The OBK Community Service Centre is known as PSE’s smallest programme. Although this camp may be too small to find, it isn’t too silent to hear. The roaring energy of the monitors, singing and dancing with such passion puts the biggest smile on the children’s faces. Just a five minute walk from PSE Central, in the neighbourhood of Oberk Ka Orm, this centre also serves as a nursery throughout the year.
A small centre full of charm!
Kids with plenty of energy
Finding a little bit of nature in the middle of Phnom Penh city!
“They are still small, but not too much” Samey
Monitors and children are the driving force here. Although space is limited, the maximum space is used, including the indoor classrooms which are connected to the sides of the corridor leading to the playground. “Usually, little kids play there under the supervision of two monitors, while the rest are divided into groups to do the activities” explains Joselu, the European coordinator at OBK. His Khmer work partner, Samey, a student at PSE, admits that she is delighted with the children at the centre, as most of them are around her preferred age: “They are still small, but not too much”.
Comfort is found everywhere in this camp
Every day after siesta, Daly tells amazing stories to the children
This community service centre is attended by about 135 children between the ages of 3 and 7 every day, many of whom are nursery students for the rest of the year. Nine European volunteers and nine Khmer volunteers are responsible for them. They are joined by the two coordinators and two Khmer volunteers. Daly, one of them, has become the official storyteller this year. Every day after siesta, she tells amazing stories to children, and, according to Joselu, it’s one of their favorite moments.
Team spirit
Miguel and Pauline dancing on ”La Cintura” song !
Joselu is very satisfied with his team, but he still wanted to inspire them from the very beginning and give his team a sense of unity. Thanks to his initiative, all of them wear a black bracelet with the letters OBK embroidered on it and, in addition, meet regularly to motivate each other and talk about what they are worried about. During our visit, the Khmer monitors were already working ahead of schedule. “They are all good friends, so in that sense they had a head-start” says Joselu.
Both coordinators, Joselu and Samey, singing before the activities start
Discovering something new every day
As in other subprogrammes, the children of OBK are divided into teams to carry out most of the activities. There are seven groups in total, but the smallest ones do not usually participate in rotations and do exercises or games adapted to their age. However, they still participate in ‘big activities’, those that bring all the children together. They are also involved during free time, if they want to join the games invented by Khmer monitors, games which often succeed.
Moment captured during the ever so loved “Feria” games
At OBK, the children also love ‘Feria’, which is a chain of activities and games about memory, skill or physical strength, which all the groups go through. According to Joselu, the feria is appreciated as much as the water games, which are undoubtedly amongst the most popular games for children in all the subprogrammes.
A precious moment at this centre happens during the afternoon snack. Children have already learned to wash their hands before they line up to pick up their piece of fruit
Waiting in line for the little snack. Today’s treat, dragonfruit!
A precious moment at this centre is the afternoon snack. Children have already learned to wash their hands before they line up to pick their fruit. Watching them grab it and sink their teeth into a piece of dragon fruit is quite a spectacle. We can compare their expression when they eat this fruit with one of wander when discovering a new place! Susana, a Spanish instructor, recounts that when it rained on the last day, she taught some of them how to make shapes in the wet mud. “They were stunned,” she laughs.
Bea, a first time monitor
Joselu, coordinator at OBK and a veteran from PSE admits that it takes more time for the children to listen to instructors in OBK than in other sub-programmes, but he is very happy with them and the monitors — a happy and united team: what else could he ask for!
The sponsor
The NGO would like to thank PSE Support Group and Magariños Café for their collaboration with the School Continuity Programme, through a wonderful gala dinner last june in Madrid, which earnings have allowed to finance this subprogramme.
