January 2025 Project
10th-24th January 2025
Our team included Caroline Bui, Peter Hingston, Jacqui Tebbutt, Robyn Teed, Jen Liggett, Gillian Baker, Laurie Mahoney, Margaret Mahoney, Charlotte Tebbutt, Ché Wiedman, Rosemary Maries and Julia Leech.
We were joined by our Cambodian team members, Veasna Sun and Dyna.
Sadly our two leaders, Chris and Ros, were unable to make the trip this year but they were with us in spirit.
Prasath Junior High School
This project was initiated by Kim Bunthann who we had previously worked with at Char Kroem Primary School.
The main objective was to renovate the computer room to provide the students with an inspiring learning environment however we were also able to donate enough funds to fully paint five classrooms inside and out.
Technology Core also donated a HDI Smart Board which was installed by Veasna earlier this year.
Roots Organisation
The team visited Roots Organisation which is a village located approximately 17km from Siem Reap.
Both Sarou and Nimol introduced us to the organisation which provides free after-school English classes to the children of two small villages located close to the centre. Both men have generously donated their time and their land to conduct the classes.
We were also able to provide health education and managed to check and treat approximately 80 children for head lice as well as do some English conversation with some of the children who attend Nimoy's evening classes.
Ratanakiri
After visiting Ratanakiri last July with our friend Kosal, we were able to donate $3000USD for winter clothes and blankets. The hillside Jaraii villages of Lom and Som are located in the mountains and is very cold in the winter. Due to its isolation and issues of poverty, many of the community struggle with the cold temperatures and are unable to keep warm. These clothes were distributed to families in six villages.
During our time at Lom and Som, we were treated to an amazing cultural experience of dancing, cooking and fishing as well as seeking how local crafts were made. We spoke to the village chiefs and discussed the possibility of donating money for toilets, fresh water and health care in the future.
Sunrise Cambodia
After a tour of Sunrise, the team got to work on one of our major projects of this trip, the Chicken Coop.
We cleaned out an already existing structure, fitted it out with roosts and nesting boxes and some fun enrichment activities. The local tradies helped us by putting on a roof to weatherproof the structure as well as construct a fence so that the chickens can free-range during the day. Caroline and Jen got to know some of the students by helping with English and Music teaching.
Blind Association Phnom Penh
Our team visited the Blind Association to give the residents white canes which would help them with mobility around the centre. Although we only delivered six canes on the day, we have since donated 30 more. We also donated 6 months worth of essential food items such as oil, rice and noodles.
In return we were treated to a beautiful concert and a massage. The centre teaches the blind residents skills such as massage so that they are able to earn a living outside the centre. We were also given a demonstration of how two of the students used braille for communicating and writing assignments for university.
Landfill Site Medical Centre
The Medical Centre at the Landfill Site is an ongoing project for ACC. This year we were able to help distribute rice and noodles as well as check in with the residents that we have got to know over the past two years. We once again met the visiting doctor who consults once a week with two nurses. We were able to give him a new blood pressure machine and a blood glucose monitoring machine and renewed our partnership to continue visiting and treating the residents of the site.
