17 May 2012 – Congratulations, Chamreoun!
Our Educational Coordinator, Chab Chamreoun (known around here as JB), and his wife are now the proud parents to baby boy! He’s their first child and we would like to extend warm wishes of health, happiness, and many nights of undisturbed sleep. The new papa will return to work in a few days, where we look forward to crowding around the picture of the new addition to the family.
January 2012 – New Name: Let Us Create
We are finally stepping forward with the name change to match the website. So we will over the course of this year be phasing out Cambodian Children’s Painting Project and become Let Us Create . This came about by all the hard work of the lovely volunteer Laura with which whom none of this would have been possible. From the new logo, to the website upgrade, to the design of the pamphlet. Let Us Create thanks you from it’s heart
New Payout System
We have revamped our pay out system for the children’s artwork. We previously paid half of the money to the children from their sales. We found that this was counter productive to the creative process, as they only wanted to make whatever they thought would sell. It also only benefited only a small number of children who were proficient in making the right art. The families also didn’t benefit as the money usually went to candy or games.
So now all the children will benefit from the program equally. We have a new gallery sales fund that finances the breakfast program. In addition this fund will on a monthly basis reward those children who have been consistently participating at Let Us Create and more importantly going to school . This money will be spent on items of need, as they arise, for everyone . For instance, on Saturday we will be giving out around 60 brand new back packs with pencils, pens, books, to our students. We are also rewarding 4 of the karate students for their dedication with small presents . This fund will also fund the occasionally party or maybe a trip to Kampot or Kep.
Breakfast Program
The new breakfast program started in conjunction with our new pay out system for the children’s painting sales provides needed nutrition to all our students. In addition to the lunch and morning snack that will already supply, we will be supplying a hot porridge breakfast and a mid afternoon snack for all the children who attend school. A lot of children’s parents try to supply fifty cents daily for a snack or the children to go to school. This will be meeting a need for the families and also creating another incentive for children to go to school.
December 30 2011, Dance Extravaganza
At the end of the year CCPP opened it’s doors to the public and the families for our Dance Extravaganza. After a month of rehearsals and a lot of hard work by the volunteers and children, it lived up to it’s name . A definite special mention need to go to Nikki and Tracey, our dance instructors , who worked so hard to put the evening together.
Computer Classes
We have been conducting Photo shop and Excel classes for the last two months every evening for 15 of the older children. We only have 15 computers so it’s a limited class. The children have mastered the basics steps in both programs and have a good base to move forward . Again , this is thanks to our volunteers hard work, Istvan and Abi have been the anchors fro this program and will be missed when they go home.
Khmer Upgrading Classes
We have added 4 new classes in Khmer language . Due to the transitory nature of many of our children’s families their education is at a very low level compared to their peers. The language is a very complex written system for even the most studious of students.
Nursery – with Nanny
In the last year we realized that there was a great need for child care to enable the older girls to go to school on a regular basis. They were the ones always delegated to stay home from school to look after the babies. So, we hired a nanny and now have a full time nursery . This is a program that we will be looking at building on in the future to incorporate a preschool program to get all the little ones ready for school.
The most exciting part of CCPP, besides the amazing kids, is the new ideas! The volunteers bring their creative voice and skills with them, and CCPP moves forward with the ideas. It really gives everyone a chance to shine and make a huge difference!!!
