To Grow An Orchid

Helping students in rural Cambodia finish their education. Helping schools with Information Technology and English.  This is an area where the average wage is $150 per month. Many students have to live at school because their family homes are far away. Living in dormitories they are responsible for feeding themselves and washing their clothes. They need help to complete the education. $10 per month makes the world of difference.

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Still no bunk beds in this dormitory- 4 months into the school year. Students still have to clean their dormitory before first class at 7am, and keep their belongings tidy. No surprise they get up before 6am. https://www.instagram.com/p/B9bmc3fh9Nw/?igshid=16xw72c4ryf4t

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Still no bunk beds in this dormitory- 4 months into the school year. Students still have to clean their dormitory before first class at 7am, and keep their belongings tidy. No surprise they get up before 6am. https://www.instagram.com/p/B9binh3B-jC/?igshid=m7mguoe9ua6

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Still no bunk beds in this dormitory- 4 months into the school year. Students still have to clean their dormitory before first class at 7am, and keep their belongings tidy. No surprise they get up before 6am. https://www.instagram.com/p/B9biIZoBZhg/?igshid=jqpd59qmpwui

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Sakou This is Sakou, another of the students we are trying to fund to finish her schooling. A sad story. She is 17, her parents have died and she now lives with her brother-in-law's family in another village. She's a typical local girl, loves volleyball, football (probably plays in bare feet) and listens to music - but struggles with her situation. She would like to go to University - but is not optimistic. We aim to get her to finish school. Perhaps she can get a scholarship after that. As with all children in Cambodia she is expected to help at home - doing housework. Sokou struggles to have enough money for food at school, for uniform, books and extra classes. (at Kampong Thom Province) https://www.instagram.com/p/B78wRsNBIk3/?igshid=1gm4bw72ray2k

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Computer Club at school in Cambodia

The standard IT education for Grade 10, 11, 12 is Word, Excel and Powerpoint. That is all!

We cannot fight the curriculum. We will run a computer club to introduce a broad range of IT subjects to give the more background. Starting with understanding Google and web-browsing. 

We will make this interactive and with plenty of practical work. Meeting every day for one hour after school. 

With so little experience, there is no understanding of the job opportunities for them. We will spend time explaining corporate computing and the many roles - and skills needed.

IT in Cambodia has less then 10% female employees. One target for us is to engage girls in our club

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Promoting IT - helping students in Cambodia

In a country desperately short of IT skills, we are trying to promote IT in schools as a worthwhile career. We are also aware of student welfare. If they are bright enough to still be at school at 17 then we do not want them to give up because they cannot afford to food, uniform or school books.

This is Chanty, she has to live in a dormitory because the school is so far from her parents home. In a dormitory she has to cook her own food and wash her own clothes – and dormitory must be clean before they start lessons at 7am.

You donations are helping many of these children.

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The morning walk to school. No school bus. No mum’s doing school-run. Classes are 7am - 11am and 1pm - 5pm. Absenteeism is amongst the lowest in the world.

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According to a OECD / PISA survey of 15 year-olds around the world that 80% of students in Cambodia rate themselves satisfied or very satisfied with their lives. That rises to 96% if you add moderately satisfied. That is about the highest anywhere. But only 64% of them say they are in good health. Which is a really low percentage.

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#cambodia #fundingstudents #helpingkids https://www.instagram.com/p/B4b9gsABR0E/?igshid=1spmi6exgks2d

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Rural Cambodia - Sambor Prei Kuk

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An orchid will attach itself to a tree purely for support. It gains its’ nourishment from the forest around it. Some are tall and strong others are small and delicate. To Grow an Orchid aims to help students and schools grow in their natural surroundings with just a little help and understanding. https://www.instagram.com/p/B4ZoJIJhw9z/?igshid=fwd541lxiork

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This girl could not afford to eat. We gave her $10 a month and this is what she looked like 5 months later. https://www.instagram.com/p/B4X8xiyhYxh/?igshid=pawxq47eddv0

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Can you help a schoolgirl or boy? This girl lives in a dormitory at the school. Far from her family home. She was thinking about giving up school because she couldn't afford sufficient food. We have funded her for $10 per month. See the difference between March and Summer. I don't want to see any youngster this ill again. https://www.instagram.com/p/B4X5vD_B7M7/?igshid=wanuqyjldzsd

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Kampong Thom open market

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Inspired by their enthusiasm https://www.instagram.com/p/B4W24JmBma-/?igshid=5h7yzvt8l4v4

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Smiling faces from students in Kampong Thom Province

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Students in Cambodia hard at work 

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Inspired by their enthusiasm - many of these students live away from home to get an education. They have to feed themselve and wash their own clothes. Would you son or daughter do that at the age of 15? https://www.instagram.com/p/B4W24JmBma-/?igshid=5h7yzvt8l4v4