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NEWSLETTERS

NEWSLETTER THREE

Posted February 28th 2009

Dear Friends of Singing Kites,

There is MUCH to report!

I returned from Cambodia last Thursday after what can only be described as 18 memorable days spent there!

The dreams and the planning of the past eight months have come to fruition! Stage 1 of our project to build a Community Education Centre in Tanop has been completed! The school is running like clockwork!(click here for more photos of our first few days)

When I think back to June last year; when ideas of what we HOPED to achieve were being formulated, and look at our achievements to date, I really can’t believe it! The GREATEST credit must go to Tith Tek, our wonderful and very capable Director, who has overseen this project from the start. Great credit must also be given to the local village construction team for a splendid and truly capable job done building the Centre. I thank them all here today, and thanked them all individually before I left last week. Ton Tek has been a wonderful supervisor and dedicated worker, and continues to sleep at the Centre each night with his brother-in-law Hong Hak to caretake it, and make sure their project is protected!

It would NOT have been achievable without the tremendous help in fundraising efforts that have taken place here in Toowoomba, in Warwick and Brisbane, Melbourne and Canberra.

Our next one on the 19th of April is at Eumundi. More details of that next month.

Tiny groups of dedicated "workers" have sprung up in many different places, and had their own fundraisers, which has enabled this dream to become a reality in the truest sense of the word.

Every day people contact us and ask how they can help. They have some great ideas about raising money so that we can continue our project. This is vital to our continued progress. Our journey has JUST begun, and there is much to do yet! If any of you can help with a small fundraiser during the year, we would be MOST grateful, as it means we can offer the students of Tanop even more than we are offering them at the moment. EVERY dollar counts, as the dollar goes a LONG way in Cambodia!

My eldest daughter Alex ( Melbourne), Josie Skewes ( Toowoomba ) and I, have just had a journey to remember all our lives!

We arrived to an ordered and well organized school. Classes were in progress, and the students were as eager and happy to be there, as were the staff members. We visitors, all took classes over the days we were there, and introduced the children to art, some music, educational games, and creative writing. They all did very well, and I think it was a positive time where it was obvious the spoken English word by us was very much appreciated! The teachers were eager to converse with us also, and eager to learn about Australian methods of teaching.

In retrospect!

On the 15th January, enrolment day, we expected 420 students to register. Our official number is 824, with a waiting list of "definites" numbering 82! We hurriedly put on two outdoor classrooms to cope with the large number of children. The rotating classes are running smoothly. Lessons begin at 7.30 am and except for a break between 11am and 1pm, go until 7.30 pm. Average class size is 35. School days are Monday through to Saturday. We have five permanent teachers and three volunteers.

It is a happy and warming environment to be a part of.

The opening ceremony (click here for more photos) on the 7th February was attended by about 1200 people! When we arrived from Phnom Penh at 10am, all you could see was a sea of people! It surprised us all! Students were all seated in their desks, and parents and villagers squeezed into any space they could find!

The ceremony was attended by the District Governor, District Education Officer, Commune Chief, Village Chief, Khut Kan, and of course the Monks who blessed the Centre. Eileen St George and her husband Steve attended. Eileen is an Educational Consultant in Phnom Penh, and it was wonderful to have her support and feel her immense enthusiasm for all that we have achieved. Two visitors from an NGO in Phnom Penh read out a lovely email from Tara and Justin, which was very special.

Lunch was served to all present. Students waited their turn with patience I haven’t seen before!

It was a most memorable day, and it was so obvious that the villagers are taking the greatest of pride in their Education Centre. This is SO important, for this results in feelings of self worth, and pride in achievement.

I must thank Singapore Airlines for their generosity in allowing me to take an extra 25 kgs of luggage. They said that they would allow me to do this each time I go. This time I took the weight in donated books, which has made an excellent start to our fledgling library. At the moment this is in the office/storeroom and not big enough to be accessible to the children. The books have to be taken outside!

We are anxious to raise money towards the next stage, stage 2, which includes plans for a multi-purpose building to be a library/ reading room, double as a computer room, and also to have an area where the community can meet. It will be an area where improved health and agricultural practices can take place. There will also be an area for visiting medical consultants who have already donated their time freely, to assess students. We feel this is important, as medical conditions can often severely impede a student’s progress.

I thank you all for your continued support. Without you this would NEVER have become a reality. Each and every person who has contributed has been part of what we sincerely hope will be a life changing opportunity and experience for the children of Tanop. A remote rural village, that is almost forgotten in it's isolation.

The Tanop Community Education Centre is alive and vibrant, and a joy to behold and to be part of.

Blessings to you all, and heartfelt thanks from the Tanop Community.

Warm regards to all,
Lyn and the Singing Kites Team

PS. Thank you Mossy for the marvellous job you have done to update the website whilst we were away. We are always so grateful to you for the time you donate freely to making our project accessible to so many. We are indebted to you!

 

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