Education for 300 Urban Poor Children

Overview:

Sunshine Cambodia (SC) are now working in four target areas in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. With her three years plan, 2015-2018, SC has worked closely with 300 children (Male: 149, Female: 151) from 200 families in the hope that each family and child will grow holistically. SC has tried her best to improve the living condition and reduce poverty within those families and also focused on the implementation of the children’s basic rights.

The children are selected and supported to attend formal education in both state and private schools. They also received school materials and extra tuition for supplementary classes – English, Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, Khmer and computer skills.

To build a close relationship with her beneficiaries SC also works directly with those 200 families, both fathers and mothers. SC’s staff in each areas spend time with them focusing on home visit/ case management and some activities in their community, which leads us to know more about their family situation and needs. Vocational and MED training, start-up capital, as well as emergency relief programs are provided. Moreover, Children and Parents’ Clubs have played very important role for SC to be able to work closely with her beneficiaries. They learnt useful lessons for life and get to know each other and had fun.

The following stories of change from our beneficiaries encourage and motivate all our staff to continue their hard work happily. However, SC acknowledges that without your support we are nothing.

1. I feel warm now

Nith is now 12 years old and lives with her grandparents in Sansom Kasal village, Phnom Penh. Her parents divorced and left her alone with her grandparents since she was less than one year old. She always feels no one care for her and no warm in her life.

“I don’t know when my parents left me, but my grandparents told me that they left me when I was very young.

They divorced. My father never visits me. My mother did sometimes, but she got a new husband. I feel no warm and hopeless,said Nith.

"Sometimes I want to cry. I wanted to study, but my grandparents cannot effort it. I love school uniform. When I saw my friends wearing school uniform and go to school I want to cry. I want to study too. I feel hopeless.” she added.

Some years later in 2009, Nith started her first day at school at Sansom Kosal primary school with very nice uniform as same as other friends in her village. Later on, when SC’s staff visited her grandparents she, then, learnt that SC has started to support for her study. She is now at grade 6 with good talent of Language studies. Nith has a dream. She wants to be an English teacher.

She said, “I didn’t know what was happened at that time. I was too small (young). I did not remember much, but I just knew that I had a chance to wear school uniform and was able to go to school. I was really happy. I had friends and can play with them happily".

She also said: "I attended Children’s Club with other new friends. I love to play with them. I love SC’s staff. Krue (teacher) Deth takes care of me and always encourages me to study hard for my future. I feel warm now, and not lonely. I have hope and a dream to be an English teacher.”                                                                                          

2. My husband is a new man.

In a very small wooden house of her mother-in-law lives a woman with her drunken husband and their two children and also other three families who are her husband relatives. Sreymom is 33 year-old and a garment factory worker.

As a garment factory worker Sreymom got little income, which is insufficient to support her family particularly to send her two kids, Mesa and Meta, to school. She always expects that her husband, Kim, will take his responsibility as a good husband and father to care for this poor family, to work and to support her family. In contrast, Kim hands this tough task to her and always gathers with his friends for alcohol drinking rather than find job to make more income for supporting their family.  He drinks every day and takes no responsibility for his family, but argues with Sreymom most of the time.

“Sometime I want to run away from my husband, but I could not left my children. I love them so much. I want just my husband changes his attitude and habit, but I don’t know how to do that,” Sreymom said.

Throughout these 2 years, 2015 to 2016, SC has started to support her son, Mesa, who is 7, and has worked with her family we learnt that she has faced many challenges in life due to the lack of responsibility of her husband. SC’s staff, Chaova, has tried to build a good relationship with Kim and spent time with him from time to time.

By spending an individual time with Kim the discussion was focused on the role of a father and husband so that Kim can reflect on this. Kim is also invited to join Father’s Club, where he can meet many other men, where he learnt good lessons. As a result, Kim is now be a new man for his family, his wife and children. Kim spent time to work rather than drink. He works now as a construction worker. He had spent quality time with his family. His words and attitude are changed.

With smile Sreymom said happily that, “My family is now much better. I am happy and no more stress. My husband is a new man, I think. We are now close to each other. He is not a drunken man as before, but he takes care of my family well and tries to earn money. He goes to work as a construction work. Moreover, my son, Mesa, can go to school. He is now at grade 2.”