Providing Education for Marginalized Cambodian Communities

The Aziza and Lakeside Schools currently serve 2 slum communities in Phnom Penh for nearly 200 young people.  Aziza School, located in Tonle Bassac, has been providing free English lessons, leadership training, computers, life skills, and medical services since May 2006.  Lakeside School in Beoung Kok opened in June 2008, and offers most of the same services as Aziza School. 

Overview

The schools provide classes and activities from morning until evening every day of the week. On weekdays English and computers are taught at various levels to students that mostly range from 6-20 years old. Khmer (Cambodian) nationals teach all the classes, and utilize Khmer and foreign volunteers.  Weekly activities include a youth group, art, movies, yoga, dance-aerobics, traditional dance, Chinese and soccer, as well as guest lecturers, photography, and field trips.  All activities are open to all, have elements of fun, offer life experience, and most events fill the schools. We place students into jobs to help them stay in school.

A series of leadership classes have been taught to over 180 teenagers from the areas, and have been the building block for the school's Leadership Team; a group of committed students who volunteer and gain work experience. 

Health training and services are also provided free of charge to students, including testing, treatment, medicine, as well as quality dental care and toothbrushes. 

About the students

Most students also study in public primary, secondary, high school and even university, as well as work to support their studies.  A high percent are ranked in the top 10% of their classes, and many study very hard in hopes of a better life.  During the morning and afternoon the younger students come to study basic English and Khmer before or after their primary school.  In the evenings the students are mostly teenagers who are working on their high school degrees.  The students must live in the community to qualify to study at the school unless given special permission.  The centers have become a place for the kids in the community who are on the right path, to meet and make friends. 

About the project 

The community centers are run using local skills and basic ideas that usually work.  The schools are houses in the heart of poor communities that are converted to learning centers, and have monthly rents of $40 and $70, which are subsidized by members of the community.  Students take part in various activities, though most all study English with us and take part in extracurricular activities.  Medical care is offered to the wider community as resources allow, with the priority going to students and children.  There are movies and karaoke on Saturday night to provide teens a safe place.  A youth group meets on Sundays to learn, build strength and have fun.

About the staff 

The staff consists of 10 part-time and 1 full-time staff, all Cambodians, as well as 1 volunteer American (Drew McDowell).  Half of the staff are from the communities where we work.  All staff are intelligent, educated, dedicated, caring people who enjoy their jobs.  A major aspect of our mission is to build capacity in the staff, and they are given responsibility and direction to make them leaders.  We tap in to our staff’s strengths, and support their ideas for initiatives, empowering them to run the project.  Ultimately our greatest achievement could be building our team, as they are sure to achieve great things in their lives. 

All too often we are under equipped to handle the daunting challenges in the face of poverty and lack of child rights that we work around, but by doing our best, listening and caring, we do make a difference!

Please support us

We do a lot with very little, and rely on private donations to change the lives of young people.  Donors are kept apprised of the progress of our students, and can see the real success we make together.