Winter 24

Well firstly to let you know I’ve arrived safely back to Cambodia after my sabbatical ready to continue the year with lots to do as always. I had an amazingly rich time welcoming my new grandson into the world with Hannah and Ryan up there in Europe land. Then the bonus of Sinead, Ray and Finlay joining us for my last two weeks there. We did a family trip to Italy as a celebration for my 60th birthday and it was so very special. I’m so grateful I had the chance to settle Hannah into motherhood. As always it’s hard to leave family but I’ll continue here in Cambodia for a while longer and do as much as I can. 

Mostly everything went smoothly while I was away and the students were looked after by the Pastor here and some of our church staff. I had a lovely welcome home and it was obvious I was very missed. 

While you’re heading into winter I’m getting used to the extreme humidity and hot weather here (taking awhile to get used to the heat on the body 🤣 I think I was designed for the cooler weather! )

Here is a little summary of what’s been happening over the last three months in the project. 

Education

Our grade 12 students continue with their extra classes and are now working harder for their upcoming Baccalaureate in October. They are having intensive classes and exercises around the subjects that will hopefully bolster them in their exams. Maths is the crucial class and the most difficult subject which gives higher scores in their exams. So, if they go well in Maths they have a chance at a maximum score.

Our project is now providing funds to support an additional teacher (we have 4 now) to teach Computing, English and Maths as it’s apparent without a good grade in Year 12 they have no possibility of further study. So this year is crucial for their future. 

We have set up an “Education Centre” at the local church building led by one of the Pastors who like me is passionate about seeing the students have a chance for their futures. 

This is the latest request from him with the current needs at the education centre…

“Hi Annie. For now, first we need to buy textbook and notebook for kids and classroom materials like makers and ink etc. Second need is used laptop for our computer class. Right now there are more students enrolled but we have no enough laptop so some of them needed to study half an hour each.” 

As you can see there are many needs in this short message! So how can you help? 

1. Could anyone sponsor a laptop? 

It doesn’t need to be new. We can get them here secondhand around USD$200.

2. Donations for school supplies

We are launching a donation drive to collect school supplies for students who need them most. Your contributions will ensure every student has the tools they need to learn and thrive. 

Nothing is provided here through the school system so everything falls back on the family… and with the students I support the families are unable to provide any help. It leaves the students (and our project) very restricted in what we can do but mostly leaves them feeling quite helpless when they are surrounded by others that have the means for study. 

We would like to provide a pack of essential school supplies for each of them at USD$25 each (approximately AUD/NZD$40) to give them the best chance and to help them feel “less disadvantaged” than their peers at school.  This will be instead of our usual backpack initiative for the next two months. 

We now have over 40 students we are supporting at all different levels and ages at the after school Education Centre and if we include the scholarship students we have 46 dependent on the Aroha Project.

No pressure!
Most if not all face the challenge of starting the next semester without essential school supplies. These supplies are critical for their success and confidence, and that's where we can all make a difference.

Every contribution, no matter how small, will make a big impact. Let’s come together to ensure that every student starts the school semester prepared and confident.

If you are a business or just feel like you can sponsor more than one or two students please let me know so I can ensure you receive a tax receipt ❤️ After 33% tax rebate they only cost around $27 to bless a student! 

Here is a letter from one of the scholarship students…

Community 

The last 3 months we have once again been able to assist with medical emergencies… an appendicitis and a motor cycle accident aftermath!

We are often a first port of call here when urgent situations arise and it feels so good when we can meet the needs. 

The boy with the appendicitis would have been critical without our help. So thank you sincerely once again for being generous and helping me help them here. 

We continue supporting a few elderly widows in the province with a monthly gift. 

Also if you remember last newsletter I highlighted the young family we helped with their new born baby. Well she is thriving now and I know they are hugely thankful for the start they got financially which helped with what they needed for the baby.  Here she is pictured below.

We are making a difference here together!

50-50 initiative…

Personally my biggest need remains to meet my goal of 50 people committing to $50 a month so I can do more over the next year without the panic of monthly living expenses. We are blessed to have 34 people now supporting the project with a minimum of $50 a month. I’m so thankful for your commitment to this. It’s a few coffees a week for most of us but it’s a huge life change in Cambodia. To receive consistent contributions enables me to budget and keep things running smoothly for all the students and families under our project umbrella. 

Will you be one of the 50?  I need and pray for 16 more commitments.

 **Spread the Word**
Share this newsletter with friends, family, and on social media. The more people we reach, the more students we can support.

Once again I would like to say how grateful I am for your continued support and encouragement for all we are doing here in Cambodia. By addressing the diverse needs of poor students in Cambodia through these comprehensive strategies, we can make a significant and lasting impact on their lives and future opportunities.