By Simon Hare | Development Director, Globalteer, parent charity
Although it’s only been a few short months since our last report from Helping Hands, it has certainly been a busy start to 2016. With our staff and students now full steam ahead into the school year, we wanted to share some of the most exciting developments currently happening at Helping Hands thanks to your generous support!
Empowering our staff.
At Helping Hands, we aim to empower the whole community, not just the children. One way we do this is by providing education and training opportunities for our staff so they can grow in their roles, and also better support their local community.
This month Nang, Helping Hands’ Education Coordinator and English Teacher, has started a Masters in Education. Nang is a vital part of Helping Hands, and a postgraduate degree will help with Nang’s long-term vision in developing the project. Funding for the degree actually came from two former Helping Hands volunteers who decided they wanted to keep helping after finishing their placement, for which we are all very grateful.
It has also been a big month for our cook Lah and gardener Rhi, who have started Khmer literacy classes so that they can read and write in their own language. Illiteracy rates amongst adults in rural Cambodia are very high, so it is hard for many people to break out of the cycle of poverty simply becaue they cannot read and write. Lah and Rhi are learning fast and are excited to have this opportunity for a better future for themselves, their children, and the students at Helping Hands.
Lastly, Helping Hands’ English teacher, Sopheap, recently visited a top English Language school in Siem Reap to observe and assist in classes for one week. He was able learn about their curriculum, and connected with other teachers who he could share ideas with.
A very excited Sopheap told us, "I was amazed by the amount of resources at this school and the good behavior of the kids. It was a great experience and I gained some good new ideas to take to Helping Hands!"
Tackling a difficult subject.
One of Helping Hands’ main objectives is to provide educational support. But that covers more than traditional classroom subjects. We also focus on health and hygiene and run weekly workshops for students on this topic.
We have recently extended the scope of the programme to cover the tricky subject of puberty. Due to the isolation of the village, and a culture where such subjects are not openly discussed, many of the older students don’t understand the changes occurring to them both physically and emotionally.
Nang and Kong, who are both long-term staff members and trained teachers, ran our first trial puberty and health workshop this month. Initially the students were shy, but towards the end they loosened up and found that talking in a group of their peers, and also knowing where to gain more information, was a big help. This is the first step in ensuring each student feels more informed and empowered in their own health, and will hopefully start to build awareness and openness around this vital health area in the local community.
Thank you
As you can see, it has been a busy time here at Helping Hands, so thank you again for your support. Helping Hands relies entirely on donations and grants, and all that we achieve is only possible with the support of generous donors like you.
Please help spread the word about our work by sharing this with your friends. Thank you!
Everyone at Helping Hands Cambodia.
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P.S. Thank you to Briana Marie Photography for your lovely photo of Sopheap. www.facebook.com/brianamariephoto
By Simon Hare | Development Director, Globalteer, parent charity
By Simon Hare | Development Director, Globalteer, parent charity
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