Education Aid to Cambodia

Help for homework to the kids

2012-01-15T05:26:00.000-08:00

This month we've got an extraordinary donation from one of our current supporter. Borin and I have decided to use some of the money for homework help for small children. They are slightly under-stimulated and suffers from the lack of parental support and therefore we decided to try to pay a student to teach them and help them with their homework.

The student, Kakada is approx. 21 years old and study English at a university in Phnom Penh. He lives in the temple and will do an hour of homework every evening with them.

Christmas 2011

2011-12-25T08:40:00.000-08:00

In the books store

Thanks to all the sponsors who made this Christmas donation possible, we spend the money for present for 13 kids and young. Money for buying small presents, school shirts, books, cakes, doctor shirts, skating, participating at school party and so on and so on.
Thanks to everybody for your donations and your interest for this project.
Happy New Year to all of you.
From Orly and her Cambodian kids.

Books for Christmas, fairytales

Christmas shopping

Cosy time for Christmas in Borin's room

Photos from Denmark in the background

My godson Borin start his mecial practice tomorrow. We gave him 2 doctor shirt as Christmas present.

New school shirts to all the kids

Laundry service

2011-12-11T02:33:00.000-08:00

during my visit to Cambodia, I have experienced how difficult it is for the small boys to keep their white school shirts clean and decided to pay for laundry service in the future. I looked for a laundry in the nearness of the temple with Borin and we agreed on the price.

Later Yos agreed to collect the shirts from the 4 little boys every Sunday and bring them to them to the laundry.

Dinner is ready

2011-11-19T07:32:00.000-08:00

Sna, making everyone happy by his laugh

Last day in Phnom Penh

2011-11-15T10:06:00.000-08:00

Breakfast is served at Borins room in front of the TV

Sophal and Cheng playing Lego

Sophal

Cheng

From the left: Cheng, Sophal and Kosal

Sna

Sophal and kosal

Soon leaving Phnom Penh

Last tea and cakes

Bye bye kids

A day in Phnom Penh

2011-11-13T04:11:00.000-08:00

Last shopping in Phnom Penh

Traditional ricecake seller

Saru buy ricecakes to the kids

Borin and his six kids

Sophal and Cheng

Kosal

From the left: Kosal & Sophal

Our tuk-tuk driver, Mr. Leng

Visting Water Park

2011-11-12T04:15:00.000-08:00

Cheng

Borin and me

Sna

Kosal and Chanty

Chanty, Sna and Kosal

Sna, Kosal and Chanty

End of a happy day in Water Park

Borin is buying sweets and fruits for the kids

On the way back to Phnom Penh, 9 persons on one tuk-tuk

Borin bought corn on the way back

Relaxing day

2011-11-11T11:38:00.000-08:00

Sna & Cheng at the hotel pool

Relaxing

Sophal at the temple

The kids play by cooking juice from wild fruits

Chanty

Cheng

Rotha and Cheg

Borin and "his" six kids

Water Festival

Hotel Phnom Penh, much better than the temple....

Visiting the home of Kosal and the mother of Borin

2011-11-11T10:01:00.000-08:00

Visiting Kosals parents.

Foto: his mother and two smaller sisters.

The aunt of Chanty and Rotha is helping the mother of Kosal to preper the lunch.

The 4 siblings of Kosal indside the house.

The mother of Kosal in front of their home.

I'm the first foreigner in the village so the neighbors are very interested in meeting me.

The old ladies are interested in talking to "Doctor Borin", our project leader in Cambodia

The home of the grandparents of Kosal

The grandparents to the left, the parents to the right and Kosal with his 4 siblings.

The kitchen

Lunch is served

I sponsored the food and they had the honor to preper a nice lunch. The food cost me 12,50 USD and a worker earn 75 USD per month. No wonder why they are all under feeded.

We had a couple of hours on the beach in the nearness of Kosals village.

Pottery seller

Borins mother love kids like her son.

Dinner at Borins mother, from the left: our driver, Borin sister, his mother and me.

Visiting the home village of Saru

2011-11-09T10:13:00.000-08:00

Kitchen at Saru's home, in the background his sister Peach and her daughter Mey.

Lunch was served as soon as we arrived

Cambodian dishwasher

termites in the middle of the house become an house altar. To the right: sister of Saru, Peach.

Walking around the village. From the left: Kosal and Cheng.

A seller of rice cakes

Walking around the village

Shopping and dentist day

2011-11-08T09:47:00.000-08:00

Shopping day, mattress and bedding for Chanty and Rotha, pencil cases, schoolbags and clothes for the kids.

Tilføj billedtekst

Dentist visit

After 3 hours at the dentist... I think he is happy that we are soon going home.. :-)

Happy day in Cambodia

2011-11-07T10:39:00.000-08:00

Sophal

We started the day visiting SIS private school. We talked to the teachers of Sopal and Rotha. Cheng goes there as well but he is doing the afternoon shift.
Later we had a happy day in an entertainment park, Dream Land, and the kids love it. We ended the evening with a happy dinner at BB World, burgers and cola. A happy day!

Sna

Class of Sophal

Class of Rotha

Sna

Yos, the adult like to play as well

Sna

From the left Cheng and Kosal.

Dinner at BB World, burger and cola!

Break at the entertainment park, Dream Land

Arrival to Phnom Penh and visiting Saru new home

2011-11-06T09:29:00.000-08:00

Arrival to Phnom Penh

Each one of the kids prepered a small gift for me

Lunch together

The kids makes drawing for me

Drawing of Sophal, Orly waving to all the waiting kids

Visiting the home of Saru

Since July Saru is living with Nary, she have a little appartment

Nary to the right, to the left her sister

The appartment of Nary

Chanty sleeping in her room in the temple

The aunt of Chanty and Rotha, sh is our dinner cook

Dinner together, from the left: Borin, Orly, Saru and Yos

New school year start in Cambodia on Monday the 3. Oktober 2011

2011-09-30T10:47:00.000-07:00

Borin did shopping today to the kids, they all start a new school year on Monday and Borin bought them new cloths, shoes, schoolbags, and school equipment.

Borin is writing:
I spent totally 112.5 USD for everything of their starting school.

The spending like this:
1- Clothes of Sophal, Cheng and Kosal 6 pairs x 5 ( 5 USD per one pair) = 30 USD
2- Clothes of Chanthy alone 2 pairs, two shirts and two skirts = 17 USD
3 School bag of Sophal, Cheng and Kosal ( 2 x 6 USD and 1 x 5 USD) = 17 USD
4- Shoes of Rotha and Cheng: 2 x 4 USD = 8 USD
- Shoes of Sophal, Chanthy and Kosal: 3 x 5 USD = 15 USD
5- Socks 3 x 3000 riels about 2 USD
6- Built of Rotha 3 USD
7- Notebooks (60 books) plus pen, red pen, pencils, ruler, book cover with plastic for covering =22.5 USD

Rotha needed 15 books last year, grade 7. So I bought Chanthy 15 books, Rotha 15 books, Cheng about 12 books, while Sophal needs only 8 books, The rest book for Kosal, but if there is any notebooks left I could give it later for the one who could need next time.

This time I gave them much freedom to choose clothes that they like, shoes that they like, school bag that they like, books, and so on...

I asked for good quality as well, but let see how long they could use those things. I bought two set of cloths as they could have for changing while one pair is dirty, and haven't washed.

Housing for Chanty and Rotha

2011-09-30T09:52:00.000-07:00

In August 2011, Chanty and Rotha got a room in the temple, Borin bought them a fan and a lamp, the room is very small, just 1 x 2,5 meter but now they don’t need to sleep outside. They have a place to keep their belongings, as school bag and cloths.

Daily life in the room of Borin

2011-06-08T10:33:00.000-07:00

Borin agreed with the aunt of Chanty and Rotha that she will prepare everyday a dinner for all the small kids, he will give her the money for buying the ingredients and she will cook. Her job will be paid by a meal.

The aunt is living as homeless in the temple area. We started with this arrangement per 1. June and we hope that it will give Borin help to concentrate on his coming exams. The arrangement will also give the kids a better and bigger dinner than the one they used to buy.

The rice is coming from the village of Borin from the country side, once in a while he gets

Borin did shopping for the kids today

2011-06-04T09:36:00.000-07:00

Borin did some shopping today for the kids, it is some Soya milk and noodles which our project support the kids besides their breakfast and dinner.
Per 1. of June we started a new arrangement, the aunt of Rotha and Chanty will make dinner for all the kids so they don't need to buy from outside and we hope that for the same money they can get better and more food.
The portion you see in photo is for one month, for June, for 6 kids so it is not much.

Borin is writing:
I bought today somethings like you see in the pictures. Sophal got his small present (for his good results in school) included a pair of new shoes, pen and extra soybean milk. His shoes were loosed so far, and Kosal's shoes were broken too, not the shoes to school but the shoes they wear in the temple everyday. It is dirty to walk without shoes in the bathroom, and spread dirtiness to my room as well, but they don't have so much habit of wearing shoes all the time.
MILO (cocoa drink) is for them and Coffee is for me. I do need coffee in the coming time (because of exams at medical school), and it might be only at mid-night time that could be always peace and quite for me...
You see a lamp in the picture, the aunt, Rotha and Chanthy could us if they need, like you wish, but they now have dinner in my room, so normally they don't need it, but I need it when i study at night as the light I am having is too bright when people are sleeping.

A typical meal

2011-05-17T09:12:00.000-07:00

Our project support every day the kids with hot meals, Cambodian eat only hot meals. Borin sent me today these photos of Chanty, showing how a typical meal from us look like.
Thanks to all the sponsors for the support we get.

Visiting Cambodia Apr. 2011

2011-05-01T04:05:00.000-07:00

New clothes from Denmark

After shopping, books, games, puzzles, balls, baloons etc.

Sophal in Water Park

From the left: Cheng, Rotha, Chanty, Chhon, Yos, Kosal, Sna, May and Saru

Saru after he left the monkhood at april 13th

Sailing on the Mekong

From the left: Kosal, Sophal, Orly, Cheng and Borin

From left: Chanty, Sophal and Kosal

Sophal and Chanty

Breakfast in the temple, Cheng and Kosal

Cheng with all his belongings, his schoolbag and a plastic bag with clothes, he sleep outside with Kosal on this bed.

Borin and his loving kids

Mother of Borin visiting the temple in Phnom Penh

From the left: Sophal, Kosal and Cheng

Borin is working on his laptop from Denmark and the kids watch tv

Burger Dinner

Lunch at our usual restaurant

Kosal hanging clothes after wash

On the way to the airport

Happy New Year in Cambodia

2011-04-01T13:00:00.000-07:00

Yos did some shopping of New Year presents to all 6 kids. He sent me a very detailed specification of the money he spent:
Dear Orly
Today I spend my time for taking all kids to the market. You know, this morning they are happy with smiled and already wearing dress and waiting me early in the morning.
I think today I spend lot money for everything in market. I try to keep the cost price for everything and be carefully on it.
Here is the cost price like:
FOR ROTHA
- One Trouser : $12 (Ask for Discount $6.5) (26000Reil)
- One Shirt : $6 (Ask for Discount $4) (16000Reil)
- School Bed : $8.5 (Ask for Discount 7.5) (30000Reil)
Total: 72000Riel
FOR CHHANTHY
- One Trouser : $9 (Ask for Discount $6.5) (26000Riel)
- One Shirt : $7.5 (Ask for Discount 15000Riel)
- One Brassier (Special Shirt for girl) $1.5 (Ask for Discount 5000Riel)
- One Belt : $2 (Ask for Discount $1.5) (6000Riel)
- Lady Shoes : $3 (Ask for Discount $2) (8000Riel)
Total: 60000Riel
FOR CHHENG
- School Shirt : $5 (Ask for Discount $3) (12000Riel)
- School Trouser : $5.5 (Ask for Discount 15000Riel)
- One Slippers (Walk around pagoda): $3 (Ask for Discount $2) (8000Riel)
- One Shoes (For School or go outside): $6 (Ask for Discount $4.5) (18000Riel)
- One Socks : 1500Riel
Total: 54500Riel
FOR SOPHAL
- School Shirt : $5 (Ask for Discount $3) (12000Riel)
- School Trouser : $5.5 (Ask for Discount 15000Riel)
- One Slippers : $3 (Ask for Discount 8000Riel
- One Sock : 1500Riel
Total: 36500Riel
FOR KOSAL
- School Shirt : $5 (Ask for Discount $3) (12000Riel)
- School Trouser : $5.5 (Ask for Discount 15000Riel)
- One Shirt at home : $4 (Ask for Discount $3) (12000Riel)
- One Trouser at home : $2 (Ask for Discount 5500Riel)
- One Shoes (For School) : $6 (Ask for Discount $4.5) (18000Riel)
- One Sock : 1500Riel
Total: 64000Riel
FOR SNA
Total: (11 USD) For Sna I don’t know type of things he gets because Saru bought for for him.
- For Tok Tok : 10000Riel ($2.5)
-Total Cost Price for Kids and Tok Tok : 341000Riel
- (Spend today 85USD and 1000Riel)

Cheng was in hospital this week

2011-03-12T10:10:00.000-08:00

Cheng has been hospitalized for a week and returned to the temple today. Fortunately we have Borin in our project, who study medicine, which takes care of Cheng and ensure his admission to hospital, his food and his medicine.

Cheng suffered from a combination of mumps and an attack of asthma.

Photos from daily life of the kids

2011-02-28T09:14:00.000-08:00

time for homework

all together on Chanty's bed outside the temple

playing in the sleeping area

Cheng - in the bathroom

Chanty washing the dishes, also in the bathroom

Sophal, bath and washing cloth in the same time

Kosal

Cheng

Brother and sister, Rotha and Chanty

Sophal

Sna, 6 years old at the 9. March

Chanty having dinner in the room of Borin

Sophal start at SIS (Singapore International School) - private school

2010-12-21T10:55:00.000-08:00

Sophal in front of the temple with his new school uniform

A new sponsor in Denmark gave me the opportunity to improve the condition of this fantastic 11 years old boy, Sophal. Sending him to a part time private school and feeding him up, he is 130 cm and only 22-23 kg. You can read more about his background in a former notification from 1. March 2010. It will be fantastic to follow him in the coming months.

Borin wrote us today (29-12-2010):

Dear Orly & Claus
All things for Sophal to at start SIS is done today. He will start at SIS from tomorrow morning.
Among all the things, I asked Yos to help me by bringing Sophal to buy him the new shoes.
All the spending is like below:
School fee: 275 $
Car transporting: 12.8 $( as he starts from 30/12/10 till 3/1/2011: 1 month and 2 days)
West : 7.5 $
Text book: 8 $
Shoes: 5.6$
Total is 308.9 USD
He is very happy !! Great thanks from him!!
Love,
Borin

Dentist

2010-11-29T11:04:00.000-08:00

We were so lucky to get an extra ordinary donation which I decided to use for sending all the kids to the dentist.

Borin did an appointment with a dentist on Sunday, and the dentist used 3 hours to check all of them and pull out 8 teeth, did several dental fillings, teeth polish, X-ray and so on….
We used all the donation of 200 USD and there is still more work to do. My plan is to send the kids regularly to the dentist as some of them have very bad teeth.

Rice harvest in the village

2010-11-27T22:46:00.000-08:00

Saru and Sna went to the village last week to help the family doing the harvest. All the siblings of Saru gather and help each other to do the work.
Saru is writing: Now I become dark brown, everyone in my university will know that I’m just back from doing farming. I feel sorry to have this colour, but I can’t avoid it….

Brother and sister having fun

Sna (6) and Mey (4) in front of their country home

Sna with his new school uniform bought by Saru last week and Mey with some cloths from Denmark and her new shoe and socks. Her earings is also from Denmark.

The family gathered for dinner after a hard day of work

Saru did shopping for Sna

2010-11-19T22:33:00.000-08:00

Sna, 6 years, 15 kg. 115 cm

Dear Orly, I will leave to my hometown soon. This morning, I went to buy the new school clothes with belt , new shoes with sock, and a new school bag as well.
To make sure, I just want to calculate the money that I spend for Sna....
One shirt 3 USD,
One trouser 3.50 USD
One Belt 1 USD,
One shoes 6 USD, (I can choose 4-3 USD too, but not so good quality)
One shock 2000 R.
One school bag, 4 USD.
I also buy a new shoe and shock for Mey, because it looks so beautiful.
He's very happy with all these things, and I hope that his parents must be happy to see their son with all these clean and high quality clothes.
I have to go now......
Have nice days
Love,
Saru

Sna, in the background the temple, Wat Koh

Sna, in the background the port to the temple

New sponsors for Kosal

2010-11-15T09:03:00.000-08:00

The mother and father of Kosal with Kosal beside the bike.
Sophal and Cheng on the bike

After returning from Cambodia, I have searched through facebook new sponsors for Kosal. was lucky to find three that will provide $ 0.5 per day so we can fed him up. I've asked Yos to measure his weight and height and have got the resuls today, Kosal who is 11 years weighing 20 kg and is 127 cm tall. He is for sure very undernourished and it will be good for him with three meals every day.

Kosal is still homeless, he stay during the day in the temple area with our other children and every night his father comes with his bike and take Kosal with the camp bed and the blanket I bought him. They go to find somewhere where they can stay overnight, every night they sleep in a new place to avoid problems with the police.

7. November last day in Cambodia

2010-11-08T04:04:00.000-08:00

From the left: Chanty, Sna, Kosal, Cheng and Sophal

On the way to the airport

Last ice cream in the airport

Bye bye Phnom Penh

6. November visiting Borins home town

2010-11-08T03:27:00.000-08:00

Borin and his fantastic mother

Wonderfull lunch

In front of the temple in the village where Borin
is coming from

5. November on tour with Borin

2010-11-08T03:21:00.000-08:00

Visiting Killing Fields and hearing about
the Pol Pot regime

Borin showed us around a hospital where he use to do practice

Night market

Dinner at KFC

4. November last day on the beach

2010-11-08T03:15:00.000-08:00

Breakfast on the beach

Walking a long the beach

Bye bye Sihanoukville

3. November around Sihanoukville by tuk-tuk

2010-11-08T03:11:00.000-08:00

On the way to Sihanoukville

The temple of Sihounkville where Saru lived for two years

Kosal is sleaping in the tuk-tuk on the way back

2. November Beach life and fishing with the kids

2010-11-08T03:03:00.000-08:00

Kosal

1. Nov. Going to Sihaunkville to the beach

2010-11-08T02:54:00.000-08:00

We rented a mini bus for 55 USD the trip is 230 km and we
had a few hours stop at the village of Saru

Leaving the temple

Rice fields at Saru´village

Saru and his parents

Beach life in the late afternoon

31. October National gallery, royal palace and the temple Wat Phnom

2010-11-08T02:41:00.000-08:00

From the left: Sopal, Cheng, Sna and Kosal

In front of Wat Phnom
From the left: Saru and Rotha.
From right: Yos and Borin

30. October Around the temple and shopping

2010-11-08T02:17:00.000-08:00

Saru is showing Lene and Mette around the temple area where they all live.
from left: Mette, Lene, Sopal, Kosal, Cheng and Saru.

Photo from the school in the temple

Back from the market after shopping for our comin trip to the beach in the South of Cambodia.

Dinner in the evening in our favorite restaurant

29. October 2010 Arrival to Phnom Penh

2010-11-08T01:59:00.000-08:00

Bad news from Cambodia / Brutta notizia dalla Cambogia

2010-10-26T09:15:00.000-07:00

I've got bad news from Cambodia. The leader of the temple has decided to demolish the building where the homeless people lived in. Sunday they all had to leave the building with all their belongings. Right now Chanty and Rotha sleeps outside. They store their things in the room of Borin and sleeps on a bed outside. I hope we can find a cheap room for them somewhere near the temple. The biggest problem is Chanty as girls are not aloud to sleep inside the temple were the monks are sleeping.

Italiano:
Ho una brutta notizia dalla Cambogia. Il capo del tempio ha deciso di demolire l'edificio in cui le persone homeless vivono. Domenica tutti dovevano lasciare l'edificio con tutti i loro averi. In questo momento Chanty e Rotha dorme fuori. Si messo i loro cose in camera di Borin e dorme su un letto fuori. Spero che si possa trovare una camera a buon prezzo per loro da qualche parte vicino del tempio. Il problema più grande è Chanty come le ragazze non sono permesso dormire all'interno del tempio dove sono dormono i monaci.

Sna just started in 1. class

2010-10-13T10:23:00.000-07:00

Sna, the Benjamin of our Cambodian family started his studies in first class. He started preschool in January this year and this month he moved to first class.

Italiano:
Sna, il Benjamin della nostra famiglia cambogiana ha iniziato i suoi studi in prima classe. Ha iniziato la scuola materna nel gennaio di quest'anno e questo mese si è trasferito in prima classe.

School start for the 4 kids of Borin

2010-09-30T23:08:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all the sponsors for your help.

School start for Kosal

2010-09-30T10:43:00.000-07:00

Dear Orly and Claus

You can see on the photos everything I bought for Kosal and today I decided to buy one new shoe for him because now doesn't have shoe to use. He forgot it in his hometown.The new shoe is $2. He is happy so much for something you help to him and he thank you big big to you.
For me now I need to pay school fee and the school will close for payment on 15 October 2010.
I would like to say thank you again for help me and Kosal big huge. I and family of Kosal are so happy and feel better after we got the big help from you.
About my University will start to study on 20 October. I am so very happy so much for your big help to me now. I promise you I will do best for my study in University and I will get good result in my class.

Best Love
Yos

New school year

2010-09-10T12:46:00.000-07:00

Chanty and Rotha, brother and sister, just started 6. and 7. grade.

In the morning they go to public school and in the afternoon they study English in private school.
Borin bought them new school uniform, shoes, bags, books and so on…. They started new school year this week. Rotha started private school already two years ago while Chanty just started this week.
Public school and private school have different uniform. Private school black and white and publich school blue and white.
Chanty and Rotha parents died of AIDS and they live today in the temple with many other homeless people. Borin looks after them, support & guide them and buy all what they need.

In the photos you see them waiting for school bus outside the temple and the other photo inside the room of Borin.

New young man in our project

2010-09-08T08:50:00.000-07:00

I'm lucky to get more sponsor money from Italy and I decided to help a new young man from the temple.
He will study tourism for4 years. The first two years will be for 400 USD per year and the last two years 500 USD per year.
He introduce him self:

My name's Sorn Kim CHHON. I was born in September 06, 1984. I was a monk about 9 years, and I started study from grade one untill graduated at the Buddhist High School. And now I have a plan for studying at the Norton University with the help from you. But now I left from the monkhood, but I still want to study continuously. And now I hope that you will help me until my graduation. I hope so anyway.

About my family, My father's name's SORN CHHEM, My Mother's Name's Sat Ny and they are rice farmers. We are 5 siblings. There is only one son, Me, and other 4 are daughters. Therefore, I am the oldest child and a single son in my family. My three younger sisters have stopped study long time ago, and the youngest one is still too young, 5 years old. Maybe next year, she will be sent to the kindergarten. Finish I wish you a prosperity and noble life in the future.
I am very happy that I can study in a very good university.
Thanks to the sponsors
Chhon

News about Kosal

2010-09-03T16:12:00.000-07:00

A while ago I got some information from Borin that the police moved all the homeless people from the temple area included the parents of Kosal. His mother needed to move with her 5 kids back to the village and his father is still working with his bike in Phnom Penh. Kosal went with his mother and siblings back to the village.

Today I got the following mail from Borin telling about Kosal:
"Surprisingly, Kosal arrived to the temple in this late evening, it was already got very dark outside with moderate raining. I was surprised when I went to eat my dinner near the temple and saw him sitting alone in the darkness outside our room on a bed. He looked still very small, thin, with a bit long hair. He said he just arrived from his hometown, and he was waiting his father. He came alone, he said he came as he had missed his father so much and he asked his mother to come to Phnom Penh to see his father. I asked him to come to my room to wait for his father. He met him some hours later, and he went with his father after that. He came with a package of biscuit, very ordinary one, that he bought on the car a long the road. He had some clothes with him too, he said he will stay with his father for few days, then go back home and he will come back again when his school starts in the temple.

At his hometown, he said, he always goes to the field, rice field, to look after some cows, and he said he reads book after coming back from the field.

He left his biscuit and clothes in my room before he went with his father :-)

His father is staying in PP earning money with your bike and his mother staying at his home looking after all of them. He said this year his younger brother and sister will be sent to school at his hometown too. He found out that in his hometown the school is for free, but in Phnom Penh, teacher asked money from him, money for teacher everyday, for part-time study, for fan, for electricity and so on. He said, one of his classmate in PP last school year, stopped studying, as he didn't have money to pay his teacher, I feel upset to hear about that, also about some teachers in PP for what they have been doing to get money, even though I do understand about their low salary.”

Photos from Saru

2010-08-09T11:28:00.000-07:00

Saru and Sna went to the village last weekend to visit the family. The village is about 4 hours drive from the temple where they live in Phnom Penh.

On the photos you can see the sisters of Saru on the rice fields.
You can see Sna with his mother (Peach) standing near the mango trees that I gave them two years ago, showing me how big the tree is today.

The last photo showing Sna with his little sister Mey and his little brother Nang.

Information about the kids

2010-06-18T10:26:00.000-07:00

Borin went with Chanty to the hospital to get the results of her HIV blood test.

The results are much better than last time. Her antivirus rose from 23% to 33% and it should be over 25% so right now her HIV is under control and she is fit for fight. She got also Hepatitis B vaccine in the hospital. Borin told me that she looks healthy and what is more important, she now believe that she can survive; we are giving her a hope.

I have daily contact with Borin about the kids and he tells me that they play better together now, they don’t fight so much as before and they don’t discriminate each other as before. Especially Chanty was very much discriminated by the other kids and adults because of her HIV but after she entered our project she is much more protected and accepted by the others in the temple area.

Borin is doing a great job trying to avoid the adults in beating the small kids and he also explains the kids that it is forbidden to beat each other. The motto of our project is that children that join our project must TALK together not BEAT each other.

They do progress every day and they contact Borin about the daily problems they have.

Information from Yos about Kosal

2010-05-15T07:22:00.000-07:00

FOOD:
I spend 3000 Reil (0,75 USD) for one day ( 2000Reil for hot food and 1000Reil for food at school like you told me). Now I still have $15 for Kosal.

About Kosal, I always give the advice to him and he understands me. However I do my best with Kosal and I never forget looking after him.

BED:
For bed, is okay for them and they love it very much. The bed on the picture you sent me before is difficult for them to keep and it cost just $ 17 but I want you to know again that If we buy a bed like you asked me, how can they keep it? Because is so big and you know already Kosal family doesn't have home and not sure place in Wat Koh (our temple) so if I buy modern bed for him is so easy for them to keep. How can he keep? He can keep it in the bike.

You know, the bed that I bought is $30 in one shop and another shop is $25 but after I ask the price for discount again and again is just $20.

This bed I show in the picture is very easy for use and good for sleeping.

BIRTH CONTROL:
Mother of Kosal went to clinic for a few days a go. She can't not use the birth control because her health is weak however the doctor gave her some medicine to make her more healthy. After that she will be able to use the birth control. Medicine cost 2 USD and 1 USD for checking her health.

Recently she asked me some money to buy the rice because she doesn't have rice to eat but anyway I gave her some of my own rice.

THANKS TO SPONSOR:

Please say hello and thank and very big hug to my sponsors for all of money to me. (I got USD 70 from Saru).

Congratulation Borin !

2010-05-09T05:09:00.000-07:00

Congratulation to Borin, he got his BA degree in English yesterday. Borin did his BA in English beside his medical studies. At the same time he is also studying French as he needs it for his medical studies. Furthermore he supports my “aid for education” project in Cambodia and looks after 4 kids for me. Busy…. Yes, sure but he is also the one who said to me:

LITTLE STONES MAKE MOUNTAINS, LITTLE STEPS CAN COVER MILES, LITTLE ACTS OF LOVING - KINDNESS GIVES THE WORLD SMILES".

Congratulation Borin, you are fantastic and you deserve it.

New school bag and shoes

2010-05-03T09:57:00.000-07:00

Dear Orly & Claus,
We are ok.
About the kids, I bought them know again their materials studies such as pens, pencils, rulers, and erasers.

Sopahal shoes and Chanty’s bag have completely broken that couldn’t be fixed, and they asked me for new ones, so I gave money to them to ask Chanty’s aunt to help them to buy as she had to go to the market too. They bought already in the morning. I also told her to choose the good quality ones. They spent 8 usd totally, and I see her new bag and Sophal’s shoes. I can see the bag is better quality than before as this bag is made from cotton while last time bag was made from plastic mostly.
Chanty, Sophal and Cheng went together with the aunt, and in this afternoon, my mother came to the same market to buy some goods for her shops. She is a very long-term customer to many sellers in that market. My mother called me to meet her there, so I took Cheng with me again, as Cheng wasn’t bought anything in the morning together with Chanty and Sophal. I couldn’t take Chanty or Sophal with us as I had to drive my mother too after buying.
My mother bought me and Cheng good food and drink to eat in the market. It is the same market that we often go together with you when you are here. She got some free dry fish for me from those sellers as well, and I gave some to Chanty and some to Cheng when I came back.

For Sophal, he gets everyday 3000 Reils (0,75 USD) even the day that he doesn’t have class and Chanty gets responsibility to control his spending. I normally give his money to Chanty and she will give him 2000 Riels in the morning for breakfast and does the checking what he buys every time. In the afternoon she will give him his rest 1000 riels and does the same control. Chanty gets understand our meaning of what kind of things that we allow them to buy for this money, so I let her to help me with this thing.

The three small kids are now more enjoyable and playing together, and love each more than before, and they are also giving me their trust and obeying.

For sure, they are looking forward your next time visiting.

During writing this mail, the three kids are now sitting in my room behind me, taking their English books to read together, as I just said to them: "you all just playing when being free from school, I don’t see anyone take any books to read"..., so they went immediately to take the books to read. Also Rotha is being here as well, also Cheng’s brother is coming to ask some question about their English learning.

Saru ended his Buddhist high school

2010-04-20T10:31:00.000-07:00

Nearly all the village celebrated with Saru and his family his final exam at his famous Buddhist school in the capital Phnom Penh. Saru is the only monk, not only in his village but also in the region, who graduate from this famous Buddhist high school and with, as usual, fantastic results....Congratulation from Denmark to Saru!! now we look forward your next graduation as lawyer....

Happy New Year to Borin and his 4 kids

2010-04-03T08:48:00.000-07:00

Borin informing about party at English school and party at public school of all 4 kids and about the gift
he promised me to buy for the kids:

Dear Orly & Claus,

I hope you all have a good time.
We are fine here.
About the kids, today is the last day of their class and also they had individual class party. Now they have holiday from their public class. It starts from tomorrow 04/04/2010 till 20/04/2010. I came back yesterday evening and they told me about their holiday and party. For the last party of their English school was a bit sorry to inform you as that time they spent 5000 Riels each, but during the party Sophal and Cheng acted out of control and didn't follow their teacher. They tried to eat and drink without caring about their classmates and teacher. It was like a competition eating, and Chanty said she got very little to eat when they did like that. I had a big talk with them already after that.

This time party at public school, Chanty asked me for 5000 Riels , Cheng 3000 Riels and Sophal 3000 Riels. For Rotha, he has today party, wearing his new shirt, the same party but he didn't need money as his teacher made saving little money from him since before, so when party time arrived he doesn't need to pay money for it anymore.
Chanty told me, she did enjoy this time party while last time at English school she was unhappy by Sophal and Cheng behaving.
Today, Cheng and his older brother,monk, went to his hometown. I am not sure about when they come back too. Cheng will be absence from his English class for this reason. They are now free from public class for 16 days. Cheng looks very very happy when his brother allowed him to go to see his parents.

I am leaving at this weekend for my New Year holiday.

I bought already noodle and towels for the kids last morning before going to do my practice. I don't know about it is the kind of towels you wanted or not. I spent 10 usd for these 4 towels, and 16.700 riels for the noodle of Sophal, for the 16 days off school. I gave him already and took some pictures as well but there was some error with my camera and batteries as the result I got only one picture left.

Rotha said he always use his aunt's Khmer traditional skirt when he needs to change his trousers, or after having bath. So He is very happy to get this towel. I don't need to say about Chanty as you can see her smiling in the pictures.:-)))
They thank you very much for this New Year present.

Have a good week!!

We wish you all our best in the chance of our traditional New Year.
Love,
The kids in Cambodia

We donated a bike to Kosal family

2010-03-23T10:40:00.000-07:00

Yos wrote me this weekend:
Dear Orly
I buy already a bike on Friday morning. The price is 350.000Reail / 80 USD but after I ask for discount is 300.000Reail / 75 USD. I will take the photo to you when I finish my best examination.

Yos i writing today:
Sure father of Kosal was happy very much with his wife and they say "thank you" to you very much for your kindness to them.

This is the photo of bike. Oh, I forgot to tell you something, I give some money 10.000 Reil to father of Kosal for buying the painting for make a new colour so we can see it beautiful bike and more interesting. I will take the photo of the new colour of bike to you soon.
Photo that I sent you now is not already prepare, not painted.
Tomorrow I finish my exam so I can do everything with Kosal family
Love from yos

Yos is buying food for Kosal

2010-03-08T10:25:00.000-08:00

Dear Mother oh Hope

I think that dried fish and more food today can make his family easy to take care it because we can keep for a long time.
In Cambodia Dried fish is a good food and high price. Dried fish for Kosal is best taste that Cambodian people call number 1.
-Dried fish number 1 is 45000Rail for 1kg. and I bought 1.7kg to him. (70000 Rail)
-You can see another food in the picture is 27000Rail for two. (For one 13500 Rail) So Total balance today is 97000Rail and your money now is 3000Rail left.
I got the 50 USD from Saru and yesterday I bought something for Kosal spend 25 USD = 100000Rail.

and today I bought dried fish and another food in the picture and spent 97000Rail.

I want you to know that Kosal family happy, very much, for all the food. And they say that they never eat dried fish number 1 before. Oh I forget to tell you, this evening the family of Kosal will go back the village because they need to sign on “book of family”. You know they need to make birth certificate? If we need to make birth certificate for someone we must have a “book of family”. And Kosal family do not have book of family so they can not make birth paper for Kosal. The first they need to do is to make a book of family and than to make birth certificate later.
Best Regard
Yos

Yos is shopping with Kosal

2010-03-08T10:12:00.000-08:00

Dear Mother of Hope

Yesterday, I went to shopping with Kosal to buy something for him.
Everything I bought is:
- 1 School Uniform.(1 set)
- 3 Shirts and 3 Shorts.
- 3 Underpants.
- 10 Books, 2 pens, 2 Pencil, 1 eraser, 1 Pencil case, and 1 ruler.
- 2 Shoe for school and another one for walking to everywhere.
- 1 School bag.
- 2 kinds Washing powder ( 1 for clean the hair and another one for clean the cloths)
- 2 toothbrushes.
- 1 big toothpaste.

I spend all everything for Kosal is 25USD. You know when I buy something for Kosal i always tell the seller for discount to Kosal because he is poor son. Like shoe for one is 5 or 7 USD but when i ask to discount is 3 USD and 4 USD... So you can see both of shoe belong to Kosal is very nice and he told me that he love his shoe and all shirts. I buy something for Kosal is follow by his mind. If he loves it I will ask the seller for discount.

So you can see the picture all of this. And I want to take Kosal family but the camera no power so I'm waiting to morrow. I will send the photo Kosal family tomorrow to you. Oh I'm sorry I forget to buy soup for Kosal and i will go to buy soup for him tomorrow in the morning. And I think that everything i buy is enough for Kosal go to school and for living.

Kosal, 11 years, a new homeless boy in our project

2010-03-08T10:03:00.000-08:00

Kosal is the a homeless boy. He is 11 years old and I met him and his family for the first time 3 years ago, at that time he was 8 years old and still running naked around at the temple area and I bought him and his brothers some new cloths. I meet him and his family every time I visit Cambodia.

He is the oldest son in a homeless family with 5 kids (1-11 years old). They came from the country side to find a better life in Phnom Penh, his father has a rickshaw and his mother is a bagger. Usually they stay in the temple area without any belongings and the kids don’t go to school. Lately the mother took the small kids back to her village and left them there, probably at her mother, as they were sick.

Kosal can now go to school and get, for the first time in his life, a chance to be like other children.

We donated his uniform, shoes, bag, books and other school expenses and we will also buy him some food. Yos will be his protector, buy the things he need and look after him.

I don’t know if it will be possible for him to concentrate on studying and making homework as he don’t have a home, he just live out side under a tree, but I want to give him a chance and I wish him the best.

His father rent his rickshaw so I have a plan to donate a bike to him so he can save the rent and have more money to buy food for the kids in the future.

Dany & Rachana, two new brothers in our project

2010-03-06T22:47:00.000-08:00

Dany and Rachana, 12 & 10 years old brothers, doing 4. & 5. grade in public school. Live as homeless in the temple area together with the parents and 5 years old little sister. They are still very lucky, they have good parents and both parents earn some money for food, the three kids looks healthy. The father has a motorbike so he transport people for money and the mother is doing some assembling work at home for a shop in the market. They are coming from the country side hoping to find a better life in Phnom Penh. They seem to be very united family, the father help the mother in her job in the evening time and the kids are always around the parents. Both boys go to public school and my help to them will be the payment of daily English lessons. Saru will be the contact person to them and he did the shopping yesterday, spending 38 USD buying them new uniforms, school bags and new cloths.

They do not stay inside the building but outside. The have only one big bed which they all 5 share in the night time. The cover the bed in the night like you see on the last photo.. You can see their cloths hanging on the left side of the bed. This is a home for 5 persons but they are still more lucky than others in Cambodia as they got small jobs and food and most important, they are helping eachother.

Bye Bye Cambodia

2010-03-05T09:09:00.000-08:00

01-03-2010 Shopping with Cheng

2010-03-05T08:43:00.000-08:00

01-03-2010 Sopal, new boy in our project

2010-03-05T08:39:00.000-08:00

Sopal is 11 years old, much underfeed, his mother died while giving birth to her next baby and left 4 small kids. His father left the kids with the grandmother and went back to his first wife.

The kids ended after a while in an orphan were the other three are still living. Sopal did not thrive in the orphan so his uncle took him to the temple where the uncle lives as a monk.

Borin and I took him to the market, bought him medicine for parasite, new cloths, soap, washing powder and so on. In the future will Borin be his contact person and buy him a hot meal every day and pay his daily English lessons.

It is difficult to explain how happy Sopal was for our help and we wish him good luck in his new chance in life.

28-02-2010 On a day tour

2010-03-03T20:58:00.000-08:00

Arrival 27-02-2010

2010-03-03T20:43:00.000-08:00

Shopping with Borin

2010-02-25T10:18:00.000-08:00

Borin bought Chanty a badminton game and Rotha got new shoes and belt.

Sna and Saru doing some shopping

2010-02-04T09:05:00.000-08:00

Saru is writing: This moring, I went to the market to buy some things to eat for a long time. Such as Big Box of Noodle, Good Coffee, Milk, Suggar, Sna's Tooth Brush, Tooth Paste, Shampoo, some good fruits..........Please C in the photos. It cost me about 20 USD.
Orly is writing: Sna and Saru spend 10 USD in the bookstore buying posters for Sna so he can learn the English and Khmer letters, pen and other things they need for school.

Cosy hour in the temple

2010-01-17T11:27:00.001-08:00

Cosy hour with Borin, he call it "Eurpean style" with cakes and tea.
Together with Borin they always smile, he bring them hope in a hopeless place.

Sna is ready for school

2010-01-17T11:12:00.001-08:00

Saru and Sna have been to the market today, the little "student" is ready for school.
He paid 11 USD for the jacket, trouser and shirt and 3,5 USD for the shoes included socks.

Sna (6 years old) - a new boy in our project

2010-01-16T09:00:00.001-08:00

Saru took his 6 years old nephew, Sna, with him from the village to stay with him in the buddhist temple. He hope to give Sna an opportunity to go to a better school than in the village and to improve his life. Sna will be a new member of our project and we will support him with food, school uniforms, books and transpotation to the village. We all whish Sna good luck in his new temple life. Thanks for all the sponsors who make it possible to help more children.

From the kids to the sponsors

2009-12-21T02:58:00.001-08:00

Dear Orly & Claus,
This mail is to send you the pictures of childrens food, and I don’t have much things to tell about them (I just gave 30$ to their aunt, and showing in the picture what she bought for this amount of money, I could'nt buy it myself as I have class as well this Sunday). They are fine, and they have their class regularly, also their English part time class as well. Rotha at SIS (www.sis.edu.kh) and Chanty with Meng Cheng, small boy, studying one hour everyday near WAT Koh (our temple). Though, I couldn’t know the recent result of Chanty CD4 (HIV), but I see she is being healthy now resulting from extra-food as well. If she couldn’t get information about her CD4 (HIV) next time, I will take her to private laboratory to check it.

When I will send pictures of their extra-food next time, It will be in 2010, so I would like to say something as well in the end of this year 2009.

Firstly, I would like to say thank you very much for a lot of things that you and all the sponsors have helped us till the end of this 2009, and THANKS a lot for all the kind people at your working place, Guldmann A/S, for their kind donation, 2000$, for your education aid project to Cambodia in the next 2010.

You all still increase and continue to help us though you have been hearing a lot of corruption information happening among Cambodian people related to the help from foreign countries to Cambodia. These kind of corruptions really give bad influence to all Cambodian people include us, and it is also cutting down those kind helps to the poor people, especially orphan children who are suffering by the condition of their lives, and praying for kind helps to stand up in a better life. It is not strange or such chock to me hearing about corruption in my country as I heard a lot. So fare, it seems it became people’s habit in my society, but it was new for me to see directly this corruption story that was related to that rich man and you at your visit in Cambodia.
Orly, people can say very sweet and honestly to the ears, but doing is different…..It is the real condition of my country right now, in a state of a developing one. I don’t hate my country - I love it, and I can’t blame others people as well, but I have to start with myself. I do want to see my country becomes developed one like other countries in one day.

You and the sponsors’ help also give me a pressure related to the results of our studies in the short future, as I don’t know what we will become, but I am doing my best and also praying to be positive results as well.

I still think of the great work and help of you, Orly, who spend your valuable time, and try your best to help us and also enlarging this help, my cousin for example.

I consider your money and the sponsors’ are like my mother’s money that I have to think and discuss before spending them. I myself who asked you to help, for example my cousin, so I will suggest you to stop it, as well, if I find out the money couldn’t go to the right target.

For the total help till now, I see it has been increasing by time, and making changing a lot as well, for example like the kids I can compare their first picture in your blog with their pictures right now, they grew up better, and being looked more smiling than that time. It is like you said to me recently, you not only have helped us with money but also warm our mind by your compassionate heart. These activities really touch our lives and feeling, and also our relatives’ heart such as Saru’s family, yos’s mother, my family especially my mother and also my cousin’s mother.

It seems like we all just can say thank you very much again and again to you all, while we are, at the same time, doing actions to change our life.

Now again, I would like to wish you all with the sponsors, a Happy Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May 2010 becomes another great New Year to all of you, harmony in life and success in your works.

Best regards & love from all of us in Cambodia.

Christmas present to our project in Cambodia

2009-12-19T10:43:00.000-08:00

I got some fantastic news, my working place, Guldmann A/S, gave my project in Cambodia a fantastic present, 2000 USD.

It is a fantastic start of 2010.

I wish all the sponsors a merry Christmas and a happy new year.

Love
Orly

New sponsor from Italy and new student in Cambodia

2009-12-16T09:52:00.000-08:00

Our new student in the project is Sea Sony, he is 20 years old, his father died in 2000 and left his mother with 7 children, 5 boys and two girls. Sony dream about a better education and better life in the future for him and his family.
His mother is a rice farmer, and she supports his dream. She sold already 4 cows out of 5 in order to send him to university in Phnom Penh. It is nearly "mission impossible" for his family to support him through 5 years of study.
He needs to have very cheap housing in Phnom Penh so he stay in the Catholic church, live there for 50 USD per year.
He started his studies in September this year in a very cheap university and he already got a job in a supermarket in the city.
I visited his village in November, met his mother and family and saw the condition of life they suffer. I promised him to do my best to help him as soon as I will have a sponsor. Told him to find a better university, the cheapest is not so well recommended and he should change to a better university as soon as he can.

We wish Sony good luck with this new opportunity in life and thanks to all the sponsors who support the project.

New little boy in our project

2009-11-17T09:25:00.000-08:00

Chanty need a companion to join her to the evening school where she study English. Borin and I decided to find a companion for her and Borin choosed a little boy from the temple.

His name is Meng Cheng and he is 10 years old. His brother is monk like Saru (see him at the photo to the left sitting with my hat). They are 7 siblings in the family, two of them are younger than Meng and the parents live in the border Tai - Cambodia. The monk took his little brother, Meng, with him to the temple in Phnom Penh as he hope to give him opportunity to go to school.
He will join Chanty to English lessons in private school and we will pay his school fee and his books.

Borin told me that Meng and his big brother are happy to get this opportunity so we wish him good luck in his studies and we are happy that Chanty can go together with a boy she know.

New food supply for the kids

2009-11-16T08:55:00.000-08:00

Cloth from sponsors in Denmark and food from sponsors from Italy and Norway.

Easy to smile when you are not hungry.

Borin and I try to teach Rotha and Chanty that it is improtant to eat healthy food, fresh fruits and less sugar.

Thanks to the sponsors from Yos

2009-11-13T03:04:00.000-08:00

Dear Mother of Hope

I was very happy so much when I heard you went to your summerhouse. You know my mother ask me about you and I told her you go back to your Country already. And she asks me more questions about you. My mom told me that she really happy so much when you coming to visit in our house but she had feel afraid of your mind so much because our house is small but she still enjoy to welcome you to visit again if you want. And she doesn’t know how to speak to you but in her mind she is so happy. After you go back I show her again everything that I got from you and she is very interesting very much and tell me "don’t forget to try study more" and said thank you to you and she wish you have good health all the time.

You know I describe her about the one bad manager in Cambodia of children at NGO to my mom and she feel so sorry to hear that.

You know mother’s phone is very old and sometimes when she talk on phone is clear but another time when she talk with any person is not hear and she take it to repare shop but the phone need to change some parts so I decide to give the new phone that I got from you to my mom. You know I will tell you one. The new phone that you give me, my mother she really likes it and she said that it is very nice.
About my study in high school is still good for me and today I spend $10 for biology subject for one year to study extra time and another subject I’m waiting to pay later.

I spend $5 for electric and 8000Riel (2 usd) for water for two month after this.

About holiday at my school maybe on August next year but I am not sure about this because it just my thinking and I will ask my friends or the teacher about that.

Please help me to say hello to my both sponsor, and say thank so much for big help to Cambodia and me as well. I really so happy in my mind that I don’t know how to say and I can’t find of the words in English to explain you for your help to me and other persons

In the name of one poor student in my Country and I didn’t have dad so can understand any person like me is so lonely and still remember and want to have father like other people.

And for me I never know about happiness but after that you come to visiting in Phnom Penh you teach me to try to smiled and now I think smiled is necessary for me because smiled made me good luck and friendly. You know most of my photo is very nice that I can smile. Before I didn’t know you I don’t know how to smile but from now on I must smile all time because I have the sponsors to help me. Everyday I can eat rice, I can study, I can pay for something by my both sponsor to help me so I think that my sponsor is like my best parents .

Orly thank you again for everything to me a lot and I can not forget my mother told me to say thank for your kindness for me and her as well and any children.
Finally, I don’t know how much to say more to you so I just wish you meet good luck and good health all the time and your family forever.

Orly I want to tell you one story in my mind that I never tell any body You know after I know you I learn from you a lot so in the future I think that if I finish my best university and I get job and good salary I will help poor person or help orphans. Why I do like this? Why I help them? So I will describe them my story when I was poor and tell them about your big help to me and tell them that "don’t forget to study hard" and when they are have everything they must think about this before. This is my best opinion in my heart and my mind that I can’t forget it and I still remember everyday, everytimes.

Love from Yos

Saru change his subject at University

2009-11-12T23:57:00.000-08:00

At my visit in Cambodia, last week, Saru talked a lot about his plans for the future. He study now International Relationship but he like very much all subjects related to law and he asked for my accept to change his subject from International Relationship to law in the future.

Sure he got my accept, he can study what wish and like as long as he do his best!

He will finish his semester this month and will start next semester at the faculty of law afterwards.

I wish him good luck in the future.

Arrival to Phnom Penh 30. Okt 2009

2009-11-08T06:14:00.000-08:00

Around the temple 31. Okt 2009

2009-11-08T05:51:00.000-08:00

To the right: the "house" of Chanty and Rotha, they live together with about 20 other homeless people in the temple.

Down: Rotha with his new cloth from Denmark.

A homeless family living outside the temple, I visit them every year and give them some baloons and food.

Visiting Borins family 1. Nov 2009

2009-11-08T05:39:00.001-08:00

To the left: the shop of Borins mother. She sell fish and foods. Down: she have her own production of marinate fish and have a stock of nearly one year production. She is a strong woman and a fantstic mother.
To the left: the house is in a small town and very close to the market where she have her shop.

To the left: his mother preper lunch for us.

Down: we visit the village of Borin where he lived before his mother moved to the town. On the photo the house of his grandmother and some of his relatives.

Sot in Phnom Penh 1. & 2. Nov 2009

2009-11-08T05:31:00.000-08:00

Sot came from the village to Phnom Penh to buy the tools and spare parts we donated to his shop. It is his first visit ever to a hotel and he like it.

We are at the bus station on the the way to the village with all the things Sot bought in Phnom Penh.

Visiting the village of Saru 2. & 3. Nov. 2009

2009-11-08T05:10:00.000-08:00

Cloth from Denmark. The kids love it.

Saru and his father orgnaized a budhist ceremoney in the evening. Many people from the village participated and as a guest from Europe I was the main attraction.

The Motoshop, we donated 500 USD for tools and spareparts.

Sot with his certificate from the technical school, we donated his education.

Visiting Rothas school, SIS 4. Nov. 2009

2009-11-08T05:06:00.000-08:00

Visitnig orphan and school of Borin 5. Nov. 2009

2009-11-08T04:55:00.000-08:00

Beside his medical university, Borin study BA in English in the weekends. He will graduate in English in 2010.

We are visiting an orphan where Saru know two kids. They are 53 small kids in the orphan living in one family house. The house was clean and nice and the kids go to school.

Me with Rotha and Chanty in the tuk-tuk on the way to the orphan

Boat trip on the Mekong 5. Nov 2009

2009-11-08T04:49:00.000-08:00

Lunch, all together the 6. Nov 2009

2009-11-08T04:23:00.001-08:00

Water Park with the kids 6. Nov 2009

2009-11-08T04:12:00.001-08:00

Visiting Yos mother and brother 7. Nov 2009

2009-11-08T04:06:00.001-08:00

Yos mother earn 115 usd per month, she pay around 50 usd for a 10 sqm room with wc and she live for about 2,- per day for her and her little boy.

Good bye Cambodia 7. Nov 2009

2009-11-08T04:01:00.001-08:00

We are on the way to airport by tuk-tuk and the motobike of Borin.
It is hard to say goodbye. Saru gave me a new name that we like "mother of hope" so now we all hope we soon will meet each other again.

Yos started grade 12 in highschool

2009-10-11T10:51:00.000-07:00

Yos is writing:

"Orly you know now i get successful from the exam and now day I'm studying grade 12. It's possible by your help to me and I really want to say thank you so much. I still remember you and in the high school I always think that I'm really very lucky than another students that I have you to help me. Oh i started study grade 12 on 2 10 2009"....

School information about Rotha

2009-10-11T10:39:00.000-07:00

Borin is writing:

"Yesterday, I went to see my grand mother with my mother in my home village, and I got a phone call from SIS secretary telling me all the good things about Rotha, the boy, such as he goes to school regularly, respect the rule of school, try hard to study, never makes debate with others students and so on. She said she got all this admiring from his teacher coming to administration department to tell about this.

I was happy with that. He is a good boy enough like I expect. I will tell him when I go back PP.
In the photo is the new school bag of the girl, Chanty, that she bought after I told you before. "

Dear sponosors: thanks for your help, without your money we could not help Rotha and Chanty with an education as we do now.

Mail from Borin and the kids

2009-09-26T05:02:00.000-07:00

Dear Orly & Claus,
Thank you for your mails.
Like I informed with in my last mail, I had stayed at my home during the Pchum Ben time nearly 2 weeks, and I have just come back last Thursday. I got your last mail telling us about the Danish medical student who comes to visit here, I haven't heard about him yet. Maybes he was back Denmark.
About the kids, they are getting well as normal. Soon their aunt will start her selling new again. They are now starting their public school for the new grade, the girl grade 5 & the boy grade 6.

That Thursday, I gave the boy 32. 5 USD: 25$ to give his aunt to buy them extra-food & 7.5$ for his eating at SIS for another 2 weeks. I gave the money to their aunt to buy them food as I thought their aunt perhaps had something new for them, and what they bought were like you see in the photos. These all cost 25$ she told me and these were what they liked as well.

I will start my medical class on 15/10/2009, and for my English class; it is time to prepare for final exam of finishing semester one of year 4.

For the Pchum Ben time, I had a good time with my family. I also could help them some works & cooking as well as they were busy with selling, I was not a good seller, just a slow assistance.
I went my home village pagodas with my mother. Pchum Ben is a ceremony that we celebrate to dedicate good merit & food to our ancestors to help them because they could be keep in a bad place after death as a belief.

At the end, I wish you be fine and have a good weekend with the best regards from my family.

Love,Borin

PS: When I was coming internet before this, the girl called me to ask to buy a new school bag. I will give her the money to buy.

Good news from Cambodia

2009-09-17T13:02:00.000-07:00

Saru wrote today:

"Firstly, I would like to tell you good information about Peach.

Police found out the robber who steal Peach’s power producer. The robber was escaped successfully, but he left the power producer in the forest (the North of my house)
Now Peach gets back. Everything is fine. She needs only to pay 50 USD to police to thank to them that very hard working. Now Peach stop crying."

School Fee for 2008 and 2009

2009-09-14T00:12:00.001-07:00

Dear Orly & Claus,

Thanks so much for your mail. It sounds interesting about Mette & Lene, but Mette perhaps

feels homesick & lonely as she has to stay a lone from you two and her boyfriend as well.
I would like to show you all things that you want to know both about me and Cambodia.

I write you now to report you the left information about the kids, and photos of school paying.

I have test English of the boy already. He is doing ok with what he has learned. When he started he was in level SC1 and he is now SC4.
I also had shown them all the nice photos of you all with my expression & explanation of each person. They was watching slide show with smiles.

I would like to say hello to your good friends visiting you. Please, enjoy your time together and have a nice day & weekend.

Love from Borin

Bad luck in Cambodia

2009-09-03T09:58:00.000-07:00

Saru is writing today:

"Now Peach and Sot is very bad luck because they lost their business. Their battery recharge was stolen. I mean the small one that produce power to the batteries. They lost it at night which there were heavy raining. There is someone to get inside her batteries shop to take that one.
It costs 330 USD to buy.

I’m really pity them and as well as my family especially my Parents"

Chanthy and Ratha

2009-08-31T09:40:00.000-07:00

Dear Orly

About the children, though I’ve not reported you all things on time, but I always try to complete all offering to them on time like buying food and spending for other need as I’ve planed. This time food is for one month, and later on I will buy for them one month a time like this spending around 32 usd each time, I’m thinking, if you agree with me, that I will take some amount money from money using for their extra-food to add directly to the boy, Rotha, 2000 Riels, 0.5 $, per day and every day for his eating at SIS (English school) when he goes to study as his aunt has complained that she has some financial problem for a while because she is now breaking from her selling at high school during this big holiday of students. It’s just for a while. Perhaps only one month more. If I do that for one month I can spend only about 25 usd for each time of their two months more food. If you agree, I will do.

Now, they are fine and processing life as usual. The girl has English class everydays as the boy do. I’ve missed to test their English learning for long time as I was busy, but I will find a time. On 7, September, 2009 I will spend 220 usd for the boy’s English school, SIS, for the coming new year. Last year school charged him 250 usd for full year.
For me, I will start my year 5 in October (medical school). I have to go to English school only at the weekend, and I also have joined some good workshops as well that I gained new information a lot. You know in Cambodia, stock market might be processed by the end of 2010. I’ve join a workshop saying about it in my English school. It is very new to me and Cambodian people as well, but I think it is too old in your country as all of you have understood it well so long time, but I just did. For what I am doing next is like my plan and also looking more practicing at hospital in my free time.

For the phone, I bought that kind of hand phone. The money was that some from sponsors and some from my mother. In fact my mother had encouraged me to buy it since she heard I talked about its usefulness. Now, she she is happy that I could by what I needed

.
Modern things are not influenced or attracted my feel so much, but I just want to get the useful of those modern technologies if possible only. I decide to use it not because I want to make modernization…….. It is a second hand phone. I have to take some risk with this buying as I don’t know how long it can be used, but I checked it already and it is now working very well. It offers me many useful things. On the other hand my nowadays PC is also a second hand one but it still can work very well till, I do love it.
If I compare with my medical classmates, some of them are using higher than 4 or 500 $ for hand phone.

Thank you again……..!! Have a nice day & good health.

Best regards & love from Borin

Saru visit the Cambodian senate

2009-08-31T09:15:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Thursday, I went on official study-tour at Cambodian Senate. There are about 70 students who come from different classes but the same teacher.

My class is a Cambodian Constitution class, so we go there in order to do research and study about the Senate. I went there with my Buddhist Monk Friend who studies with me in Pali School (monk school). I did really enjoy that tour and I also understand more about the Cambodian Senate.

After the visit, the students must do report about what they have learnt at least 2 pages. The deadline is on Monday. Now I didn't get it finish yet. At the same class (Constitution), I have a big assignment for the midterm. There are 7 members in my group. The topic is The National Assembly and Its Constitutional Power. The problem is that my group is the first group of doing the presentation on 7 Mon, September. I'm afraid we didn't finish it on time. Because doing something in the group-form is very difficult. We hardly meet each other.

In the World Civilization Class, I have a long chapter to do summery, and study on the world map. I am so busy even for buying the World Map I don't have time to go to the Book Store. I don't have any homework at the Introduction to Economic, but I also have a lot of assignment at Khmer World Translation Center.

Everything else is normal.

Love Saru

Hello from Yos

2009-08-28T05:30:00.000-07:00

Dear Orly and Claus

How do you do? today I'm so very happy and I say sorry for you and my sponsers for the too late answer to you. You know my mother she just have a problem with truble so the money that you send to me 165 USD I spend some money for medicine for her but don't worry it's still enough for me for pay food and some books for school.
Oh, please say thank so much for my sponsers and I never forget to thank you for helping me and anybody in Khmer Country and I very much miss you.

How about the weather like in your country? For Phnom Penh has alot of rain everyday so it's the problem for everybody live in city. Oh i forgot to ask you how about your health and Claus? Hope you are well like us too.

You know the money that you send me for pay for something is alot and I tell my mother about that she said that you are good person and she say thank alot to you and wish you to meet good luck all the times. For me today I'm very really happy to write email to you. It is so long time I can''t reply to you.
Love from Yos
Have a nice day

Mail from Borin (study medicine)

2009-08-02T00:17:00.000-07:00

Dear Orly & Claus

Thanks a lot for you and all the sponsors..........
As I sent you a sms, I had been back from my hometown to Phnom Penh since last Monday as my nephew's sickness but I'm the one who have to take care him during his treatment in the hospital in PP as he has a bad disease and need to stay in the hospital for a long time to treat to be better, and my mother had to go back for a few days for her selling, as well as my older sister who is the mother of my sick nephew. My nephew had meningitis, and it is a bit lucky that we sent him to the right hospital on time. Till now he is still in hospital called Kunth Bopha, in PP, free of charge hospital opening since 1992 getting the fun from foreigners, especially an Australian man. Till now this hospital has been saving millions of Cambodian children.

As above reason, I have to stay with my nephew all the day and night in that hospital, but I also get some learning from it, and my nephew now is being better. Today, I have some mid term tests at my English school that I have to come so I asked a good friend to stay with my small nephew for a day. So in my break time I can check mail and write you as I was sure that you will write me a mail. It is lucky that I check today so Saru will not be late to pay his school fee as you told him that he has to wait for me. I will call him to get the money as soon as he need. I did not know it because he does not call to tell me and I just check mail but now it is not late for him as I know.

For the money, it is really a big amount, and increasing from time to time. Now, I just can say very thanks to all of you and get money to work for our future. In fact, I have only thankful, honest, respect, and love in my mind to all of you applying your kind help and regards to us.

For spending, about the children, it will be spent like before if we have no any new idea or plan. For me, I will spend 100 usd for the rest of my English school fee. It is the last time of my spending for my year 4 of English University. Since the beginning of year 3 I have paid for my English school by the money of you all help as the school gives me to pay step by step so I have enough space. Now, I nearly finish semester one of year 4 of my BA English study, but this University is not qualified like PUC of Saru as it is not too expensive as well, and even though I spend money to study extra English outside it is nearly the same a mount of money by studying in this University, I will get a certificate of BA in Education of English. I spend 250 usd for each year 3 and year 4, and I can spend for 3 time to complete total fee. The rest money, I always spend on my general studies needs especially copy the books. This time, I am thinking weather it is right or not that I will use some rest money among this 70 to buy a second hand mobile phone, O2 phone, that my friend spent about 50 usd to buy an O2 phone and it is usable. I want this kind of phone as it is very useful mobile phone for studies that will make it easy for me to check out my lessons of medicine, like many kind of diseases- their signs, causes, and treatment, using of medicine..., all the time I need because we can transfer the data from Computer to it. And my friend can even check internet by his mobile phone as in Cambodia now, there are many phone number systems are being opened with competition each other, so some companies give free numbers, we call Sim Card, with internet connecting free for the student especially...... I don't know about the sponsors idea if they don't like that I will find other way...

But now my lovely nephew problem is what I have to do first, I hope he can be better very soon, so I can go back to my studies. I don't want to break for long time. I plan to do more practice at Calemette hospital and increasing reading about medicine as much as possible during my holiday from medical school for at least 1 month and a haft. I am also looking forward to see my result of semester 2 of medicine.

I am so sorry about the cd you sent Saru that I heart from him it was broken when he got it from the post man. I do want to see those photos.

At last, I wish you all good health, happy and have a good day.

Best regards & love
from Borin

News from the motorshop

2009-07-28T11:44:00.000-07:00

The shop to the left and the house of Peach and Sot ot the right.

Saru is writing today about Sot & Peach and the motorshop:

"In the early morning, he gets up and takes his motor with the cart to collect the batteries at every house. After he starts the machine to charge the batteries, he waits for the broken down motors (Customers). He has a good earns from the Motor Shop, he only fix up the flat tier. If the inner tube, wheel, or some machine components need to be changed, Sot doesn't have the spare parts to replace the old to the new one, so it's the problem. It's too expensive for them to buy all the components in order to have them on stock for the customers needs. Moreover, Sot is still in lack of some tools. Now the Model or Series of Motor are always updating and he buys one by one by one as possible. The tool is too expensive as well. Sot doesn't dare to open the shop officially to the public because as you know he still in lack of some components, Especially TOOLS. If he doesn't have tool, he cannot do anything. Some Customers always complain to him how can he open the shop without having enough tools.....I always discuss with Peach and Sot about how to improve their lives. Idon't want to see them living in the bad condition. I want them to have a better house. Not like the present time (see photo)"

Mom got married

2009-07-28T11:33:00.001-07:00

Our sponsor child, Mom, finished elementary school and got married at the same time. Her brother Saru is writing to by mail to us today:

"After she got married, she stays with her husband. Her husband is working in Casino in the Border of Cambodia-Vietnam. Now she tries to apply the CV to work in Casino too, but it's difficult to access. Now she is jobless. They work in the Casino in order to save money to go back to live with my parents and starting some small earning"

Hello from the kids

2009-07-05T23:08:00.001-07:00

School bus from the temple to private school

About the children, both of their studies are getting well. They both will soon finish their public school, and they are now ready for the new grade after their big holiday.

I’m spending money for their food and studies as schedule and needs.

They always buy nearly the same food every time. I just gave money to their aunt. This time she kept about 12000 R (3 USD) from 16 usd of food money for giving them when they go to school. I asked the girl again and again weather she doesn’t bore with same and same milk. She said no. She still likes it.

Photos from Cambodia

2009-06-17T23:39:00.001-07:00

Saru: Summerholiday in the village

2009-05-25T12:02:00.000-07:00