Charity Cambodia

I am now back in Sweden after a wonderful year in Cambodia. This will be my last post on this blog but the history will remain on this domain.

 

If want to follow the blog from Sabine, writing news from The Goodwill Center, please have a look here.

 

I am not longer able to accept any donations. If you after reading this would like to support the organization it is possible via Paypal where the money will be donated to the main organization in England, Help the Cambodian Children. This can be made here.

 

In case you would like to contact me I will still check the e-mail [email protected] regularly.

 

Once again; Thank you all for your interest and contribution making this project possible and successful. Finally I will link to the short movie summarizing the activities on The Goodwill Center on more time:

 

 

Tuesday we went to the center in Stueng Hav to deliver the playground equipment the last part of our donations covered. Our donations covered one large climbing playground and one smaller piece for a total price of USD 360. Please find the receipt of the equipment here. Three more smaller pieces donated by other persons are yet to be delivered. At the same time a new swing was delivered although I was not involved in the funding of this.

 

My brother, Anders, joined along to Stueng Hav during the delivery. On the pictures neither part was cemented yet but the children was still eager to play with the equipment. Later, after we left the parts were cemented to the ground.

 

Delivery from Sihanoukville to Stueng Hav:

 

Pictures of the smaller piece:

 

Here is the larger piece:

 

The planned delivery to Stueng Hav yesterday has been postponed until Tuesday Feb 28^th. The M'lop Tapang organization will have a carnival in Sihanoukville next week and therefore our delivery have been postponed since they needed time for planning this.

 

Thursday this week we made a another beachtrip with children who wasn't with us last time. Salla, a friend from Finland, also joined the trip. Unfortunately I forgot my camera this time but I got 2 pictures sent to me by Sabine when we were decorated by the findings in the ocean.

 

 

The situation regarding the lease of the land where the Center in Stueng Hav operates have been solved in a positive way. This means the plan with the playground is back on track. The playground is being constructed by the organization M'lop Tapang. This means the funds used to buy the playground also supports an organization working with kids. To create job opportunity for this organization is an extra positive effect here. Our plan is to deliver the playground on Friday February 17^th. Of course I will document the delivery and bring you pictures and information here on the blog when delivered.

 

As I mentioned earlier I still have SEK 2500 to donate for a project. My plan has been to support the center in Stueng Hav with a playground. However have this been stalled at the moment due to uncertainty regarding the lease of the land. Perhaps the center needs to be moved to a land where the playground will not be suitable. I am waiting for further information.

As I am planning to return to Sweden in March this blog will then be laid on ice. The blog will still be here but without updates. Before this I will of course let you know where the SEK 2500 will be used as well as other information.

If you have any questions or any further information you would like to receive before I go back please don't hesitate to contact me.

Even though my blog will turn inactive when I leave for Sweden there will still be a source to gain information about The Goodwill Center since Sabine have started a blog where news will be updated. Please have a look at:

http://goodwillcentersihanoukville.wordpress.com/

Lately we have done some shopping to improve the computer class. I joined one day to buy accessories and also a two new fans since 10 computers tend to increase the heat in the room. With me shopping was Sabine (the operation manager) and the computer teacher Lugndy.

 

 

Wednesday I visited the class to see how it's proceeding. I visited the first class in the afternoon which have 8 students. The second class has currently 12 students. The current course contains of overall Windows knowledge, learn how to type as well as basic knowledge in programs such as Word, Excel etc. When I visited the students dealt with a paint program. As you might notice the current students are older than the children visiting during daytime. The younger ones will however also be introduced to this class at a later point.

 

 

I have also received a few late donations of SEK 2500 which I will hand over soon. Since I think there is enough funds to cover the computer class they will be used for a different cause. I will describe more when I hand it over.

 

During last week the Goodwill Center received several second hand computers. Even if my fund raising originally aimed to buy some new computers we thought it would be unwise to turn down the offer of these computers. In order to make them functional a few things are needed which we currently are buying. I will give you more details of what we are buying soon.

 

Due to the fact the Goodwill Center don't need new computers at this point we have changed the plans for the funds a little. Instead of new computers the funds will focus more on salaries and keeping the computers up to standard. Instead of holding the class 1 time at one afternoon the class can now be held 2 times meaning the double amount of students can participate each day. The class will be held 3 times a week to start with.

 

The operation manager has made a file containing the USD 3342. Each cost related to the computer class will be accounted for in the file and sent to the Help the Cambodian Organization in England. I will also be able to take part of this file. For further information about the about how this organization is controlled by the UK Charity Commission please look here for page 1 and here for page 2. If you want to visit the website described in the document please look here. As the computer class will start the costs compared to this document will of course rise, for example with an additional salary cost of USD 720 (with the current amount of classes) along with other costs.

 

I really would like to point out that the Goodwill Center would not be able to start the computer class only with the computers, which is why our collected funds are very significant for the class. Thanks to to the funds the class will sustainable over time and can be held several years. The funds will also be there to cover reparation costs as well as a new computer the day it's is needed.

 

Wednesday a few desks were delivered as I visited the center:

 

 

 

The transfer of the funds to Cambodia is now successfully completed. The next week we will start purchasing the things needed to be able to start the computer class to full extent. I will keep you updated!

 

To see a copy of the bank transfer please have a look here.

 

The fund raising is now finished and the total funds we have raised together are SEK 23 431. The funds will be transferred to Cambodia today and now the part to make sure the money is spent correctly starts.

 

I am very grateful to all of you who have supported this project and I would like to thank you very much. I also hope you continue following the blog as the project is carried through the upcoming time.

 

From all of us at the Goodwill Center to all of you a big THANK YOU!

 

Due to some requests of a few more days to donate I have decided to extend the fund raising until December 26^th. This means Monday will be the last day to make a transfer to the described account in my previous post below.

 

Last weekend we had a Christmas party at the Goodwill Center. A person from Colombia, working in Singapore, contacted the organisation and asked if he could visit as Santa Claus and bring presents. The party also consisted of dance shows, singing and theater and was really appreciated. Here are a few pictures from the party:

 

Finally I would like to take the opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas from all of us here!

 

 

The project:

 

The Goodwill Center wants to continue their development and give the pupils the opportunity to take part in a computer class that should be given in the evening every weekday. To be able to hold this class a number of different things are needed such as new computers, new desks, funds for salaries and funds to cover the internet connection.

 

Funds for 1 computer has already been raised by Roland Peterson from Varberg in Sweden, who has been visiting Sihanoukville lately. 2 computers have also been donated via Belgium meaning there currently exists 3 computers for the class.

 

Why funds for computers instead of necessities such as food or clothes?

 

There is a classic description saying that instead of giving a fish for people in need we should give them fishing equipment. Giving a fish only solves the problem in a short run while the fishing equipment gives people an opportunity to solve their problems in a long run.

 

I am thinking in a similar way when I want to support this project of a computer class at the Goodwill Center. By giving the children an opportunity to learn how to use computers we will enhance their chances to find a better job in their future. Children in Cambodia do not have computers in their homes and their only chance to learn using computers is in a free class like that one the Goodwill Center intend to hold. More and more companies also in Cambodia are using computers in their organizations and without any basic knowledge it can be hard to challenge for these jobs.

 

My part of this project is to raise funds for the following:

 

5 computers (Each computer costs approx. USD 355)

 

6 computer desks (One desk costs approx. USD 35)

 

One year salary for class teacher ( 12 months á USD 50)

 

The first years internet connection (12 months á USD 25)

 

This adds up to a sum of USD 2885 equals to approx. SEK 20 000 (2011/11/17). To have a security margin (for example installments costs etc) I aim to raise a minimum of SEK 22 000. In case some funds remain after the above costs or the fund raising exceed this sum I will donate them to other operational costs, for example medical costs, at the Goodwill Center.

 

I hope you find this interesting and are willing to contribute to this project by making a donation on the following bank account:

 

Account holder: Fredrik Bronning

Bank: SEB

Clearing number: 

Account: 

IBAN: 

BIC: 

 

Any donation, small or big, will help these children to be better prepared to affect their own future and lifes in a positive direction.

 

For practical reasons the fund raising will end December 20^th.

 

You will be able to follow the proceeding of this project here on the blog until it is carried out and a computer class is held at the Goodwill Center.

 

If you want to know more about the center, please have a look at the history of this blog or, for a shorter summary, look on the attached movie below.

 

Thank you for your interest.

 

Since Sunday I have my parents on visit in Cambodia, currently in Sihanoukville. Next week we will move on towards Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. So far, we have been looking around this area and eating good.

 

 

We have also visited The Goodwill Center, where me and my father played Chinese chess with four children. Of course my father, who has more years of experience than all the other participants together was able to win. For myself, I was able to avoid last place and five laps around the building. While we were playing my mother received several paintings from children which they happily wanted to show in front of the camera.

 

 

I will start the fund raising the upcoming days and present the project here so keep your eyes open!

 

As I mentioned I visited the garbage dump of Sihanoukville together with a group of people on Wednesday. The misery at this place is awful to see and getting closer to the dump we could feel the smell increase and as we reached the dump the smell was really bad. Along with the smell the flies were everywhere. At the garbage dump there are currently 32 families living and they survive by going though the dump coming there. We went there to donate 100 kilos of rice which will feed them some days.

 

I must say it was one of the worst places I have seen and it is very hard to understand people really are living at such a place. The children have no possibility to attend any school meaning it is very hard for them to find a way out of their misery. Pictures can't really describe the place but these can give an idea of what the situation is like:

 

 

When they are going through the garbage they are looking for everything and an example of what they do is collecting and drying paper which they can sell. For every kilo of paper they receive 100 riel which means they need to collect 40 kilos of paper to receive 1 USD.

 

Obviously they aren't able to afford any medical attention and 2 children had untreated bad marks as you can see on the following pictures:

 

 

I would like to help the people in such misery more but unfortunately is isn't possible to help everyone here and that's a terrible feeling. At least a small comfort was to see how much they appreciated the rice we donated.

 

 

Yeasterday 30 children from the Goodwill Center made an excursion to the Independence Beach between 14.00 – 17.00. First we cleaned trash on the beach together and thereafter the children received a dinner. Unfortunately the culture here doesn't seem to include throwing garbage in a garbage can but instead everywhere, which makes the environment full of trash.

 

After eating there was plenty of time for playing and swimming in the ocean. Even though these children live close to the ocean they are not down swimming often and it was easy to see they enjoyed coming here. Here are some pictures from the day:

 

 

Today I visited the local garbage dump where a small society has developed. I will publish more from this trip in the upcoming days.

Hi,

The blog has been quiet now for a while and of course I am the one to blame.

While not writing here I have been drawing the lines for a fund raising. I am still short of some information but I hope to gain this information shortly and then get started. As soon as everything is set I will publish all info regarding the project here.

Keep your eyes open if you are interested to help!