By Jordan Williams | International Volunteer, DEPDC/GMS
A Look at the Past Three Months
Three months have seemingly flown by here at DEPDC/GMS! With the semester well underway at the Patak Half Day School, the students have been busy with classes, vocational skills workshops, and a special visit from international volunteers! In preparation for the launch of such a productive semester, students and teachers started off by organising notebooks, pencils, and other supplies for class. They also divided into groups and cleaned the entire school! With financial support raised through Global Giving and several community supporters, the Half Day School has been able to provide alternative education to 52 at-risk children this semester so far. With so much that has happened over the past three months, we want to give you a glimpse at one of our exciting events.
Visitors from New York
During the first two weeks of July, eight students from the Macaulay Honors College in the City University of New York visited DEPDC. Their visit was arranged by Kaya Responsible Travel and supported by the Kenan Scholars Programme. After dividing into four groups, they partnered with members of SYSTERM to teach the Half Day School students. Each of the groups utilised a different method of teaching based on the class and the topic at hand. The class with the youngest students learned about letters and colours by painting and getting creative with play dough! The middle-aged classes learned basic greetings, numbers, verbs, and emotions through dance! The class with the oldest students applied their grammar skills and new vocabulary words to interactive games like hangman and pictionary! The volunteers from New York also had the opportunity to meet and converse with our founder, Khun Sompop. He explained the history of the DEPDC and the importance of maintaining a volunteer heart and mind, instilling a sense of inspiration within the students. For the rest of their time at DEPDC, the volunteers continued teaching classes in the morning while either watching movies or playing outdoor games with the students in the afternoon. In addition, one of the volunteers organised a self-defence workshop for the SYSTERM girls. After learning basic punches and kicks, the girls felt strong, self-sufficient, and equipped with the knowledge to defend themselves in potentially dangerous situations on the street. Our New York friends will leave DEPDC with a newfound outlook on alternative education and hope to stay connected to the students in the future.
A Big Thank You
On behalf of all the children, teachers, and volunteers at DEPDC, I would like to say thank you for your generous support of our mission. People like you represent the crucial partnerships that keep our centre thriving, and I appreciate having you all as allies as we push to eliminate the risk of human-trafficking for our youth. Please continue to provide your much appreciated support and don’t forget to spread the word about the Half Day School by following, liking, and sharing our updates on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn!
By Kristin Moreau | International Volunteer, DEPDC/GMS
By Kristin Moreau, MS, CCC-SLP | International Department Coordinator
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