We’re always working to expand and improve the impact of our NGO and offer the best services we can to our community. That’s why we underwent a review of our work in 2019. We saw that the community we serve is more financially stable and better able to provide basic care to their children than they were when we first founded our charity. We’re deepening our emphasis on early education, community engagement, and scholarships, and growing our family to over 200 students and their families.
What changes are you making?
We want to become a real community center and involve everyone in our work. One way we’re involving the community is by establishing a Parent Council and Student Council. These groups will help hold us accountable and make suggestions to continue improving our work.
We’re strengthening our education program – because our parents can provide meals and basic care, we can focus on preparing students for higher education. We’re also moving toward more experiential learning and creative workshops. Our classes will be led by coaches who work alongside our students to strengthen their hard skills and develop their unique talents. We hope to expand our scholarship program, both in terms of high school preparation and access to university or vocational training programs.
What are the new programs?
We’re reorganizing our work into three programs: the Young Explorers, Future Leaders and Active Communities programs.
Our Young Explorers program provides a safe and nurturing environment for children aged 4 to 13 to learn English and computer skills, and have the opportunity to attend outdoor excursions and creative workshops.
The Future Leaders program serves our students aged 14 and older. They learn hard and soft skills that help them develop into leaders prepared for higher education and successful careers. We work with each student to determine which professions and programs of study are a good fit for them and find and provide scholarships for high school tutoring and higher education.
To support the wider community through our Active Communities program, our social worker runs workshops for our families and community members and provides one on one counseling to families and parents. We provide community English classes and are establishing a community library. Our children also engage in community service.
What remains the same?
Our values are still the same: every child, regardless of socioeconomic background, has the right to be safe, enjoy their childhood, and get an education. We will still provide our services to our poorest families for free and prioritize local Khmer leadership and expertise. We are committed to transparency and sustainability. We know that providing quality education to young Cambodians is the key to a better future.