As many of you may know SCAO, with the help of the SCOOP foundation and other private donations, is building a second school in the countryside near Phnom Penh. The school will give the children of many families access to free English, drama and art classes and provide community education by working with families to improve their living standards. We expect this to have a large, lasting impact on the futures of around 350 children and their families.
On Sunday May 22nd, SCAO invited families from the local area to an opening party for the new school with some of our volunteers. Accompanied by community leaders from the surrounding villages, we were introduced to the families in the area, when we visited their homes and invited them to the party. The families shared with us their living circumstances, which for many of them are very difficult.
One mother has an incurable disease in her stomach and many children who she cannot afford to send to school. A father with one leg has 7 children to support, so his children sell vegetables picked from the lake at the market during the day. There are many similar stories which remind us why this school will be so important for changing the future prospects of these children.
In July we will open the school with a party. At the party SCAO will give these families a bag of rice, some soy sauce and fish sauce to show the families the spirit of SCAO. We will also talk to the families about the intentions of SCAO and invite them to join us to learn at the centre. We believe that the families in the countryside will talk to each other about the good intentions SCAO has for the community, encouraging more and more children and families to attend our new school.
So far the school is almost finished and excitement is building. As you can see from the photos, it’s looking fantastic and will be a great learning atmosphere. Before we can open the school we need to finish building it. This means we need funding for some more desks, a gate, some doors, some more tiles for the floor inside and outside the school, another water tank, some fans and whiteboards and other furnishings. If you are able to help us make this happen it will make a huge difference to the future of the many children that SCAO will be able to reach. You can make donations through the website by clicking the donations tab.
Thank you for your continued support.
