JBR - Siem Reap and Ponheary!!!
Apr 26th, 2006, 05:55 AM
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JBR - Siem Reap and Ponheary!!!
I want to start by saying a huge thank you to Lori (Offwego)for posting her report all that time ago about her experiences with Ponheary. It inspired me and many other people to contact Ponheary and the work that this wonderful woman is doing is remarkable. So, thank you again!!!
We had the most wonderful time in Siem Reap. Before leaving I (Debbie) had a 'non-uniforms for uniforms' fund raising week in the school where I teach. The children were allowed to come to school in their own clothes, and were asked to make a donation. They knew that the money raised would be going to children in Cambodia who desperately want a uniform to wear to school. I had spoken to the children about the poverty in Cambodia and talked to them about how we could make a small difference to the lives of some of the children. Our village church also wanted to make a donation to the uniform fund. Altogether we managed to raise $1,000.
We arrived in SR on the 2nd April. After spending the first day relaxing, we met up with Ponheary on Monday 3rd April. We could tell instantly that she was a very warm, kind, determined lady. As you know she has been through so much in her life, and she is doing such a wonderful thing in Cambodia. We had only contacted Ponheary through email, and had not sent any money in advance of our visit (as a money order was so expensive and Ponheary had asked for us to save the money for the children). She totally trusted that we would turn up, and had visited Tchey Primary School on numerous occasions to measure up the children for uniforms and shoes. Before our arrival she had measured, ordered and packed the uniforms and shoes into named packages. She and her family had bought pencils, pens, pencil cases etc... and sorted them into the named packages.
We spent the 3rd April visiting some of the wonderful temples around SR. Ponheary is a fantastic tour guide, and we learned so much from her about the history of her country (distance past and the more recent past). We also visited temples on the 5th of April, and spent the 6th April visiting Artisans d'angkor, and Tonle Sap Lake. All of these days were wonderful experiences. The temples were magnificent, but what struck us most was the poverty in the country. Yet despite this poverty, the people of Cambodia are so warm and welcoming. Their smile is contagious, and I can't wait to return!!!!
The most amazing part of our whole holiday was visiting Tchey Primary School. We arrived at about 9 in the morning, and the headmaster showed us and Ponheary around the school grounds. He was very proud of his school, and the children in his care. We were shown to a corner of the school yard that housed a straw building which we were told was the kitchen. The poorest children in the school are invited to bring a bowl to school each day, and they are provided with a breakfast of rice, salt and chillis. Some people from the local village cook the rice for the children, and are paid with rice for their own families. We were shown around the library and the school office. Whilst in the office we noticed a large pile of coconuts. The head master explained that he had asked the children to bring a coconut to school for the visitors if they had a coconut palm in their garden. Throughout the morning the children would bring us fresh coconuts to drink, and at the end of the visit they insisted that we take all the coconuts that were left over with us.
After looking at the school office we walked around the corner of a classroom and noticed all the children lined up that would be receiving supplies from us. With the money that we raised we were able to help about 135 children. Ponheary explained that about 95% of the children in the school were poor, but there were different levels of poor, and we were helping the very poorest. At this moment we wished that we could have raised more money, to help all the children in the school!!!!!!!!
We put out some tables, and laid the supplies onto them. Ponheary had named each of the packages, and one by one they were given out to the children. We felt incredibly privilaged to be able to help these children, and we felt compelled to help more in the future - this was not going to be a one off thing!!!! After giving out the supplies we spent some time looking around the classrooms, and spending time with the children. When the children first saw our camera and camcorder they didn't know how to react, but after I showed them images of themselves they were all really keen to see themselves. A day after we left the school, Ponheary gave me an envelope which contained beautiful pictures and writing from some of the children at the school.
When we got back to England I spoke to the head master at my school, Barrow Primary School. I asked if we could continue to support Tchey Primary School by fundraising each Christmas, and sending the money to Ponheary. He, and all the teachers agreed that it would be a great thing to do!! I have shown the photographs, DVD and drawings to the children in school, their parents and the staff. I wanted to make sure that everybody knew what a wonderful, happy, spiritually rich country Cambodia is. I wanted them to know that the people are very, very materially poor compared to us, but that doesn't make them spiritually poor, or stupid. They are very proud people, who have strong, loving families.
Ponheary is a wonderful, wonderful lady. She is doing such good work in SR, and I am going to tell as many people as I can!!!
If you need any more information, don't hesitate to contact me!!!!
We had the most wonderful time in Siem Reap. Before leaving I (Debbie) had a 'non-uniforms for uniforms' fund raising week in the school where I teach. The children were allowed to come to school in their own clothes, and were asked to make a donation. They knew that the money raised would be going to children in Cambodia who desperately want a uniform to wear to school. I had spoken to the children about the poverty in Cambodia and talked to them about how we could make a small difference to the lives of some of the children. Our village church also wanted to make a donation to the uniform fund. Altogether we managed to raise $1,000.
We arrived in SR on the 2nd April. After spending the first day relaxing, we met up with Ponheary on Monday 3rd April. We could tell instantly that she was a very warm, kind, determined lady. As you know she has been through so much in her life, and she is doing such a wonderful thing in Cambodia. We had only contacted Ponheary through email, and had not sent any money in advance of our visit (as a money order was so expensive and Ponheary had asked for us to save the money for the children). She totally trusted that we would turn up, and had visited Tchey Primary School on numerous occasions to measure up the children for uniforms and shoes. Before our arrival she had measured, ordered and packed the uniforms and shoes into named packages. She and her family had bought pencils, pens, pencil cases etc... and sorted them into the named packages.
We spent the 3rd April visiting some of the wonderful temples around SR. Ponheary is a fantastic tour guide, and we learned so much from her about the history of her country (distance past and the more recent past). We also visited temples on the 5th of April, and spent the 6th April visiting Artisans d'angkor, and Tonle Sap Lake. All of these days were wonderful experiences. The temples were magnificent, but what struck us most was the poverty in the country. Yet despite this poverty, the people of Cambodia are so warm and welcoming. Their smile is contagious, and I can't wait to return!!!!
The most amazing part of our whole holiday was visiting Tchey Primary School. We arrived at about 9 in the morning, and the headmaster showed us and Ponheary around the school grounds. He was very proud of his school, and the children in his care. We were shown to a corner of the school yard that housed a straw building which we were told was the kitchen. The poorest children in the school are invited to bring a bowl to school each day, and they are provided with a breakfast of rice, salt and chillis. Some people from the local village cook the rice for the children, and are paid with rice for their own families. We were shown around the library and the school office. Whilst in the office we noticed a large pile of coconuts. The head master explained that he had asked the children to bring a coconut to school for the visitors if they had a coconut palm in their garden. Throughout the morning the children would bring us fresh coconuts to drink, and at the end of the visit they insisted that we take all the coconuts that were left over with us.
After looking at the school office we walked around the corner of a classroom and noticed all the children lined up that would be receiving supplies from us. With the money that we raised we were able to help about 135 children. Ponheary explained that about 95% of the children in the school were poor, but there were different levels of poor, and we were helping the very poorest. At this moment we wished that we could have raised more money, to help all the children in the school!!!!!!!!
We put out some tables, and laid the supplies onto them. Ponheary had named each of the packages, and one by one they were given out to the children. We felt incredibly privilaged to be able to help these children, and we felt compelled to help more in the future - this was not going to be a one off thing!!!! After giving out the supplies we spent some time looking around the classrooms, and spending time with the children. When the children first saw our camera and camcorder they didn't know how to react, but after I showed them images of themselves they were all really keen to see themselves. A day after we left the school, Ponheary gave me an envelope which contained beautiful pictures and writing from some of the children at the school.
When we got back to England I spoke to the head master at my school, Barrow Primary School. I asked if we could continue to support Tchey Primary School by fundraising each Christmas, and sending the money to Ponheary. He, and all the teachers agreed that it would be a great thing to do!! I have shown the photographs, DVD and drawings to the children in school, their parents and the staff. I wanted to make sure that everybody knew what a wonderful, happy, spiritually rich country Cambodia is. I wanted them to know that the people are very, very materially poor compared to us, but that doesn't make them spiritually poor, or stupid. They are very proud people, who have strong, loving families.
Ponheary is a wonderful, wonderful lady. She is doing such good work in SR, and I am going to tell as many people as I can!!!
If you need any more information, don't hesitate to contact me!!!!
Apr 26th, 2006, 07:06 AM
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Thanks for your great report. I am very excited that we will meet Ponheary next month. I am getting ready to ask family and co-workers for donations for the school. We will be donating as well of course.
Apr 26th, 2006, 08:40 AM
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Bravo!
The very day you were at the school, Ponheary sent me a few pictures of your visit and I could tell even in the pictures that you were indeed "getting it".
Thanks for taking the time to raise the money. Thanks for taking an afternoon out of your site-seeing agenda. Thanks for continuing to raise money to further this work and for not forgetting about them when you returned home. Thanks for opening your heart to these wonderful kids.
You just never know when you're changing someone's life.
Lori
The very day you were at the school, Ponheary sent me a few pictures of your visit and I could tell even in the pictures that you were indeed "getting it".
Thanks for taking the time to raise the money. Thanks for taking an afternoon out of your site-seeing agenda. Thanks for continuing to raise money to further this work and for not forgetting about them when you returned home. Thanks for opening your heart to these wonderful kids.
You just never know when you're changing someone's life.
Lori
Apr 26th, 2006, 12:20 PM
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Apr 26th, 2006, 01:48 PM
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Yes, thank you Lori...You inspired many Fodorites and those who follow all of our journeys. That experience was indeed the most significant aspect of our recent trip to SEAsia. Next person there, please tell her Dr. Don and Miss Joyce say hello.
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