Education Cambodia Project #9841

Keep 28 At-Risk Cambodian Girls in School

by The Branch Foundation

Project Report | Aug 7, 2013
Project Renewed for Year 2!

By Shonali Banerjee | Fundraising and Advocacy Coordinator

The girls displaying unity

The Branch Foundation (TBF) and the Cambodian Center for the Protection of Children's Rights (CCPCR) would like to thank each and every one of you again for your invaluable donations toward this essential project in Cambodia. We'd also like to take this opportunity to provide you with a few updates!

In March 2013, the TBF team had the pleasure of visiting the CCPCR shelter in Phnom Penh and meeting with their Director Mr. Thy and shelter manager. It was a wonderful experience to connect directly with the staff at the shelter and meet with some of the girls benefitting directly from this project. We even saw several students coming back from school riding TBF-sponsored bicycles! Our team was particularly impressed with the holistic approach CCPCR took in regards to rehabilitation and one-on-one therapy sessions for the girls residing at the shelter.

In honor of International Women's Day (which happened to fall just days after our visit), we provided CCPCR with additional funding outside of this project to beautify the garden around the shelter and provide new, safer playground equipment. A team member went back to the shelter to visit this new project in June, and was very impressed with how much progress had already been made! With the new extended garden and colorful playground, the shelter immediately felt rejuvenated.

After this most recent visit, we at TBF decided to continue our active partnership with CCPCR and renew this vital education project for a second year. As the new school year quickly approaches, these 28 girls at the shelter continue to need your support for tuition fees and school materials. If you are interested in continuing to fund our education project at CCPCR, please visit the new project page here.

On behalf of everyone at TBF and CCPCR, thank you for your generosity toward this life-changing project, and we hope you consider supporting again in the near future.

Warmly,

Shonali Banerjee and The Branch Foundation Team

Note: The Branch Foundation pursues the highest degree of care and protection for each of its beneficiaries. To protect the identity of the people on this project, names have been changed and pictures do not necessarily represent girls who have been abused or trafficked.

Ready for school

Using the bicycles you helped us donate last year

TBF and CCPCR meeting

Iona and the CCPCR shelter manager

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Aug 21, 2012
Update Report

By Tom Rosen | Project Manager

The Branch Foundation would once again like to express our sincere gratitude to all those that have donated to this vital project. Your generous donations have enabled us collectively to provide the following to the shelter:

Two months transport for a girl who is mute to reach her school in another district.
Two months covering of costs for twelve girls to receive extra tuition and take exams.
Eight bicycles
Approximately one school year’s supply of school materials.
Two months supply of pocket money for the girls to buy water & snacks at school

Here is a story about one girl you have helped empower:

Srey Leak is 16 but only in the 1st Grade at school because she had never been to school before she came to CCPCR. "I find school difficult, but not as much as it was when I first came. Luckily I get a lot of support and motivation from my friends and staff". When asked what she likes learning the most, she replied, "my favorite thing is learning about the environment and animals". Our interviewer asked her what she would like to be when she is older: "a teacher", she said.

My Thy, the Director of the Cambodian Centre for the Protection of Children’s Rights would also pass on his appreciation to you: "Thank you so much to all our kind and generous donors, we are so grateful for all of your help!"

Fortunately, due to a combination of committed funding efforts from other sources, altered project funding priorities and budgeting allowing money to go further, we have been able to reduce our funding target. So we are delighted that we are now even closer to our goal of providing the necessary funding required to help educate and empower all the girls. We hope that you can help us reach this target.

Please do share this project with your friends. Together we can make lasting and sustainable change!

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May 31, 2012
Initial Report

By Gareth Mace | Project Coordinator

Art class (Please see Note)

Hello and a big thank you to all of our generous donors so far! This project is an essential one that will allow 28 girl survivors of abuse and trafficking to continue to receive an education in local public schools – empowering them to overcome their respective ordeals and lead rewarding lives.

The first disbursal of funds has only just reached CCPCR, so as yet none of the funds have been spent. However, I'm proud to be able to inform you that the kind donations you have made have been allocated to go to pay for such things as: school fees for all 28 girls for a period of two months, the purchase of six bicycles so that girls can travel to school reliably, and the purchase of 2 school uniforms for each of our beneficiaries.

So what does this mean to them? I'll let them speak for themselves on that one! Sokheng (15 years old) who was rescued from an abusive brother last November following her father's death, said: “It's so great being able to study in school. It makes me smile knowing I am working towards becoming a nurse so I can stop people from being sick.” Another one of our girls, Panha (17 years old), was 13 when her grandfather sold her to a locker broker (a trafficker). During 2 years of living and working in appalling conditions, she was frequently abused. Now, Panha has friends, feels safe and is cared for: “The thing I'm most grateful for? Going to school” she said.

Remarkable tales of hope like these would not have been possible without crucial donations like yours - thank you so much. Still, there is much to be done for us to reach our project target. We would love it if you could continue to advocate and support this much-needed initiative, and we will keep you updated with news on how our beneficiaries are doing and how the project is progressing.

With sincere thanks,

The Branch Foundation

Note: The Branch Foundation pursues the highest degree of care and protection for each of its beneficiaries. To protect the identity of our clients on this project, names have been changed and pictures do not necessarily represent girls who have been abused or trafficked.

Homework time (Please see Note)

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