a letter to a student in Cambodia about their life, just something short and simple, maybe with drawings/illustrations).
Click here to hear the interview.
Click here to read the completed report about the library and view photos.
Click here if you want an info page about students writing letters.
Why a library in Cambodia? On a trip I bought a book at the airport 'Leaving Microsoft to Change the World' by John Wood (http://www.leavingmicrosoftbook.com/). I could not put it down. It is about a guy who while on holiday in Nepal is appalled at the lack of resources in schools, the low attendance rate and literacy levels and sets about making a difference in a big way. He started a group called Room to Read (http://www.roomtoread.org/). Room to Read partners with local communities throughout the developing world to establish schools, libraries, and other educational infrastructure as well as educational scholarships.
So I had to get involved. I provided the funds for the establishment of a free-standing library at the Wat Chi Kreng Primary School in the Siem Reap province of Cambodia. The library was built in the traditional Khmer style, and includes child friendly furniture, flooring, shelving, maps, puzzles, games, and of course, books. Room to Read stocked the library with English and Khmer books totalling 500-1,000 over 3 years, and will provide 3 years of library management training to a designated teacher. Wat Chi Kreng Primary School is located in a poor rural area in Siem Reap where families rely on subsistence farming for their livelihood. With this library, 664 children (in a 6 room school!) now have access to a new colorful and engaging reading room.
Thanks for all the support from Radio National Listeners. You are wonderful! You sent 1512 pens with another 900 from the Sids and Kids Foundation as well as hundreds and hundreds of letters for the children.
NepCam also has already had quite a number of enquiries since the broadcast about people becoming sponsors which is fabulous!
Thanks to:
- J Stephens from NSW. WOW!!!!! She has sent a cheque for $1000!
$500 of it will be used to buy papers and books in Cambodia to take along to the Room To Read school and $500 for NepCam. Thanks so much!!! Unexpected but very welcome.
(From NepCam on how the money will be used: Cash donations go the mothers starting or enhancing their own micro-businesses. Nepcam is supporting by grant or no interest loans (at the discretion of our local social worker Prabha Pradhan) over 100 such enterprises – see attached for a sample. These SMEs help the mothers support their families on a more sustainable basis.
- The anonymous donors of pens and letters: lots of you! And some very cool pens too!
- Thanks also to Jill from Pt Lonsdale who just sent a cheque for $100! I think $100 will go a long way in Cambodia to get writing materials to take with us to the school.
- And thanks to all of these people who have sent such fun pens, or some letters and more (if you sent a return address I will send you a photo when I am back late January from the trip and also put pics and info up on this page):
Faye C from VIC, Jane, Emma M, Pam C from SA, Mrs Russell from NSW, Sanna and Alan from NSW, Sue, K Cousins from ACT, Annette, Cleo from WA, M Simonelli from VIC, Julie, Connie from VIC, Ian from TAS, Dean and Jackie from WA, South Coast Wood Works Gallery, a newsagent, Maria, G Weiss from VIC, Kerry-Anne, Denis from Sydney, Marta from Wangi, Heather from SunBeam Books, C Holper from VIC, Mary from Burwood, Caroline from Newport (who used to teach in Cambodia), 5 year old Cleo, Sue and Pauline from Epilepsy Foundation of VIC, Toni from Neutral Bay, Michelle and Joshua from Aspley, Rowena from Suffolk Park , Nicky from South Plumpton, Emilie from East Brunswick, Ann from Mt Nelson, Ebonie and Ishka in Melbourne, George from Bundeena, Sally from WA, Jenny from Kyneton, Watermans from Rocky Point, Liddle from Redlynch, Andree from Melbourne, Judy from Midvale, R Ings from Glenwood, S Fischer from Canterbury, Hollands from Springwood, Calcrafts from Yamba, Leesa W, Ann from Mt Nelson, Sandra from Canterbury, Physicks from McKinnon, Counsells from Rosny, Stroznos from Eumundi, Justy and Margaret from Wagga Wagga, Winnie from Brunswick, Di from Lucinda, Christos from Warriewood, Students at Forrest Beach SS and Trebonne SS, Byrnes from Ngunnawac, Wyche from Wembley, Josephine from Blackheath, Harper and Milla from Bellingen, Marnie, Leone from Port Macquarie, Christine, Kings from Salisbury, Ruby and Nina from Blackheath, Chris from Rosslyn Park, Kirsty from Griffith, Hellas & Beryl, Sharon and Anna from Charlestown, Halsteads from Ballan ,Anna, Heather and Eloise from Blaxland, Murrays (Ella, Tavish and Amy) from Warrandyte, Neshich from Crafers, Teliah from Mylor, Kareen in Townsville, Gibsons in Jindabyne, Collette from Bruce, Kim from Balgowlah, Jasper from Elwood, Jill from Point Lonsdale, Mel from New Lambton, Downeys from Northgate, Natasha from Albury, Marta from Spain, Pam from Ruse, Sue from Willetton, Trisha from Bronte, Jane and Emlyn from Wembley Downs, Brian from Cowandilla, Jenny, Helen, Keith, Elly Sui's daughter, Judy, Jenna and Sandra from Double View, Jill from Pt Lonsdale, Ron and Stella from Mt Pleasant, Carol from Kingsley, Annette and Judy from Coogee, McNelis' from Annandale, Refshauges from East St Kilda, Judith from Jamison, Trish from Fairfax Classified, Ian, McGarth family from Summer Hill, Cheryl, Barb from Mt Waverley, Physick's from McKinnan, Mountain's from Subiaco, Stoker's from Edge Hill, Carmichael's from Geraldton, Egtberts from Ruse, Lesley K, Georgette from Mt Martha, Brian, Margaret from Dulwich Hill, Ms Calcroft, Marian C, Moorwoods from Malvern, Jan from Mt Helen, Vanessa and Barbara from Narrabundeh, Kunz's from Buninyong, Donna from Bullent, Pamela from Blampied, Thomas and Angus from Hamilton Hill, Shan from Williamstown, Stella and Mac, Michael from Wollongong, Poppy, Barrons from Monash, Sue from Jolimont and her book club, Shepherds from Geraldton, Agnews from Prahran, Ann and Pat from Mt Nelson, Mathias's from Mt Druitt, Kowalik's from Hope Valley, Gates from Elsternwick, Rose, Jenna from Double View.
Thanks also for the lovely words of encouragement many people have included in their packages. It is really Room to Read that is doing all the great work - I am only a teensy cog in the process.
Below are pics of some the pens that have come in so far, every day there are packages with 1-10+ pens in them! A few people/orgs have offered to make up the shortfall at the end if I don't get 700 which is lovely! SIDS and Kids Australia has offered a huge amount of light up pens - just need to work out the logistics! I ended up getting around 900 pens from them. We cut all the price tags off them and ended with red fluff from one end of our apartment to the next!
Also below the pics are emails and other communications from people (my cats are very excited by all the packages being opened!).
The first few days: The next batch:
And the next lot:
And some more:
The latest batch of pens and letters bringing the total to over 600, the next batch took it to over 800:
Then there was a massive amount just before Xmas, a huge number of which were from the Epilepsy Foundation brought the total to over 1200!
Last two batches means we are now at over 1500!
Some notes:
- Ian from TAS sent pens made from Huon Pine, an ancient Tasmania Timber (he made them himself)!
- South Coast Woodworks Gallery sent some wooden pens and bookmarks handmade in WA.
- Ian from Sydney offered to send a whole heap of medical pens (and Dr Paul from Brisbane has also offered to get hold of some of these - one of the first responses!) . In the end because we had heaps of pens we didn't get them sent, but Ian has rescued a whole heap of perfectly good pens that were destined for landfill and is going to distribute them to local education.
- 
From Heather: I am the author/illustrator of a children's picture book (for lower primary ages) and was wondering if I could donate a copy of my book to the school's library? I'm aware you may have limited room in your luggage when you go to visit so perhaps you could advise me whether it is feasible to send it either to you or directly to Cambodia (that is of course if you think it is either appropriate or suitable). My website www.sunbeambooks.com gives you a feel as to what the book is about. (Prue: It has arrived and yes of course I am going to take the book!).
- Anne is going to try and send some solar powered calculators.
- Kitty a uni lecturer at UTS has sent out a msg to all her 1st year BEd Primary students re. a request for letters & pens.
- Ms Calcroft, a pensioner, rounded up all the pens she had in the house and also sent $10 which was lovely.
- Thanks to St Mary Star of the Sea College Wollongong who sent the first batch of letters through some time ago, 45 of them!
- Thanks to Year 7 and 8 Religion Classes at Bethlehem College Ashfield who made lots of beautifully decorated cards.
- Thanks also to Moorefield Girls High who sent another 13 letters.
- Thanks to Bungendee Public School for their pens and letters.
- Thanks to Bentleigh Secondary College who sent 40 letters (with lots of illustrations!).
- And also to Students at Forrest Beach SS and Trebonne SS who sent lots of cards and letters.
- Thanks to the students at St Francis Xavier's primary school Wollongong for their great letters.
- From Jay: I will be travelling to Cambodia in Feb.'10 hopefully to get involved in educating children too. I have room in my luggage to transport a couple of hundred pens and would be very happy to deliver them to you. Additionally, there is a primary school a couple of hundred meters from where I live I would be happy to invite the school to participate in the pen and letter drive and perhaps act as a go between.
(Jay has collected lots of pens, stationery and even got a local primary school near him to write letters. Jay will be taking over everything he has collected on his trip to Cambodia this month.)
- From Angela: I heard you on Radio National today and I was particularly interested as we are also going to Cambodia in January/Feb 2010 (we being my husband and our two adult children 21 & 19 years). We are going to Siem Reap to see Angkor Wat (of course) but I was interested to hear ‘your’ library is only 60 kms away. My husband (who is a medical doctor) and I (who originally trained as a teacher, but now work as a writer on a variety of ever–changing projects) have spoken about doing some voluntary work in third world countries as our children have now left home to study at uni (though they do like to travel so are keen to join us on this trip).Anyhow I thought it might be an opportunity to visit the library and maybe take some books with us from here and…not sure really…but it seemed like it was a ‘doable’ venture. Maybe you could suggest some books that would be appropriate and how exactly to get to the library and or who to contact there. I have kept many books from when our kids were little and could pick a selection to donate.
(Angela is going to take some books and pens over herself on her trip.)
- Special thanks to Sue and Pauline from Epilepsy Foundation of Victoria who sent a HUGE amount of really cool pens. TWICE!!!! A huge contribution from the staff at EFV! They also included some info books on epilepsy, written in Khmer. And more pens keep coming from them!
Dear Prue,
Thank you for writing- I'm amazed that they had arrived so quickly- and thank you for your kind acknowledgement on line, which included a link to EFV. (Every link helps
send the message of support available to the community and provides the opportunity for people to learn about epilepsy, helping to remove the stigma which keeps the condition 'in the shadows'.)
I'm hoping we may be able to send some more pens- have sent an email to all the staff.
I wonder if you might like me to include in the next parcel a few children's books about epilepsy, for the library. If there are 600 pupils in that school there are bound to be some with epilepsy and these books are written to promote acceptance and understanding by other children. Absence seizures are often picked up by teachers when they have some understanding of epilepsy. Children with absence are often classified as 'day dreamers'.
The Library looks a delightful building.
Hoping I may have another parcel for you soon
with kind regards,
Pauline
- From Marta in Spain: I was listening the abc radio channel the other day and I heard your story about the Cambodian children and it blowed me away. Well, I was listening the radio from the abc webside as I live in Spain. I have lived in Australia for 7 years and I became a citizen, I absolutely love Australia and I would love to be there, but 2 years ago I came home for a while to visit my parents and my mum got sick and passed away no long after. I have moved in with my dad and I can not leave him alone as he is 79 years old and I am the only child. Well, I don't want you to tell you sad stories.
This year I've started university on line in primary teaching and I'll specialize in english. I work part time so I can pay off my studies. To go back to studies with nearly 36 years old that means a lot to me after so many years out of school and I was not very good on studying... but I really want to do this!!
So after hearing your inspiring story I think there are so many things in this world I want to do. I wish I could go to Cambodia and help teaching this children. I know I can't right now but maybe one day I will... I am going to find you a few pens to send you for your trip to Cambodia and I know there are not many things I can do from here but if it was, please let me know. I've try to come for a visit to Oz but I've got to save up for my studies now. I know that one day I'll go back and I would love to meet you. You take care and keep us inform on that amazing trip to Cambodia. All the best.
(Marta has sent a package pf pens - our only international package!)
- Do you live near Murdoch in WA? If interested in the below let me know and I will send through contact details (I am in Sydney!): Hi Prue,
I was just reading about your project in Cambodia and thought that you may be interested in an invitation.
We are starting a new Rotary club, with special focus on young adult members, around Murdoch.
We feel that people like you is exactly what we need, as your pasion is surely "contagious" and when people of many backgrounds get together in a Rotary club is when the greatest projects are undertaken.
This new Rotary club will also have a babysitter, which is good for many young families that otherwise wouldn't be able to join a Rotary club.
As you can imagine, I have no idea if you live anywhere near Murdoch, but if you do, we would delighted if you consider joining.
At this stage we are just planning our first informal meeting, so there is a lot to be done, but also is the perfect moment to set a direction in which projects we will be involved.
Please, ask any questions you may have!
Thank you!
Marcos
- Quite a few schools have written saying they did lessons on generosity and care for others and wrote letters: even a pre-school in a Bahai Children's class!
- Pam from Ruse sent a huge box of great pens from the staff of Palliative Care Unit at Camden Hospital.
- Sue from WA sent a box of pens from the Children's Book Council WA
- Trish works at Fairfax Classifieds and appealed for pens and has filled a box with hundreds from her colleagues. Not only that, but she was kind enough to drive across the city to deliver them to me to save the postage costs.
.............................................................................................................
- And an interesting email exchange which illustrates how different people can think about things in such different ways...
EMAIL 1
Hello,
What you're doing sounds fabulous but I think the novelty pen idea is misguided in the extreme.
I value a pen that works. I would think this is way more important in a far flung place where resources are scarce.
How would you like to be a kid with one pen where all the emphasis was on novelty and the thing fails and when it does you can't fit a refill because it is some weird pen unlike others? This whole notion of novelty is trivialising a very important tool---a "luxury" open to us in affluent countries which is also part of our extravagance and waste.
I use pens a lot in my work a self-employed arborist and I want one which works every single time regardless if the paper has been handled a lot and might be a tad oily. My Pilot pens (not the gel water soluble ones) work fabulously. Refills are available and take up the tiniest space. The only thing they can't tolerate is being hot upside down. If there is some standardisation then refills could be available to every kid when needed.
Pete
REPLY 1
Hi Pete,
Thanks for your feedback.
I wish I could remember whose biography it was but I can't so I will tell you the story. I read a biography once of a girl who'd been raised in an orphanage. They wore donated clothes, they were hard wearing functional 'grey' clothes, everyone wore the same thing or with slight variations. One day someone came to the orphanage and donated a whole heap of 'fun' clothes.
They were not hard wearing, they were not functional, they would not last nearly as long as the other clothes, but this girl vividly describes the absolute joy and pleasure she felt about the bright pink skirt she was allocated from the pile of clothes. She loved that skirt to death. She describes how it was a ray of sunshine in her life, she felt special, she had something unique.
I guess it is something like this I am aiming for. I hope people are sensible enough not to buy pens that need special refills, surely anyone with any common sense would realize that is not just practical in a poor rural community in Cambodia. But if they have to be disposable pens, then one that is a bit more individual and fun I think is a good idea.
I guess it just shows how different people think different things are important - and we tend to take action on the things that are important to us.
Cheers,
Prue
EMAIL 2:
Hello Prue,
Thank-you for your detailed and generous reply. I totally understand that perspective, especially in relation to the clothing. I realised I could be seen as a kill-joy in my feedback. The truth is quite the opposite.
What I was concerned about was the kids who could end up with a pen that does not work, with not a lot of replacements around, and amongst other kids who got lucky and got one that did still work. If we are talking about education & creativity, to me the most important thing is to have the opportunity to be included and to be able to participate.
Unlike clothing, the seemingly most boring pen can create the most wonderful writings, doodlings and drawings if it works. In my experience most people wouldn't have a clue about refills and "choose" their technologies very poorly. The vast number of variations of pens on the market means that they commonly wouldn't take a refill, or even write well a lot of the time. And then there is the presumption that refills would be available in a poor remote place anyway.
I
am reminded of people who buy kids crappy paints, brushes and imitation tools which are either useless or off-putting to use.
On a personal note, as a child my elder brother would often give me a real tool for a present which I cherished like crazy. They worked! They lasted!
And they were like adults ones!
I do however think the general gist of what you're doing is fabulous, by the way!
Sincerely
Pete
Hello Prue,
Could it be that I've assumed that these kids are poorer than they are?
Maybe if a novelty pen carks it they won't be penniless or pen-less after all.
Regards
Pete