The internal students of PSE or the pensionnaires, if we use the French term, are a vital and essential part of PSE. Many of these children are homeless, others have been victims of abuse and violence and the remaining ones come from such poor backgrounds that their families can not afford to raise them. Their character, as well as their bodies, therefore show certain emotional and physical wounds. The monitors looking after them in the School Continuity Programme must take their history into account to be able to provide them with the best care and understanding they deserve, while putting emphasis on the values of respect that PSE carries.
Becoming pensionnaire
Resident children who can be found at PSE on a daily basis, playing and trying to satisfy their curiosity about European volunteers, are part of a programme that lasts the whole year: The Host Programme. Many pensionnaires live in the NGO´s main centre during the school year since their houses are too far away or they don´t have the means to go home and return to school in the day. This is how this programme came about, allowing these children to return to their homes during the summer holidays to spend time with their families.
On the other hand, another programme aims at helping those with mental and physical scars linked to their childhood. The Protection Programme helps those who have been mentlly and physically abused, have lived in an unsafe family envrionment, or in some cases have been abandoned. A team of social workers is in charge of evaluating their life at home and decides on how to improve it.
If the social team sees fit to take the child in, then that child would become a Pensionnaire and live at PSE during the year and in some cases, also in the summer. Normally, children under the age of five are given to native host families who take care of them until they reach the proper age to join the pensionnaires or go through possible adoption.
Those over the age of five live in the Phnom Phen headquarters throughout the year along with the members of the Host Programme but unlike the latter, they enjoying the activities of the School Continuity Programme in August.
Adentures beyond the walls of PSE
The instructors of the summer programme always mention the good behaviour of the pensionnaires, since they are more used to the safe and secure PSE environment. In fact, to avoid losing too much contact with reality, during this programme, they do three outings a week to visit places where they can learn and have fun outside of the PSE campus.
“Seeing some of their stupified faces, paralyzed before escalators and asking for help is one of the most exciting things”, Paula, Spanish monitor
The first outing has been the cinema. “Seeing some of their faces of stupefaction, paralyzed before escalators and asking for help is one of the most exciting things”, says Paula, veteran Spanish monitor, who accompanied the pensionnaires for the first time. But this is only the start: other trips are planned throughout month, including horseback riding and, the favourite every year: going to a waterpark.
Continuity, learning and fun
The pensionnaires summer programme aims not only to provide entertainment for the kids who have had so little in their upbringing , but also to educate them. Activities have therefore been planned as small projects that will change and evolve over the weeks.
This week the social activity revolves around recycling and children have been able to make bowls out of used containers. The photography and cooking workshops are also appreciated. Children can see their skills grow and create diferent meals that will occupy them for several days throughout the programme.
In the last cooking session, the children counted on the help of their instructors to learn how to cook banana bread. An activity that, without a doubt was their favorite, because they could evidently eat what they made straight after the session ended.
Adorable routines
During the summer vacations, PSE monitors need to compensate the Monday, Wednesday and Friday outings, with indoor, productive activites.
Before the formation of groups by ages, children start every morning with some physical activity, an ideal routine to wake up. Both Paula and Candi, one of the coordinators of this subprogramme, explain that they organize activities described as “small”, such as paper planes, as well as social and sports exercises, which are added to the aforementioned workshops. Of course, there are also breaks to have a snack —goûter in French—, or to take a nap.
Some very familiar helpers
Especially during the outings, the monitors usually get help from the women who many pensionnaires call “moms”. They spend a lot of time with the resident students, after their school hours, throughout the year and their relationship ends up being very intimate. Two of them, Ched Sarath and Touch Sophary will go with the pensionnaires during the 3-day visit they have planned to Kep, on the coast.
The excitement of being an active part of PSE
Candi, coordinator of this subprogram along with Ana, emphasizes some pensionnaires’ desire to be monitors.
“Some of them directly help us without asking for anything in return, they love it,” he says.
Ana, on the other hand, also highlights the difference that PSE makes in the lives of these children, who are usually rescued from a precarious or even dangerous situation. PSE gives them the chance to develop both personally and professionally in an enriching environment that fosters positive values. Karuna’s case is an excellent example; her family situation was extremely bad when she was growing up, but once she arrived to PSE she flourished and is now a focused student, beautiful dancer and an excellent football player.
The pensionnaires are ultimately the heart and soul of PSE. They never lack energy, and provide hope for the rest to come. We are all in admiration of their generosity towards others, especially the Europpean volunteers. Once you become friends with them, they will remember your face forever, and so will you.
Our sponsor
PSE would like to thank McKinsey & Company for their economic support to this project
A day at the camp
