Help keep a Cambodian Music and Dance School open

Poor youth are making income to support themself for pursuing education at the university level and contribute partly to families’ burden. Through playing the traditional music, Pinpeat, in hotels, various festivals, and other ceremonies, each of trained youths has been paid at least 80,000 riels (20 US dollars) per performance after they got trained for 6 months in SCC music class. The income they earned is very mean to their life and it will provide them with a better future. It is proud of their respective youth's family.

For almost 10 years, SCC Siem Reap Branch has opened vocational classes on the traditional music to young people living in poverty, orphaned youth, vulnerable youth, and youth living with HIV, and youth to provide them with opportunity and hope for a better future. SCC trains the youths at the organization's location facilitated by the teachers from the Department of Culture and Fine Arts of Siem Reap. The evening classes are 2 hours long from Monday to Friday. At the moment, we are providing the training course in the traditional music to a total of 10 students of which 4 girls range age 13 to 24 years old.

Some young people want to become experts in the traditional music which belongs to Cambodia for a long time while others wish to make money from music to continue their education and share some income with their families. In particular, some commit to becoming a teacher of music and doing business in this field with love.

Currently, our musical instruments are too old that it is hard to provide the training. We are deeply grateful to you for your ongoing generous support to make shape the poor children and youths' future. We do hope you will join us once again.

The Pinpeat, which is enabling youths from poor families to generate income for perusing their education, is a type of the largest Khmer traditional musical ensemble. It has been performed in the ceremonial music of Cambodia's royal courts and temples since ancient times. The orchestra consists of approximately nine or ten instruments, including several varieties of xylophone, flute, Salai, and drums. This ensemble originated in Cambodia before the Angkor era. 10 youths (one female) including 2 university students, 2 graduated high school students, 1 studying student at high school, 3 studying students at primary schools, and other 2 dropout school students, are actively involved in participating and maintaining the traditional Khmer musical instruments, getting better income to improve their livelihood as a bridge to study at higher education level. Before the Covid-19, they were able to generate income from playing at restaurant 75 USD per month, performing at the any ceremony 20$ per time and small ceremony 5$ per hour; besides, they practiced and learned new songs at SCC office at evening time. During the Covid-19, they could only practice and learn new songs at SCC at evening only even though in restriction, they recognized and valued of the music, the youths struggling practicing and learn more new songs become more opportunity as soon as Covid-19 get rid of Cambodia and the world. During the early 2022 after Covid-19 gradually reduce pandemic, the music is required to be performed for religious ceremonies which is paid for 20$ per time (big ceremony) and 5$ per hour for a smaller ceremony. However, it is hoped that traditional Cambodian musicalensemblewill be hired for monthly basic to perform at the restaurants once again when the international visitors come to visit at Angkor Wat increase. In short, the Pinpeat is a vital part to support 10 youth’s livelihoods enable them to continue their education to higher level through the regularly income to improve their families’ livelihood. Furthermore, SCC is proud to contribute maintaining this importance the music which is not very much taken attention of youth is the current era since it requires to be patience and talent to learn and perforce. Therefore, we would like to sincere thanks to these who support us so far and please continue with us to promote the Pinpeat and the life of children who are very resistant and patience from poor families.