Oh My Buddha!

Cambodia

Oh my Buddha, it has been six weeks since the last update! Here are some of the excuses:

* Adam and Ashley arrived from Canada with 20 ukuleles in hand and then purchased 8 guitars for the musically talented (and not quite yet, but progressing) students of SHCC. We have to thank them for their contribution and for the music lessons they gave to the students during their visit to the community centre. Quite a few students have really progressed in the past few weeks (something that has taken me 6 years to do).

* The ‘Irish Girls’ arrived (Susan, Katie, Beth and Aoife) and volunteered with SHCC, teaching English to over 250 students. A really big thank you is owed to the four for fundraising for the centre before they arrived. It enabled us to furbish the office/library/computer room amongst numerous other things including purchasing the English curriculum (which arrived today!). We are all holding you to the promise that you will return to visit us!

* Alex and John arrived from Australia to lend a hand to SHCC for six weeks. We are using John’s biology skills and background in fisheries to establish the organic fish farm at the centre. Over 200 sand bags (and counting) have been filled and placed around the ponds so if there is a flood our fish won’t escape. Alex has been using her skills in the office, working closely with Sambath in administration amongst various other activities at SHCC.

* Erin (our third Canadian in a month) arrived. Erin’s background in early childhood development has been put to great use by helping set up the centre’s preschool program. We now have 80 kids for two hours per day learning Khmer. At the moment they are learning how to write their name. For one week Erin home stayed with a local family in the village.

* The water well is, as I type, being drilled. We would like to thank Judy & Paul Manassa and Lyn Beaumont for their donation as it has made clean drinking water accessible for the 350 plus students and teachers. The pump well will also allow us to irrigate our organic farm in the dry season.

So there are a few good reasons why it has taken so long to update the website.

Over the next few weeks we will be working really hard to construct raised garden beds and pave the area in-front of the buildings. Solar power is the next big project we need to focus on. If anyone has any connections in the solar industry please pass on our web address and project proposal to them.

Ok, I promise not to keep you all waiting so long for the next update!

P.S: Photos are imminent!

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