Cambodia Newsletter Update

Since our trip to Cambodia over the summer, a lot has happened. During that span of time, each member of the team was able to progress on his/her research, making substantial steps along the way.

Likewise, in Cambodia, a lot has happened to those we have worked with. Students were given opportunities to pursue a higher-level education whereas some others made significant life commitments.

Overview

This newsletter serves to provide an update as to the status of the Cambodia project currently led by Prime Education Consulting. In this edition, we will talk about the possibility of sponsorship of Cambodian students (along with students Prime Education Consulting is currently sponsoring), Sarun’s wedding, and a proposal our members made to submit to the Points of Light Institute.

An Opportunity to Sponsor a Student for a University Education

Over the summer, our team met and worked with a few students who if they had lived in a first world country would be of age to attend a university to continue their education; however, since they neither had the resources nor the opportunities to do so, they had to forgo their education to take up jobs and other work. Noticing this, Prime Education has stepped in to sponsor these students through 4 years of education at a local university, hoping  this will open up a path of opportunity for them and for younger aspiring students as well. Tuition is based off of academic achievement in high school (the higher the marks received, the lower the cost). There is an opportunity here to help students open a new path by sponsoring their education. Our team is currently in the process of coming up with ideas for funding in the foreseeable future. Help is greatly appreciated.

Student Bios

These students are currently sponsored by Prime Education Consulting to attend a local university.

1. Kimoun Lun

Sex: M

Date of birth: March 19, 1993

Age: 18

Place of birth: Tadorkpong Village, Boengtranhthbong, Samrong District, Takeo Province

Subject: Management

2. Savet Hen

Sex: F

Date of birth: February 16, 1991

Age: 20

Place of birth: Hangheng Village, Boengtranhthbong, Samrong District, Takeo Province

Subject: Tourism and Hospitality

3. Savoeun Rous

Sex: F

Date of birth: July 14, 1992

Age: 19

Place of birth: Hangheng Village, Boengtranhthbong, Samrong District, Takeo Province
Subject: Tourism and Hospitality

Sarun’s Wedding

A few months ago, Sarun, who was the head of the local school our team had worked with, married his fiancé in Japan. Below are a few of his wedding pictures. We wish him and his fiancé a happy and long-lasting marriage.

Proposal for a Call to Action

During the past few weeks, our team had been brainstorming methods in which we can take our research projects and apply them on a practical real-world level. While researching ways to do this, we stumbled on the Points of Light Institute’s 2012 National Conference on Volunteering and Service (which takes place June 18-20 in Chicago). This conference would give us an opportunity to present our research, our goals, and additionally, to inspire others to join in this project. Before we could do so, the prerequisite was that a proposal be submitted by mid-December. The next few weeks, our team, in conjunction with professor Seagull, was able to write up a proposal to submit for a possible slot and chance present at the conference. In it, we detailed the events and results of our trip to Cambodia during the past summer. Additionally, we included information regarding each student’s research regarding Cambodia (music therapy, the role of NGOs, and the ways the two topics coincide), and the opportunities available in overseas volunteering. All in all, our proposal called for action amongst those of us who are blessed with more resources than those from Cambodia. Our hope was to encourage people to initially show interest then join in our project by showing the results and improvements our research has brought forth so far. The results for the proposal will not be out for another few months, but until then, we remain faithful. Whatever the result, we remain focused on our research, our mission, and we will work hard to achieve our goals. At the end of this session, participants will see what a few highly motivated students can accomplish when properly directed. They were presented with the problem of Cambodia—one of the world’s poorest and least developed countries. Their paper proposes a solution to help Cambodia become a vibrant member of the 21st Century global community. The work organically integrates the skills of thinking, researching, organizing and composing, channeling students’ own interests and abilities to create something real, meaningful and useful. Too often student projects have no use beyond the classroom. The skills we hope to develop through hypothetical exercises can be applied to real situations to change the world for the better. One of the students asked, “Why will adults listen to me?” Now she sees what she and her peers have produced, and that it is important; her ideas deserve consideration. When implemented, the Cambodia Project will provide a worthy outlet for student volunteerism.