We provide a " Summer Arts Camp" for disadvantaged children,offering free drawing, music and dance instruction for the 8 week summer break in August and September. Unlike the US, there are few activities for kids during the break. We can host 100 camperss. Most are local kids or from our AIDS Patient Family Support Program. If funds are available for transportation,we will also invite 30 medically fragile kids from the Phnom Penh Municipal Orphanage. Average cost $1.72 per child per day.
It is important to enable children from all backgrounds to have access to activities to help them to learn about the wonderful cultural heritage of Cambodia. Their school break of 8 weeks is filled with boredom, which may sometimes lead otherwise good kids into mischief. Kids are kids and when out of school and left to their own devices they will find ways to fill the time. Our idea is to give these kids a " purpose filled" summer break at the Summer Arts Camp.
Children enjoy a happpy half day session 6 days a week,learning traditional Cambodian dance , music and the history that created the dance. We have added painting and drawing classes to enrich our program. Over past years, many local children came to participate and some days saw up to 100 campers.We have become known as a safe place for kids among local residents who find the camp a great way to safely occupy their kids during summer break while parents work at market stalls.
Camp helps children to build team skills and they are also exposed to peer mentoring. We believe that the process of learning performing arts will not only enrich their young lives,but will create a platform of discipline and determination that will help to prepare them for adult life. They will also develop a sense of pride in their accomplishments and be reminded that that they too have a responsibility to help others, to " pay it forward" and help others as they themselves have been helped
This project has provided additional documentation in a DOCX file (projdoc.docx).
