A commemorative plaque in Smile Village reminds us that this special community was put together in 2015, thanks to the collaboration between PSE and a Singaporean NGO. The objective of this project? Giving temporary shelter to families from this area who have lost their homes due to floods or the expropriation of land, among other reasons. The 70 or so families that live here must meet the clear standards if they wish to be remain part of it. For example: no weapons or drugs are allowed. If someone does not comply with this code of conduct, they may be expelled after receiving the appropriate warnings.
LYHEANG HENG: FROM SELLING ON THE STREET TO WORKING IN A 5 S HOTEL
Lyheang Heng is a coordinator this year for PSE’s Teenager summer continuity programme in Phnom Penh. The job could not be better suited as some of the teenagers taking part have had the same impoverished and rough background as him. He is and will always be an inspiration for the Cambodian youth who has grown up without dreams of a good job or hope for a descent future.
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PENSIONNAIRES, THE HEART OF PSE – Sponsored by McKinsey & Company
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.
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ARANH: A GLOWING BEAUTY
Every morning, the volunteers assigned to the subprogramme of Aranh, move from the main centre in Siem Reap to the school where the summer programme takes place. 20 monitors travel together in a van, carrying the day’s meal and, on Fridays, the same number of rice bags as the children who await them. These forty minutes of travel represent a special moment of bonding between the Khmer and European monitors: relaxation whilst listening to music and waking up or chatting before the storm starts. Continue reading “ARANH: A GLOWING BEAUTY”
SIEM REAP: UNITY IN PROXIMITY
One of the PSE summer programmes is located in Siem Reap, not far from the temples of Angkor: Unesco protected and the largest religious site in the world. Together with the sup-programme in Aranh, a village located 45 minutes away, both centres allow the children of this region to enjoy the month of August in a safe and joyful environment full of care and entertainment.
KINDERGARTEN: THE MOST ENDEARING BEINGS – Sponsored by IE University
Every day, a row of little people toddle through the main PSE centre, slowly and with some missteps, on a journey that starts at the Social Service office and ends in the classrooms reserved for the Kindergarten subprogramme. They are the youngest of all the children of the summer programme. Watching them pass is a spectacle, one that makes you feel such happiness and adoration as you watch them walking one by one behind each other, holding a rope for safety. A site to remember!
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TAKMAO, A CHILD’S PARADISE IN PREAK HO – Sponsored by Small Steps Project & 1001 Atmosphera
It’s Day 1 of the PSE School Continuity Programme in Takmao Community Service Centre (Takmao), where more than 200 kids will come to play everyday. This programme has now been running for three consecutive years; something that would not have been possible without the collaboration and sponsorship of Small Steps Project. This British NGO helps to feed more than ninety children throughout the year and supplies large quantities of material aimed at improving personal hygiene for the youngest kids. Small Steps also provides financial aid for the summer programme.
CULTURES COMBINE
After a great weekend in Kep, monitors said goodbye to the ones leaving far away to Sihanoukville and Siem Reap. Because of distance, all the monitors will reunite at the end of the three weeks. A large majority of monitors will remain in Phnom Penh. They will sleep at the PSE Centre and 11 different groups will work in 11 sub-programmes, all located in and around Phnom Penh: Central, Teenagers, Pensionnaires, Kindergarden, Handicapped, Smile Village, Takhmao, Phum Russei, Sen Sok, Veal Sbov and Oberk ka Orm (OBK).
TRAINING WEEK IN KEP
PSE’s efficient and long-lasting work towards training Cambodia’s youth is valued worldwide. It is not only valued, but admired for its dedication and love for the country. The reason why the summer continuity programme works so well every year is due to the interactive and extensive training of all European monitors.
WELCOME TO PSE!
Every summer, PSE warmly opens its doors to European volunteers. New ones, selected in the 2018 recruitment process and veterans from last year who form the Welcome Committee. They are in charge of welcoming, guiding and informing new volunteers from the moment they arrive in Phnom Penh to the start of training week a few days later.