Cambodia Education Project

Providing Education for Marginalized Cambodian Communities

Overview: Aziza Schoolhouse serves a slum community of Phnom Penh (Tonle Bassac), providing free English lessons, life skills, and services for over 90 students through a 1-room schoolhouse /community center since May 2006.

The school provides classes and activities from morning till night every day of the week.  English is taught at various levels to students that mostly range from 8-20 years old, as well as art and leadership training. Khmer (Cambodian) nationals teach all the classes, and utilize Khmer and foreign volunteers. On the weekends, critical life skills instructors volunteer and teach the kids’ topics like the dangers of drugs, AIDS, pedophilia, as well as hygiene and character building/values.  A women's group meets on Sundays to learn, build strength and have fun. In addition, there are movies and karaoke until 11PM Saturday night to provide teens a safe place. Most events fill the 1 room schoolhouse.

Health training and services are also provided free of charge to students, including testing, treatment, medicine, toothbrushes and refresher trainings, as well as high quality dental care.
In January 2007 the Rudi Boa Center was opened to serve another Phnom Penh slum, Boeng Kok (AKA, the railroad slum).  The Rudi Boa Center shares resources and partners with Aziza Schoolhouse."

A Project Unlike Most....This grass-roots project will have very low overhead costs since Drew will cover all of his expenses and oversee the projects to ensure the funds are spent in the most efficient manner. In addition, he will provide supervision, project management, accounting/transparency, fundraising and communication.



Benefits: The Cambodia Education Project is designed to give donors a tangible result. Your donation will be part of a small group of funds that will leave a lasting legacy. Your generosity can change the fate of Cambodia's impoverished children, who are vulnerable to human rights violations and predators of all types, and require basic education to break the cycle of poverty.

Donors will receive periodical newsletters with progress reports, project photos, children's testimonies, as well as Drew's anecdotes documenting the challenges and rewards of an American living in Cambodia. The most generous donors will receive hand-selected gifts from Cambodia.

Your contributions will go far. The average income (GDP per capita) in Cambodia is just $313 annually. The cost for local teachers is very low, and donations can be largely applied to direct classroom time.



Cambodia’s Past: Cambodia's descent into hell began in the 1970s when the Vietnam War spilled across the border. The United States bombed Cambodia relentlessly. Out of the chaos, a small, hardcore band of Maoists, the Khmer Rouge, took control of the country. They emptied the cities, marching people off to rural work camps and turned back the calendar to Year Zero. In an effort to create a primitive agrarian utopia, the Khmer Rouge purged the country of everything foreign or modern. They outlawed books, money and medicine. They began mass executions, and nearly 2 million died during this period.

In 1979, the Vietnamese liberated Cambodia from the Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot and his army, but a civil war ensued in the rural regions of the country and continued until 1998.

Cambodia today: Cambodia is a fledging democracy struggling with poverty, crime and disease. The country holds great promise as the economy continues to grow, democratic elections are approaching international standards for being fair and free, and international aid groups allow for improvements such as affordable health care.
In spite of all the progress, the Cambodian economy continues to suffer from the legacy of decades of war and internal strife. The per capita income and education levels are lower than in most neighboring countries and its infrastructure remains inadequate.

Please support Village Earth and Drew McDowell in helping to empower the next generation of Cambodians.

All donations are 100% tax-deductible because the Consortium for Sustainable Village-based Development (Village Earth) is a 501 (c)3 non-profit organization.

Please send your contributions to:
Village Earth
Attn: Cambodia Project
P.O. Box 797
Ft. Collins, CO 80522, U.S.A

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