Can we put a student hostel in Baray?

Schools in Cambodia, for obvious reasons, are sited in urban centres or along major roads. For this reason, many of the rural communities that are distanced from the main roads have very limited access to the school system. That is why we have been trying to plant small lower primary schools in remote villages, so that young children can have a chance to develop some literacy and numeracy skills. As they grow older, we hope they can then travel slightly longer distances to upper primary level schools or even secondary schools.

Recently we have been thinking of how to support older children from these remote villages who have been able to make it academically to high school, but now face the problem of having to commute the great distances between their homes and the high school in Baray.

One solution we might be able to offer is to provide a small hostel in Baray that could house about 10-15 boys. A 2 storey 12 x 6m structure with toilet and kitchen facilities would provide adequate dormitary types facilities, and would cost about US$25,000 to erect. We have already identified a young Christian man who can be an "older brother/mentor" for the kids staying at the hostel.

In addition, we will need about US$720 per year to support each student at the hostel.

We are thinking and praying about this badly need resource for the students. If you have any ideas, or think you can help, please contact me. If the concept works, we can consider having a separate hostel for young girls. Also badly needed.

So excited about the floating classroom.....

The rains have filled up the Tonle Sap flood plains. The above photo is of Boeung Rial at the moment and you can see the poverty and the poor state of their dwellings.

The floating classroom is however almost complete. This is a picture of the structure as they are putting in the finishing touches. Not quite ready to float yet....and we are praying that it will indeed float. But there's no reason why it should not float. The classroom looks fantastic and I am actually quite pleased to see it brought to this stage of completion. What a joyous occasion for the villagers! Praise God!! I can't wait to go and see it for myself.

I will be there in end of September with Ps Peter. This will primarily be to review the Andaut situation. We will take the opportunity to see the floating classroom before we go and commission it in October.