Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Thumbs Up


Hello Everyone,
We have one more water project to report on for Sok San School north of Siem Reap. There are close to 500 children attending this school and as usual there were all the problems with lack of clean drinking water for the children of Sok San. Now that the Sok San water system is up and running, the children can look forward to better health, increased energy and concentration. A big Thank You to Lush Charity Pot for partnering with K.I.D.S. once again to make this project a reality for those Cambodian children and families.


We arrived home yesterday, after a long trip back from Cambodia and would like to send you all a big thumbs up for your amazing contributions of time, energy, donations and support for K.I.D.S. projects and programs. Though we have completed the infrastructure projects for this trip your support continues to assist children 365 days a year, as they pedal new bikes to school or walk in shoes they never had before. Your generosity feeds children daily who might not otherwise eat. Children attend daycare, elementary, and secondary schools as well as university, vocational training and computer labs. Many, many children have daily access to health and dental care through The Lake Clinic, the free clinic at the Stung Treng Women's Development Centre and Angkor Hospital for Children. There are children and families sheltered daily from the tropical sun and wet season rains between new walls and under new roofs. The donations from individuals, families, children, businesses and foundations are paying forward good health, education and hope. Over time we are seeing students and young adults paying forward the opportunities they have been given by teaching, mentoring and being role models for friends, fellow students, siblings and even parents with what they have learned.

The Sok San school water project is a milestone for all of us at K.I.D.S., it is the 10the completed water project. Through our collective, combined and ongoing efforts, we have now brought clean drinking water to over:
 "5,000 children and their families"

We would like to send you all along a big thumbs up from some of the many 
children and families you have supported!!

With great appreciation,
Rick and Adrianne
Till next time..... 

Smart Kids and their new bikes
Village construction crew at Trakiet School

Sva Houl Water Project
K.I.D.S. preschool teacher and student





















Mekong River field trip with K.I.D.S. preschool teachers

K.I.D.S. preschool

K.I.D.S. Preschool
Damnak Slan water project













Sok San water project

Friday, March 25, 2016

Sohing's School

Dear Friends,

Hope all is well with you. While here in Cambodia we often get to know people working at restaurants and businesses. Last year we met a lovely young woman who was working at a cafe/restaurant. As we got chatting with her we found that she was one of five children, her mother had died, her father is deaf and two other siblings are deaf as well. Her family, (including her aging grandparents) live on a small piece of land in a small village about 40 minutes from Siem Reap. Sohing learned English on her own and moved to the city to find a job and provide for her family. The family has a small rice field

and some farm animals. Sohing also supports the children in her community by providing English lessons for 2 hours every week. Every Tuesday children from around the area come to learn and play in the small open walled classroom under her house. Every other Tuesday she offers all 60 kids a nutritious meal; as many of the families can only afford to eat rice and salt. Sohing hires a teacher to teach and she provides the books and pens etc. She also started a community garden, which the children care for and can harvest. Last year K.I.D.S. provided some books and pens for her program.


This year we met up again, at the same restaurant. We asked if she needed anything for her little school, she said she needed four more desks and some more books and pens. She invited us to meet the children, her family and see the school.
Arriving at the school, we met the kids and they were all excited to practice their English. Sohing was cooking a hug pot of food and the children devoured the delicious rice porridge with meat and veggies very quickly.







Later in the year, we visited Sohing's school again. She had put a new roof on the side of her house to increase the space of the overcrowded classroom area under her house. To do this, she had sold her motorcycle, which was her main means of transportation. This increased her working hours to 12 hours a day, six days a week. She continued to go out to her village on her day off to teach the children. We were very moved by her dedication. We went out again and saw the roof and the school and decided to fund the extension. Sohing was beyond words when we gave her the funds.


We often meet people who sacrifice their time, their own comfort and stability to assist others... giving until it hurts. These are the unsung heros in our world. Thank you Sohing for what you do and thanks to all of you for supporting K.I.D.S. to assist her in her good work.

The very best,
Adrianne and Rick

Thursday, March 10, 2016

Sva Houl School

Hi Again Everyone,

Hope all is well. We have completed another water project at a rural school in a small village north of Siem Reap. Sva Houl school has 325 children and is located down a usual dusty, bumpy road. This was a much needed water project as not only did the school not have any water sources, but the entire village has hardly any usable wells.

This is another school that has great leadership and a committed team of teachers who really work hard to care and educate the children in their care.


As we are now into the hot season here with temperatures in the high 30's everyday, we know only too well how welcome a clean glass of water is. We ourselves are fortunate to have the luxury of being able to buy clean drinking water anytime we desire.

In the past, many children were plagued by illness due to water borne disease, missing many days of school. We can only imagine how difficult it must be for the children to not only deal with being ill, but to have to spend a long thirsty day at school after walking or cycling a fair distance to get there.






Sva Houl school and village now has access to this new water system that provides clean, pure water for the children and their families.

A big Thank You to Eric and Joann Byres for funding this great project in partnership with K.I.D.S.


All the best to you and yours,
Rick and Adrianne

Saturday, March 5, 2016

Trakiet School Dedication

Dear Friends,
We recently attended the celebration and opening of the four new classrooms for Trakiet Primary and Middle School in rural Cambodia. As you may recall, from past posts, this school was overcrowded with many classrooms having over 60 students in them and some children being housed in a tin building and an outdoor kitchen area. K.I.D.S asked Compassionate Eye Foundation (C.E.F) to partner with us to fund this project and they generously agreed.


We arrived at the school early in the morning to find all the children, many family members, commune chiefs, school staff, monks and other government dignitaries there to open and bless the new classrooms. There was dancing, music, speeches, throwing of flower blossoms, ribbon cutting and lots of food for everyone (provided by the community).





Gratitude was extended throughout the morning to Compassionate Eye Foundation and K.I.D.S for making this hope a reality for their school. This poor rice farming community works very hard to provide for their families and even though it would be helpful to have their children stay home, to assist with the farming, they send their children to school in hopes that they will have a better future. 

Building the school brought lots of employment for local villagers. K.I.D.S always strives to hire local people and work from a community development perspective. A special thanks to Yoeun Thol (Kim) for working with us as a coordinator, volunteer and friend. Kim works tirelessly to better the community he grew up in and change the future of Cambodia through education.


Thanks to all C.E.F. and K.I.D.S. supporters for believing that together we can not only change one child's life, we can change the future of a village.


We pass on blessings and best wishes from the Cambodian people.

With appreciation,
Adrianne and Rick