Jobs for Cambodian Youth

Cambodian Jobs For Youth Project- Micro Project  Update

In January 2013, our Summer Arts Camp project embarked upon an expanded journey. It was  the start of a new chapter in our efforts to bring the joys, discipline and pride of culture of traditional Cambodian arts and dance   to orphaned and underprivileged children.

Our staffing consisted of several of the teachers and staff formerly with our old Apsara Arts program. We ultimately hired, as apprentice and assistant teachers, six of our senior dance students who had served previously as Apprentice Teachers.

We felt this was an important employment opportunity for these young adults for several reasons.  Not only did it provide a way for us to provide a job track that allowed our senior students to   continue to keep their skills sharp  by providing ready access to an  appropriate practice venue, but it also allowed these students  to also expand upon their skills by giving them the opportunity to teach and mentor other students, providing a real time inspiration to the disadvantaged youth who attended our program. Finally, we feel that the this project nurtured feelings of pride and self accomplishment, as students experienced a new role as a junior paid professional as they experienced the fruits of their many years of study.

Champey Academy of Arts ( CAA) , which started dance classes at our new location near the Royal Palace and Royal University of Art in  Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital city,  has continued to serve local children providing an important alternative to street culture by teaching traditional Cambodian art, music and dance.

The funds from this micro project allowed us to pay our core of 6 assistant teachers and to provide part time employment for 3 of our college students, enabling them to earn the essential although modest wages needed to sustain their expenses while attending college, providing  6 months of sustainable employment to our six junior teaching professionals.

At the present time, all are still working at their jobs at the Academy

Our sincere thanks to our kind donors for their generous support and our apology for the lateness of this report.  Your generosity  has allowed these young adults and students to have  an opportunity for  paid employment in dignified circumstances and to serve as an inspiration to the children in our program.

Barbara and Mark Rosasco