Protect 20 girls from abuse in Cambodia

The girls at the Safe Shelter have had a busy few months, but now school has broken up for the semester: it is the longest extended break of the year. The girls will be off school for two whole months. The two eldest girls Chayya and Sopheak are waiting for their high school diploma results. They have been predicted to pass with good grades and are expected to start University in October. In the meantime they are attending a vocational educational course run by CWDA. They are working on their English and computer skills and also learning how to compose a CV.

The staff at Cambodian Women’s Development Agency are working hard to ensure all of the girls have activities arranged to keep them happily occupied over their academic break. We are lucky to have a volunteer, Jenny, from England who is working with CWDA for a couple of months whilst on her university summer break.  Each day she teaches the girls English, she makes the lessons very interactive; the girls are learning English songs and games as well as having art and craft sessions.

Jenny says “I really enjoying spending time with the girls, watching their confidence grow as they learn to speak English. They are all really keen to demonstrate what they have learnt, but most of all I enjoy seeing how they all help and encourage one another”. 

It’s not been all work and study during the holidays, thanks to your donations the girls have been able to pick out some new clothes; they are all growing very fast and are very appreciative of being able to choose some new outfits. They have also been on a picnic to the riverside and are still enjoying their weekly yoga sessions. Pohiek has become so accomplished at yoga that she is running daily yoga sessions during her school holidays for all the CWDA staff which is helping to keep us all fit and flexible! 

Links:

• http://www.cwdagency.org/

Sokchhouen runs the day-to-day operations of the safe-shelter and is affectionately known by the girls as ‘house mother’. She lives on site to ensure all the girls in the safe shelter have consistent full time care and support. As well as her main role as house mother, she is also a trained weaving instructor and teaches the girls weaving in their free time. Under her tutelage some of the girls have weaved scarves that are then sold for a small price in the local market.

Sokchhouen joined CWDA in 1995, and has over 20 years experience working with vulnerable young girls to increase their confidence, self-sufficiency and life-skills. She also prepares the daily meals with the girls at the shelter so that they can develop their cooking skills.

 When asked what she enjoys most about her role Sokchhouen said “the organization is like a family to me, all the staff care for, and support each other, and I like to share my knowledge and experience with the girls and give them advice and make them feel calm, happy and comfortable; I think of them as daughters”

Phalla (not her real name), one of the girls at the shelter says that “Sokchhouen looks after us well, she has a lot of responsibility but she is happy and never complains about her job, even when she is up at night looking after us when we are sick”.

Thank you so much for donating to the Cambodian Women’s Development Agency. Your donation enables us to employ Sokchhouen to live at the Safe Shelter 24/7, this ensures the girls grow up in a caring, stable and loving environment.

Links:

• For more information on CWDA