Our achievements so far
From 20 students to 80, with another 40 waiting to enrol
Increased staff members to 3 with other potentials lined up
The loan of extra classrooms secured with the state school
The chief monk has approved our proposed building plans to build a centre for education and wellbeing which will offer somewhere safe for the poorest families to send their children after state school, from 11am to 4.30pm, instead of sending them to work or keeping them at home
We offer 3 hours of lessons per day: Khmer, English, Health and Hygiene, as well as IT, Art, Yoga, medical and social support
We are in the process of developing a food programme
Local charities have granted their support to guide us, work with us and provide staff training for teaching and social work
We have raised enough funds to provide transportation to get students to state school in the morning and at the end of our day so come rain or shine they are with us!
We have organised a sponsor programme for when students get to grade 6, they can go to a private Khmer secondary school in the town. They will know they have the chance of a full education if they attend with us
Escape Dubai, a travel company experienced in project fundraising and the building of schools/community centres, are leading the fundraising and overseeing some of the build
Many local businesses are coming on board to support us
Plans are in place to start a home business start-up programme where social workers will assess and work with families to help them create their own enterprise and income, ensuring the children are able to go to school
Plans are in place to provide immunisation and medical assistance
The Bigger Picture
Shine Cambodia is looking to the United Nation’s World Food Programme and Development Assistance Framework to bring our development goals in line with those already in place in other areas of Cambodia. Our aims are also in line with the Royal Government of Cambodia’s Development goals. For more information click here
The Challenges Ahead
Transportation
Students live in the surrounding areas of Otres Village, Otres 1 and 2 (beach areas) and Otreu which are between 4-7kms away. Most walk to school, some cycle, however having two separate school sessions a day (state school from 7am to 10am) and Shine (1.30pm – 4.30pm) means they could be covering up to 28kms a day! This is often in challenging weather conditions as it gets very hot in the dry season or extremely muddy and wet in monsoon season. These conditions frequently mean that attendance numbers drop at various times of the year.
We have just raised enough funds to buy a Shine school bus, and the aim is to extend Shine’s opening hours to 11am-4.30am so the children can be picked up by bus from the state school and taken to Shine for he rest of the day, and then be taken home. The transport will also be used to take the high school students to their school in the local town, Sihanoukville.
Household income
Two or three family members are usually responsible for providing for a large family of three generations. The eldest child is often sent to work at an early age to provide a household income. The next in line will help raise the youngest children. Having no role models who have been educated, means that no other option has been proven to work. Our aim is to change this cycle.
Value of education
Education is a luxury many cannot afford, even when school is free. The genocide inflicted by the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s wiped out of all professionals, including teachers, therefore the knowledge, expertise and the importance of schooling was lost. It has steadily been reintroduced and reestablished over the years, however it is often in a state of disarray with poorly structured curriculums, underpaid and undervalued teachers, little teacher training and a lack of monitoring.