Inspiring Sounds & Huntsville Students Raise Funds for Bicycles!

I was delighted and honored to be the guest speaker at the May 29th Concert put on by Muskoka area talented young musicians at the Inspiring Sounds Music Studio Annual Spring Concert .

These fabulous students entertained a large audience at the Bracebridge United Church with voice and piano, under the expert direction of their talented teacher, Wing Chow.

Featured Guest performers for the show were 'Just 8' - vocal ensemble under the direction of pianist and arranger, George Kadwell.

All put their talents and efforts together to help those less fortunate in a small country on the other side of the world! At this concert, $577.50 was raised towards 100 Bicycles for the Muskoka School Children in Cambodia - a project of A Mine Free World Foundation www.aminefreeworld.org

Many thanks to Wing Chow, 'Just 8' and all the talented performers who are providing less fortunate children with this valuable transportation to school.

I will certainly be attending their next concert - I have never had such an entertaining afternoon!

Inspiring Sounds Music Studio
705-646-9791
Inspiringsounds@gmail.com
inspiringsounds.tripod.com

These aren't the only students who have done some wonderful fundraising for the cause. The 2008-09 students at Huntsville Public School raised $150 for Muskoka School Bicycles through their fundraising efforts under the direction of teacher Alana Hall.

Students helping students a half a world away!

'A Mine Free World Foundation' - Update, Fundraisers & Events for Cambodia

Time has gone by quickly since my April 1st return from six months in Cambodia!

On Monday, April 12th, I was pleased to give my first presentation to The Rotary Club of Gravenhurst. The presentation was covered by COGECO and focused on the Muskoka School Official Inauguration Ceremony in Cambodia, the 276 bicycles that were distributed to poor rural children, two small rural school-building projects, Ketsana flood relief, educational support for student landmine survivors and many of the other projects and programs implemented there.

Friday, April 9th, I was interviewed by the ‘A Channel’, who was also interested to hear all about the Muskoka School Inauguration and the bicycles that were distributed in Cambodia.

Sunday, April 25th, I attended the Rotary District 7010 PETS & Assembly and Youth Exchange Training in North Bay. I gave a presentation there encompassing all the projects that were implemented in Cambodia this past winter.

I am always happy to give a presentation to any groups interested in hearing about volunteer efforts, projects and programs of benefit to the impoverished in the developing country of Cambodia. I have a PowerPoint presentation that introduces the country, its gentle smiling people and children, and accounts of the many resulting rewarding experiences that can be had by getting involved through volunteerism ‘on-the-ground’ in the rural areas of this small SE Asian country.

To arrange a presentation for your group, please contact me at 705-687-8538, or email: schoolsforcambodia@gmail.com . Or – Perhaps I’ll see you at one of the following events and fundraisers planned:


Rotary Club of Etobicoke
Night of 1000 Dinners Event
Friday, May 7, 2010 6:00 PM
At: Active Green and Ross Headquarters
580 Evans Avenue, Toronto
To RSVP: contact Hugh Williams 416-738-9583

The Event
The Rotary Club of Etobicoke is having a social, fundraising “Night of 1000 Dinners” event on Friday, May 7 starting at 6:00 to raise money for landmine eradication.
Our guest speakers, Maria Almudevar-van Santen and Lisa McCoy of A Mine Free World Foundation (www.aminefreeworld.org) will provide a unique and powerful view into this issue and their work in Cambodia.
Dinner and wine are being provided and prepared by Ralph Chiodo and family.
Cost for dinner is only $60 per person. Receipts will be provided.
The Need
The global landmine crisis is one of the most pervasive problems facing the world today. There are many millions of landmines in the ground in at least 70 countries. Landmines reportedly maim or kill 10,000 civilians every year. Those victims that survive endure a lifetime of physical, psychological, and economic hardship.
The Menu !


1. Antipasto

o Parmigiano Reggiano

o Friuliano

o Salami, Capicolla

o Articokes

o Olives

2. Prima pasta:

o Pasta Faggioli (Pasta & Bean Soup)

3. Seconda Pasta

o Penne Rigate in a meat sauce

4. Terza Pasta

o Fusilli Tre Colori (Three Colour Pasta with Peas and Shrimp)


5. Salciccia alla Pizzaiola

6. Insalata Mista (Mixed Green Salad)

7. Dolci (Dessert)

8. Caffe (coffee)

9. Frutta (Fruit)

Vino Bianco (White Wine)
Vino Rosso (Red Wine)


Inspiring Sounds Music Studio - Annual Spring Concert 2010 – May 29, 2pm Bracebridge United Church
Children in Muskoka Perform to Raise funds for Children in Cambodia

Young musicians from across Muskoka are set to go on stage in the sixth annual spring concert hosted by Inspiring Sounds Music Studio. The concert takes place at Bracebridge United Church on May 29th (Sat) at 2 p.m. It will feature performances by young musicians under the direction of music specialist Wing Chow.

Pianists and vocalists will treat the audience to a variety of pieces from different musical styles in solo, duet and ensembles. The concert will include a wide variety of selections designed for the entire family. Performances will include children’s songs, classic favourites, Broadway tunes and popular music repertoires such as Star War, Beauty and the Beast, Thank You for the Music (ABBA), Ode to Joy (Beethoven), Entertainer (Joplin) and much more.

Students will also perform pieces that earned them gold medals and scholarships from the Kiwanis Music Festival in April, including their very own composition works. This year, there are 30 students attended the Kiwanis Music Festival for both piano and vocal classes. They have received total 34 Gold medals, 2 trophies and 2 scholarships. They will be attending the Stars of Festival on May 31 at Orillia Opera House to receive the awards and scholarships.

At the end of the concert, the guest performers from “Just 8” vocal group will perform some Jazz tunes to audiences.

Tickets can be purchased at the door starting at 1:00 p.m. The tickets are Adult $10.00, Student $5.00 and Children under 6 years of age are Free. Any excess profit from the ticket sales will be donated to the non-profit organization, A Mine Free World Foundation, for helping children in Cambodia.

Inspiring Sounds Music Studio will continue to offer private piano and vocal instructions for all ages and small group classes for young children. Call the director for details of the Early Bird registration and other special discounts for group classes. The next Fall registration will start in June. Call 705-646-9791 or visit inspiringsounds.tripod.com.

I’ll be attending this concert and will give a short presentation at the beginning. Many thanks to Wing Chow, director of Inspiring Sounds Music Studio, pianist and arranger, George Kadwell and the rest of my friends with ‘Just 8’ who have generously donated their time and talents for this event. It is always a delight to watch our talented young performers in Muskoka.

Rotary Club Of Aurora - Monday June 14th

Many Thanks to fellow Rotarians down at The Rotary Club of Aurora for their invitation to attend their meeting. I'll be giving my 'Projects in Cambodia' presentation to their members. They meet 6:15 at Gabriel's Cafe, south of Wellington St. on Yonge St.

Inviting All Women!

Womyn’s Way Drop In – Tuesday, June 8th – 10am to noon - Huntsville - at 494 Muskoka Road #3 North (about 1/2 km past the hospital, on the left hand side, across from the cemetery, beside Tebby Heating. I’ll be giving my visual presentation ‘Winter in Cambodia’ there. This program is open to all women and I hope to see you there!

Daphne’s Drop In – Monday, July 12th – 9:30am to noon. That’s the day I’ll be giving my ‘Winter in Cambodia’ presentation to my friends up there. This program is open to all women, so come and meet us there. ********* REFRESHMENTS AND SNACKS AVAILABLE *********Learn to make new friends. Learn new skills. Laugh. Enjoy life. Located at the Women’s Resource Centre 29 Manitoba St. Bracebridge. For information call ******* 646-2122 ******* maria@daphnewymn.com or www.daphnewymn.com

The above ‘Drop Ins’ are open to all women and have fantastic weekly meetings covering many interesting topics. Be sure to Drop In any week!

Giant Garage Sale in July—You can Donate Items Now!

Everyone has been asking me if there will be a ‘Giant Garage Sale’ again this summer – YES! It will be held in July in Gravenhurst, and donations are coming in already. This year, money raised will go towards bicycles for children at the ‘Muskoka School’, and towards supplies for two small rural schools in Cambodia. Please contact me if you would like to volunteer or if you have some new or gently-used items that you would like to donate.

There are many more ‘A Mine Free World Foundation’ events planned to provide bicycles, educational support, school support and support for landmine survivors. Become a follower of this blogsite! In the meantime, here are ways YOU can help a child in Cambodia:

How you can help:

- Provide educational support for a landmine survivor

- Donate a Bicycle for a needy rural student - $50

- Support a rural School Project

- Provide a Sewing business for a rural woman - $125 – we need 2 machines for Beng Donpa village in Siem Reap District.

- Come and Volunteer in rural schools and/or Distribute Bicycles in Cambodia. I am now looking for interested Rotarians and Friends who may want to get involved in joining me in some rewarding volunteer work this winter in Cambodia – contact me now. I can help arrange your, or your group’s transportation, accommodation and volunteer efforts on the ground in Cambodia!

- Your donation of even $5 can go a long way in providing toothbrushes and toothpaste for rural Cambodian children in the new 'Rural Dental Hygiene Education Project' to be implemented this October in Cambodia. Siem Reap Dentist, Dr. Khom Pisal will be accompanying our team into rural areas during bicyle distributions to provide this valuable hygiene education and dental supplies to rural children and adults.

- Hold a Fundraising Event for ‘A Mine Free World Foundation’ projects in Cambodia

- Donate Items to our ‘Annual Giant Garage Sale’ (Call 705-687-8538)

- Donate a good used laptop for a Cambodian student

- Please send a Donation to:

‘A Mine Free World Foundation’
906 Fung Place
Kitchener, OntarioN2A 4M3

Gravenhurst Rotary Bikes and YWCA Women In Business Sewing Machines

The sixth, and last month of my volunteer work here in Cambodia has been the busiest yet, with yet a couple of small projects to implement before I head back to Canada in 3 days!

On March 20th, 37 Rotary Club of Gravenhurst, Ontario, Canada (District 7010) bicycles, and 5 ‘A Mine Free World Foundation’ (AMFW) donor-sponsored bicycles were picked up from the wholesaler in Phnom Penh. That same afternoon, the 5 AMFW bicycles were distributed to 5 needy students living on the outskirts of Phnom Penh. These students lived considerable distances away from their homes, and these bikes will make their daily trip to school more quicker. It will also ensure their regular attendance.

That afternoon Khmer volunteer Un Vanthon and his family loaded and secured the 37 bikes that would head down to rural Takeo province the next morning. Also loaded on the truck were 2 sewing machines, tables and sewing supplies that were donated by the Muskoka YWCA Women in Business Group and Leslie Chamberlain. Their donation of $200 empowered two rural impoverished women! They now have their own self-sustainable home-based sewing and clothes repair businesses. Both these recipients had past sewing experience, but lacked a machine and supplies. Both recipients are also receiving free ‘brush-up’ sewing lessons from another qualified local seamstress. Thanks to local teacher, Ban Ven who will be monitoring this project for me while I am in Canada.

Also, loaded on the truck was a water pump and lengths of hose that were donated to the monks by my good volunteer friend Pauline Johns of Australia. Pauline has volunteered for almost all the bike distributions this past winter and has been an invaluable help.

Water is scarce in the dry season in the rural areas. Many people’s ponds are dried up for months, which means water for home and cattle are a one or two kilometer walk away. A water pump was a good solution for these elderly monks. They now can pump the water from the pond close to their pagoda. I found out that the reason that many of these ponds are dried up is because they have not been dug to the 3 meter required depth. Poor people in these villages just don’t have the money to have the equipment come in to dig them deeper.

5 am Sunday morning, the truck loaded with bikes, sewing machines, pumps and hose headed down to the village of Trapeang Ta Soam, about 25km west of Takeo city. Our minivan of volunteers left at 7am, arriving in Trapeang Ta Soam about 9am. When we arrived at the bicycle distribution site - Trapeang Thum primary school - all the bike recipients, parents, monks, area teachers, officials and monks were waiting for us! A loudspeaker and mike had been set-up and Pauline and I were ushered to a make-shift head table where we enjoyed a fresh coconut drink.

In Cambodia, most projects are received with such a ceremony. Permission from village and commune officials must be acquired before conducting or implementing a project. Doing this, also facilitates further projects that would be conducted in that same area. By having followed this protocol, that names of ’Rotary’ and ’A Mine Free World Foundation’ are welcomed help in this rural area.

The ceremony began with us kneeling in front of the local monks and receiving their blessings for us and our gifts. Cambodia is 95% Theravada Buddhist and Buddhism is an important part of their daily life.

Next came the speeches, by the local officials (pictured on right), by Un Vanthon, our ‘Rotary’ volunteer, translator and facilitator, and then by me.

This was followed by the bike distribution. Each student and bike were numbered, and one by one, the children were called to the head table, where their personal info was recorded onto the ‘Bike Application Form’ . then they signed the form, and proceeded to the bike distribution area, where they were photographed receiving their bike. Pauline, Vanthon and I have streamlined this mass bike distribution process down to a fine art. It couldn’t have gone smoother.

We were done about noon, and then had a quick lunch in the village before heading off to our next project for the day - delivering the two sewing machines.

Both area sewing machine recipients lived in poor bamboo huts. The one woman was a widow with two children. The other was a mother with 4 children. Her husband was a poor farmer (as most are in the rural areas), and only receives an income of maybe $1/day when a neighboring rice farm is looking for some help for the harvest. These small rural self-sustainable businesses are a godsend for these women. They could not thank us enough. The one recipient offered us 5 mangoes and one cucumber as a thank you gift.

There are many small rural business ventures that can improve the lives of rural people. They include chicken and duck raising, fish farming, Bike and Motto repair, barbering, weaving and crafts, carpentry, vegetable and mushroom growing, noodle and home-based food businesses…just to name a few. Businesses along this line provide a quick income, as opposed to pig and cow raising, where income takes time to generate. Anyone interested in sponsoring a small business for a rural person can contact me at: http://schoolsforcambodia@gmail.com .

In October, our team of volunteers will be heading into Battambang province, the most heavily mined province in Cambodia, and through ‘A Mine Free World Foundation’ we want to implement some rural-based businesses for landmine survivors. More businesses are needed for the poor in rural Takeo as well.

Later that afternoon, we stopped at our next wonderful project: ‘Big Love’ Free Education school.
This school has been the dream of qualified rural teacher, Ban Ven for quite some years. The local government school is quite some distance away from ‘Big Love’ school at the foothills of the western area hills. Some of the children, who now have bikes, can attend both the government and ‘Big Love’ school’. But for many children and illiterate adults (women in particular), this is their only available school.

A few months ago, a neighboring widow donated some of her land for this school building. The village adults and children had all worked together to build his simple bamboo-structured school. Ban Ven already has 56 children that he and his niece are teaching. More are arriving daily. Area women have asked for a literacy class. There are many women in the area whose husbands have left them, and who live by very poor means. Many other women are abused by husbands suffering from alcoholism. Ben Van would like to start a support group for them there. Many of the people lack basic knowledge of sanitation and first aid. So much basic education is needed in that area.

Teacher Ban Ven is qualified to handle the rural educational needs here. He recently returned from a rural improvement training course in Japan that was partially sponsored by Rotary International! Ven grew up in this area and has 15 brothers and sisters. His only income is that what he makes as a farmer.

Pauline Johns’ family has donated money for desks and school supplies for this school and it’s students. Jim Goodwin has donated a bicycle for this teacher. The Rotary Club of Gravenhurst has donated US$87 towards the cost of the 51 student books the children are now learning from. This tiny school, built on the dream of one man with the help of the villagers themselves, is well on its way to providing basic education for these rural people.

July will see a Giant Garage Sale in Muskoka that will go towards the continuing needs of this rural school which is supported by ‘ A Mine Free World Foundation’. Money raised will go towards a concrete floor for this school to ease conditions in the rainy season. More bikes, sandals, clothes and school bags are needed for these children. I am looking for a Gravenhurst location to hold this sale…please contact me if you can help.

It was an immense joy to see the eagerness of the children to learn at this tiny school.

In Cambodian culture, it is not polite to visit an area, give out gifts, and then leave. The rest of he afternoon was spent visiting and eating with rural families.

It was a long but happy day, and by late afternoon our team of volunteers headed to Takeo city where we spent the night in a small guesthouse to rest up for the next days events…going back to Phnom Penh with 5 local blind and diseased children. They, and their parents were coming back to Phnom Penh with us to seek medical attention for their various conditions. Vanthon and I had identified them when we were doing the home-interviews for the bike applicants during our last visit there. Pauline Johns is now sponsoring their medical treatment. More on this in my next blog entry.

Rotary Club of Gravenhurst Donates $1,500 for 'Rotary Bikes' in Cambodia

37 MORE 'Rotary Bicycles' will be distributed to needy rural students here in Cambodia on March 21st - thanks to the generosity of the Rotary Club of Gravenhurst,Ontario, Canada (District 7010).

This Rotary Club project will be conducted here on the ground with the help of Khmer volunteers/translators and rural teachers. Good friend and volunteer, Mr. Un Vanthon and family will be accompanying me back into the this area (see previous posting on 'Phnom Penh's only Rotary Tuk Tuk'). Also accompanying me and helping with the distribution is good friend and volunteer Pauline Johns from Australia. The target area will be villages around Trapeng Tasom in rural Takeo province (see map on this page).

The Bike Recipients have already been identified and home-interviewed, and the bulk bike order has been placed with the wholesaler in Phnom Penh.

On Sunday, March 21st, the bike recipients will gather at a local government school to receive their Rotary bicycles in a small bike distribution ceremony with village chief and teachers present. A total iof 40 bikes will be given out - 37 from the Rotary Club of Gravenhurst and 3 from 'A Mine Free World Foundation' (AMFW)donors.

This is the third large Rotary Bicycle Distribution to occur in Cambodia this winter. The Rotary Club of Bracebridge-Muskoka Lakes had donated 118 bicycles and the Rotary Club of Orillia had contributed 42. 2 other large disributions funded by AMFW donors which brought the total to 230 bicycles that were donated to rural children in the provinces of Takeo, Kep, Siem Reap, and the outskirts of Phnom Penh.

The distribution on March 21st will be the last one conducted until my return to Cambodia the beginning of October 2010.

Recently, I have been in discussion with the Trailblazer Foundation ( www.thetrailblazerfoundation.org ) here in Cambodia. They are the organization that implemented The 'Muskoka School' Project here on the ground in Cambodia. In a collaborative effort, we would like to conduct a large Rotary Bike Distribution for the 'Muskoka School' children in Ta Trav village, Siem Reap district area next winter!

Any Rotary Club wishing to support this future Bike Distribution Project can contact me at 705-687-8538 or at http://schoolsforcambodia@gmail.com . Let's get 'Rotary Wheels For Learning' to our 'Muskoka School' kids in need here in Cambodia.

Individual donors can make their contribution through www.aminefreeworld.org

Thanks Rotary for the difference made towards the educational needs of children in rural Cambodia. I will be back in Canada on April first, but am already itching to get back and give out more bicycles out to the rural children here!

MPP Miller Congratulates Lisa McCoy on the Inauguration of ‘The Muskoka School’ in Cambodia

NEWS

Norm Miller, MPP for Parry Sound-Muskoka, took the opportunity today to congratulate Lisa McCoy for her tireless efforts in raising funds for ‘The Muskoka School’ constructed in the Siem Reap District of Cambodia.

Mr. Miller also thanked the Rotary Clubs of Muskoka, the Ontario-based Cambodian Landmine Museum Relief Fund, the Trailblazer Foundation, and the generous contributions by the people of Muskoka, who raised over $20,000. This money allowed 400 Cambodian children to have the opportunity to continue their education in a brand new school.

In addition to the construction of the school, funds were raised for the purchase of new uniforms for all 400 students, and over 140 bicycles that were distributed in the most rural regions of Cambodia.

Ms. McCoy, a resident of Gravenhurst and a former librarian, was compelled to help the children and youth of Cambodia and Burma after her travels to the region.
QUOTES

“Education is the key to prosperity for so many children across the world. Lisa McCoy’s efforts in helping to get this school constructed is an inspiration to our communities, and we are all proud of what she has accomplished.”
--Norm Miller, MPP Parry Sound – Muskoka

“I want to extend my appreciation to all those who donated their time or their talents. The people of Parry Sound-Muskoka and all the groups that contributed to this great cause deserve to be commended.”
--Norm Miller, MPP Parry Sound – Muskoka

-30-

To view statement the go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8-vvUQweXc

CONTACT:
Norm Miller, MPP
705-645-8538 or 416-325-1012

From Lisa McCoy, Executive Director and Maria van Santen, Founder of 'A Mine Free World Foundation', a registered non-profit in Canada:

Our sincerest thanks to the Citizens and Rotary Clubs of Muskoka for their generous hearts, for volunteering all their time and talents, and for funding school projects, scholarships and bicycles for the impoverished children and landmine survivors in rural Cambodia.

Many children in rural Cambodia still need your help! To make a donation, please send your cheque, big or small, to:

A Mine Free World Foundation
906 Fung Place,
Kitchener, ON, Canada
N2A 4M3

I am still here in Cambodia one more month, and will be distributing more bicycles in the rural villages of Takeo Province, Cambodia. So far, over 250 bicycles have been distributed to rural children in need this winter. You can help a child receive this valuable transportation for education with a donation of $50. Or, you can provide educational support for a child landmine survivor, or help fund a rural school-building project.

Once I'm back in Canada, I'd be happy to give any group a visual presentation of Muskoka's efforts here in Cambodia. You can contact me at: schoolsforcambodia@gmail.com

Way To Go Muskoka! You have made 'The Muskoka School' a reality here in rural Cambodia!

‘Muskoka School’ Official Inauguration Ceremony!

A Grand Day for all those here in Cambodia and back in Muskoka District in Canada, who contributed funding of over US$20,000 towards the ‘Muskoka School Project’ in rural Siem Reap District.

The February 18th, 2010 morning ceremony was presided over by His Excellency Mao Vuthy, Personal Advisor to Samdech Ponthea Chakrei Heng Sam Rin Chairman of the National Assembly. Also in attendance were Scott and Chris Coates of ‘The Trailblazer Foundation’ ( www.thetrailblazerfoundation.org ) and other staff of this organization, Rotary President Sandy Seitz of the Jackson (J.H.) Rotary Supper Club, and Rotary past-president Pat Butts of the Teton Valley Rotary Club. Many other special guests were in attendance.

The event was recorded by Cambodian television and village families and children came from far and wide to celebrate the official inauguration of this large six-room concrete school building located in Ta Trav village, about 20km north of Siem Reap city.

Excitement and anticipation were in the air as celebrations began with a line-up of Cambodia’s first official Scout group, who awaited the arrival of the dignitaries. Scott and Chris Coates have implemented the first official Scout group in Cambodia - so far, there are 120 Scouts in their group! A monumental first! - and Scott and Chris are to be commended for beginning this beneficial organization for youth here in Cambodia.

At 8am, speeches were given by the Cambodian dignitaries, school students and by Scott Coates of the Trailblazer Foundation. In Scott’s speech, he thanked the Rotary Clubs and citizens of Muskoka for their generous contribution toward making this school a reality for the 400 rural children attending this school. He also read a letter of congratulations from Parry Sound-Muskoka MPP Norm Miller. Special thanks was also given to the Cambodian Landmine Museum Relief Fund in Ontario and the British School of Beijing, who also contributed funds for this project.

Muskoka was thanked yet once again for their generous contribution of US$2,000 for 400 new school uniforms and sandals for the children of this school. They were distributed by myself and a team of District 7070 Ontario Rotarians this past November.

Speeches were followed by a special ribbon-cutting ceremony where dignitaries and contributors took turns cutting the celebratory red ribbon. A special plaque was given to the Cambodian dignitaries officially donating the school to the government of Cambodia.

This was followed by a fresh noodle curry lunch in the old Ta Trav wooden school house. I had the pleasure of getting to know a couple of fellow-Rotarians from the United States who are supporters of Trailblazer’s past and present projects. The Trailblazer Foundation has built a few schools in Siem Reap District and also provide countless rural families with wells and water filters. They are making a huge difference in the quality of life for the impoverished rural families and children of this district.

It was a morning that I will never forget. There is a school in Cambodia that now proudly bears the name of Muskoka on it. It will provide valuable education for countless generations of rural Cambodian children! Previous blog postings show photos of the construction of this school which began in February 2009 and was completed in May 2009.

I’m on my way to Phnom Penh tomorrow. Then I’m heading to Takeo villages to spend a few days staying with some rural village families. Then, it’s back down to Kep province to continue with the implementation of a ‘free education’ school project there - Banyan Learning Tree - http://banyanlearningtree.blogspot.com , and a possible secondary location for this school! Pauline Johns and I will give more exciting updates on that project soon!

Your donation to ‘A Mine Free World Foundation’ (AMFWF) can provide education to children in Cambodia - a country still plagued with millions of landmines scattered throughout the countryside. You can help to fund a school, a bicycle, or even choose to provide scholarship support for a student who’s life has been affected by these remnants of war. Please email me for further details: schoolsforcambodia@gmail.com

A Mine Free World Foundation, 906 Fung Place, Kitchener, On, Canada N2A 4M3, is a registered non-profit organization.

The Only ‘Rotary Tuk-Tuk’ in Phnom Penh - A First!

There is a unique Tuk-tuk operating on the congested streets of Phnom Penh, and if you are a Rotarian this tuk-tuk and its special driver will represent some astounding humanitarian efforts that have taken place for the rural people in Cambodia.

The tuk-tuk, or auto-rickshaw, is a popular mode of transportation throughout SE Asia. Its style varies from country to country, but here in Cambodia it takes the form of a two-wheeled covered wagon attached to a small two-stroke motorcycle (or ‘moto’, as it is called here). They are the Asian equivalent of a taxi, and for a small fee, they will take you anywhere you want to go. It’s a lovely way to see the sites and rural areas of Cambodia. The charm of tuk-tuk travel has delighted tourists for years.

Phnom Penh tuk-tuk driver, Un Vanthon has taken his recent volunteer work of Rotary bicycle distribution in the rural villages of Takeo quite seriously. He has worked hard to organize the on-the-ground distribution of 56 Bracebridge-Muskoka Lakes Rotary bicycles throughout 3 villages around Takeo. He has also seen the difference that Rotary makes for the students in these areas. A ‘Rotary Bicycle’ has given many students the opportunity to attend school through the provision of this valuable transportation.

Vanthon is proud to be a part of Rotary projects…so proud that he has now put Rotary decals all over his tuk-tuk and moto! He has the only tuk-tuk in Phnom Penh with the Rotary International symbol on it. He already has had some visiting Rotarians on holidays in Phnom Penh stop and ask him what his involvement with Rotary is - he proudly tells him that he has volunteered for Rotary projects!

Vanthon lived through tremendous hardships during the Khmer Rouge era. I wrote about him before in a recent blog posting. During this difficult period in Cambodia‘s history, Vanthon often helped fellow Cambodians with some food or clothing during these desperate times of need. Vanthon has never stopped - he keeps on giving to this day.

So, if you are in Phnom Penh, and need a good tuk-tuk driver that has ‘Gone Miles for Rotary’, be sure to give this special humanitarian a call at 012 906 793. Out of the 4,000 tuk-tuks presently servicing Phnom Penh, there is only one special tuk-tuk with the Rotary symbol on it!

‘Banyan Learning Tree’ - Free Rural Literacy Education in Kep Province, Cambodia

http://banyanlearningtree.blogspot.com
Located 176 km from Phnom Penh, the province of Kep had a population of 34,000
- 4,000 of which are children. Very few organizations are at work in this remote corner of Cambodia, near the border of Viet Nam. My friend, Pauline Johns from Australia, and I have been drawn to this area because of this lack.

The need for more teachers and educational facilities in rural Cambodia is great. Poverty is the biggest obstacle to education for the children and adults in the rural areas. Many children don’t attend school for various reasons. It’s either too far to get there and they lack the transportation, and in many instances, children are needed at home to do the chores, or they are in the work field earning money to help the family survive.

Education has been difficult to attain for adults also. During the Khmer Rouge years, all education had been eradicated. As a result, the rural adult population remains highly illiterate. Only 55.6% of the women and 65.9% of the men are somewhat literate in the countryside. 82% of these people have not gone past the primary school level.

Pauline and I wanted to provide a lasting source of education for both the eager young students and the adult rural population that want to attain literacy.

Last year Pauline and I had both volunteered for a few months at the ‘Voluntary Development Poverty Children’s School’ (VDPCS) in Siem Reap. That model ‘free education’ school provided English education to all ages five days a week. Hundreds of children attend faithfully and are provided with free workbooks, notebooks and pencils. There is a small lending library there also. It is a registered organization in Cambodia and is sponsored by various organizations from around the world.

For the people here in Kep province, we also wanted to address the prevalent problem of adult illiteracy. While volunteering at ‘Cambodia World Family-Krong Kep School’, we saw the many families who came to their outreach Khmer literacy classes, where adults learn to read, write and some basic mathematics. That inspired our decision to also provide this at a school.

Our next step was to figure out how we could put a school in a lacking rural area without the high cost of a ‘school-building project’. We went back to that role model of VDPCS, and after some investigating, found out that it was very cheap to rent an empty house here. We found the perfect house in a rural area lacking this valuable education. The rent is only $100/month!

Pauline and I did not do this all alone, and we still have some steps to go before out little new school, ’Banyan Learning Tree’ is fully operational.

Lots of credit and thanks go to Om Chamnap, who will be the director and teacher of this new ’free education’ school. Mr. Om comes with a background of ngo experience attained during his years is Phnom Penh. He is also a registered teacher. Mr. Nob Sokhom will be the second teacher at ’Banyan Learning Tree’.

Mr. Om is now going through the necessary procedures to register the school as an organization with the Ministry of the Interior (MOI) here in Cambodia. Approval has to be granted by village, commune and district levels before the application can even proceed to the MOI. ‘Banyan Learning Tree’ will be registered with the MOI in March.

Why go through all this work with registering here with the MOI? We found out the important reason ‘why’. If it isn’t registered as an organization with the MOI, then Cambodian law considers it a business, and we are bound by law to charge the students for their education. In other words - it’s considered a business.

In the meantime, while we wait for the registration process to go through, there’s lots to do to get the school ready to go the moment it receives its official papers. Some mats and chairs, a couple of tables and all the school supplies have to be purchased. There is a small room for an office. Our start-up budget is small, but thanks to Pauline’s generous support, we have enough funds to get it off and running.

The monthly operational budget including teacher’s salaries, rent, and other necessary expenses amount to about US$430/month.

It’s a new experience for both Pauline and I, but one which will provide much-needed free education for the people in rural Kep Province. We have visited the school site twice (about 6-7km away from Kep town), and already many area children and adults are getting excited about the opening of this new free education school - Bayan Learning Tree!

The name for this school was chosen from a story contained in the children’s book ‘Vanna’s Dance’, written by author and founder of ‘A Mine Free World Foundation‘. You can read the story (book excerpt) of the Banyan Tree at this link - you’ll understand why we chose this special name for the school: http://www.vannasdance.com/vanna3.htmlA Mine Free World Foundation in Canada will be raising funds to support this school.

Used laptops and educational CD-ROMS are also needed, which I can bring back to the school next October. Any donations, big or small, will help this new school continue to reach the illiterate and education-hungry of Kep province:

US and Canadian donations can be mailed to:

A Mine Free World Foundation
906 Fung Place
Kitchener, ON, Canada, N2A 4M3

Please write: 'Banyan School' on the memo field of your cheque.

I'm still in Cambodia a while yet, and ready to give out more bicycles to anyone wanting to sponsor a child's education for transportation!

140 Rotary Bicycles Distributed - Rotary Repairs 19 Sewing Machines!

Another few weeks have gone by quickly here in Cambodia. Many days were filled with the smiles of countless rural children as they proudly accepted their very first bicycle!

Since the ‘Cambodia World Family - Krong Kep’ school distribution, my friend Pauline Johns from Australia and I had traveled to Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh, where we met with my dear Khmer friend, Un Vanthon and his family.

For the month previous to our arrival in Phnom Penh, Vanthon and his family were busy preparing for 2 bicycle distributions amounting to 56 bicycles which were donated by the Bracebridge-Muskoka Lakes Rotary Club in Ontario, Canada. These bicycles were destined for rural villages in Takeo province, and some for students on the outskirts of Phnom Penh.

Vanthon earns his living as a tuk-tuk taxi driver in Phnom Penh, and when he’s not busy working to support his wife and four children, he and his family get involved in volunteer humanitarian efforts that help out those less fortunate than themselves. Vanthon lived through the horrors of the Pol Pot regime and he literally has the scars to show for it. Now, this determined man living on a meager salary is making a difference in the lives of many. Whether it’s giving out some cheaply-bought clothes to those in need, or providing a room and a meal in their house to a hungry person, Vanthon and family demonstrate the true spirit of compassion.

During the Khmer Rouge years, Vanthon and his family had spent time in the rural villages in Takeo province, and have since then revisited the area many times. These rural villages are similar to those in Kep province where one rarely sees any NGO (non-governmental organization) activity. Even government schools are far and few between and sadly lacking in classroom space and supplies.

On January 16th, we went to Vanthon’s house in Kampong Saming, on the outskirts of Phnom Penh and distributed 11 bicycles to students that had come from the surrounding area to receive a bike. One boy came from quite a distance away. His hands were scarred and blistered from his strenuous occupation of foresting wood in the jungles. His small salary is all that his very ill mother and himself live on in the jungle. We sent him away with his precious bicycle, and few clothes and a pair of shoes that Vanthon’s family donated.

Each bicycle recipient has a story of challenge and hardship, but their overwhelming desire to attain an education gives them their hope for the future.

January 17th, saw us all heading by mini-van to Takem village in Takeo province. We arrived in the morning to the school there were children and parents had congregated to await the arrival of our van and the truckload of 45 bikes in tow. This small school has 400 students with 70 to a class. Grades one to six are taught there. We were warmly greeted by the school director and village chief. A small ceremony with speeches was held, where Vanthon announced to all that these bicycles were donated by Rotary for their education. Each bicycle has a Rotary decal on the frame. Vanthon and his family all proudly bore the Rotary emblem on their shirts for the day! I think that Vanthon has now put the Rotary decal on his tuk-tuk in Phnom Penh - so look for him next time you are there!

There was a great need for bikes at this school. Children came from three surrounding villages to get their bikes. Many rose early in the morning, and walked for miles to get this first bike.

One boy arrived obviously very ill. His father supported him as he slowly staggered forward to sign the bike form and then accept his bike. Some of the younger children, who never had had much interaction with foreigners, came forward quite apprehensively to sign the form. But in each instance, it is more than evident that receiving a bicycle is one of the most momentous experiences in their young lives.

It was a grand occasion which was followed by a home-cooked meal in a nearby rural village. We sat on the eating platform and enjoyed an afternoon of wonderful Khmer country-side cooking and some good laughs as we tried to communicate to each other despite the language barrier. I love getting out to the rural homes and visiting with the Khmer folk in the countryside. These warm and welcoming people have left me with precious memories of pleasant times spent together in their humble homes.

We spent the night in Takeo - a lovely, peaceful town by a small lake - surprisingly not much visited by tourists. Then, it was back to Phnom Penh for a few rainy days there, and now we’re in Siem Reap, where last night we gave out a few more bicycles to some of the children living in a deplorable shanty town hidden in the heart of the city.

My friend Pauline Johns, has made an impact in the lives of these 53 families living in this cramped little shanty town. Earlier this week, with the help of our dear friend Sokha, who is manager of Indochina Explorer here in Siem Reap, Pauline funded bikes, rice, mosquito nets, shoes and school uniforms to many of the families in this shanty town. Last night, I gave out a few ‘A Mine Free World Foundation’ sponsored bikes for students there.

There are always children in need of a bike, that don’t get one. There are many more children who desperately need this valuable ’transportation for education’.

A donation of $50 to ’A Mine Free World Foundation’, will provide a child with a bike equipped with a carrier, basket, lamp, lock and key. Your welcomed donation can be sent to: 906 Fung Place, Kitchener, ON, Canada, N2A 4M3.

Each donor receives a photo of their sponsored student with their bicycle and some short biographical info on their recipient.

My deepest gratitude to fellow Rotarians from the following clubs who donated a total of 160 bicycles here in Cambodia:

The Rotary Club of Bracebridge-Muskoka Lakes, Ontario Canada - 118 bicycles
The Rotary Club of Orillia, Ontario, Canada - 42 bicycles

I am happy to coordinate any Rotary Club bicycle distribution donations here on the ground in Cambodia. I will be here another 2 months and back again in October for another winter of volunteer work.

Rotary in action is seen in many places throughout Cambodia! Many water filters, wells and even schools can be seen with the familiar blue and yellow Rotary wheel emblem.

Now, thanks to the generosity of the Rotary Club of Gravenhurst, Ontario, Canada (my home club), there are 19 sewing machines at remote ‘Cambodia World Family-Krong Kep’ school ablaze with this emblem.

Thanks to Gravenhurst Rotarians for funding the repairs to these 19 sewing machines and tables - the first important step to reviving their sewing class program for impoverished rural women.

Pauline and I are committed to helping those in the rural areas where education is sadly lacking.

As reported in the ‘Cambodian Daily’ - Cambodia is amongst the lowest educated countries in the world. Among 129 countries, Cambodia ranked 104 on UNESCO’s Education Development Index. Out of a score of 1-10, Cambodia ranks 0-1 in adult literacy, school enrolment and quality of education. There is a desperate need for more schools and teachers in the rural areas. Out of every 100 students entering primary school, 60 leave before graduating. This is mainly due to the fact that most families live below the poverty level and once children are old enough to work, they enter the work field to help support the family income.

Most children come from large families, and parents cannot afford the few cents it costs to send all their children to school. Teachers in Cambodia are paid a very low salary, hence the extra cost to the children. ‘Free Education’ Schools sponsored by NGOs are a solution to this problem, but very few are found in the provinces of Kep or Takeo.
With all these facts in mind, Pauline and I have teamed up to open a small ‘free education’ school in Kep province. It will be the fourth such school in this province, which has an extremely high rate of illiteracy. It will provide Khmer and English literacy education to children and adults. We are in the process of registering it here with the Ministry of the Interior in Cambodia.

We’ll be heading back down to Kep in a few days to get plans underway for this school. I'll spend those two months helping out at Cambodia World Family-Krong Kep School.

Many thanks to all the generous ‘A Mine Free World Foundation’ donors who have contributed towards bicycles and to all our projects and programs. www.amninefreeworld.org

A special thanks to all the musicians and performers who contributed their talents to the fundraising ‘Muskoka Talent Festival’, which raised funds for the commencement of construction of a bike bank building at the rural Bakong Technical College site in Siem Reap province.

Another special belated thanks to a very special musician and Khmer friend in Weimar, Germany - Dan McCoy and Bonita No, who held a fundraising concert there for ‘A Mine Free World Foundation’ bicycles. The following is a press release of their concert:

Art for Cambodia in Germany


On Monday, June 8th, 19-year-old Bonita No (recent prize-winner of the "Young Women in Public Affairs Award" from the Zonta Foundation) spoke about her country, Cambodia, at a benefit concert in Weimar, Germany. The young student described her numerous experiences with various projects by non-profit organisations, such as the Thuringian-Cambodian Association, in order to help her struggling country, which was destroyed economically and culturally during the Pol Pot regime in the 1970s.


A silent auction was also held with art donated by local Weimar artists and galleries. The proceeds of the benefit went to The Bike Bank Project, an initiative helping young Cambodian girls receive an education. Poor, rural families in Cambodia cannot often afford to send their kids to school, let alone provide transportation. A student must walk up to 2 hours each way to get to class, if they can afford to attend school at all; a bike will cut this travel time from 2 hours to 20 minutes. Financial contributions provide a student with a refurbished and sturdy bike equipped with a basket, carrier, and lamp to help improve not only the student’s life but also their family’s economic situation.


The evening was accompanied by music performed by Erik Warkenthin, theorbo, Johanna Krüger, recorder, Anne Schneider, soprano, and Mikhail Yarzhembovskiy, Gothic harp and the event was organised by Gravenhurst resident, Dan McCoy, now living in Germany.


Dan found out about the present situation in Cambodia through the work of his cousin, Lisa McCoy, who helped build the recently finished Muskoka School in the Siem Reap district. By coincidence, Dan met Cambodian-born Bonita in an elevator in Weimar, and they eventually decided to work together to raise awareness for her country. Bonita has just graduated from the International Baccalaureate Programme in Weimar and will soon be returning to Cambodia to volunteer for one year; she plans to pursue a business degree in Florida in 2010.

‘A Mine Free World Foundation’ and Rotary Support Rural Women’s Literacy

It’s been a busy week here at ‘Cambodia World Family - Krong Kep (CWF-Kep) ‘Grace Landing’ School.

This was the week that we held a 4-morning ‘Bracelet & Pen String Weaving Course’ at the school. 12 women, who partake in CWF-Kep literacy classes were chosen for this craft course.

Thanks goes to the Rotary Club of Bracebridge-Muskoka Lakes for providing the initial skeins of string for this project. Pauline Johns from Australia donated all the pens! At the end of the course, each woman received a US$5 private donation for her efforts.

This new project, run under ‘A Mine Free World Foundation’ in collaboration with CWF-Kep will help support further literacy education for many rural women here in Kep Province. The pens and bracelets will be sold at locations throughout Ontario, Canada and in Australia. The money raised will be donated back to CWF-Kep school and its wonderful outreach literacy courses.

These 12 women are being taught how to read and write in Khmer - some math too!

It was such a delight to befriend these 12 women, who could not speak English, but we had many laughs trying to communicate! They did pick up a few words in English from me.

The string-weaving of bracelets and pens is no easy craft to master, but after the first morning, they could all design a beautiful bracelet. I gave them some string to take home that first day, and the next morning each woman came back to class with various creative bracelets.

Even the small schoolchildren were running around us while we wove, picking up bits of string from the ground, and then they started making bracelets too - it’s really an infectious and fun craft - but more than that, it can now help support literacy here in Cambodia.

These 12 women are from Koh Soam, Audong and Phnom Lieve villages - areas where lots of the Rotary bicycle recipients are from. They range from ages 18-42. Project participant, Ung Sophea will act as the coordinator for the women and will make sure to keep them all in supply. She will also report to school Director, Mr. Om Chamnap on project progress.

What many don’t realize, is that up until 1998 the Khmer Rouge had a strong hold in this province of Kep. Formal education was not allowed, and the Khmer Rouge would frequently barge into schools and disband classes. As a result, there is a high rate of illiteracy throughout this province, and very few organizations operating in the area to provide this most basic of education - how to read and write in their own language!

CWF-Kep teaches Khmer literacy classes in 6 villages. They all are 6km or more away from the school, and are monitored weekly by CWF-Kep teachers. There are 20 or more in each class, and they are held daily. Each class lasts one or two hours, depending on location. All ages attend!

These classes are presently being funded by ‘Pro Literacy Worldwide’, and the workbooks are provided free by the government of Cambodia. Three levels of workbooks must be completed before literacy is attained. Once people become literate in Khmer, then there are opportunities for them to learn English, sewing or even basic computer skills provided free by CWF-Kep. But, all these programs are presently in need of support. See www.cwf-kep.org for further details on their projects here.

Thanks to Om Chamnap and teacher Tep Chien for taking me out to 2 of these rural classes - at Ampeang and at Chamcarbei villages - pictured on right. The second village had a class primarily made up of young people. Chamnap explained to me that many of these students work on the fishing boats all day, come to this Khmer literacy class for 2 hours, and then go back out on the boats all night!

The next day, we headed out to a third rural village class - but we never made it there. I was on a moto with teacher Chien, and teacher Sokhom was on a second moto behind us. Sokhom was hit head-on by an oncoming moto in the wrong lane. Sokhom suffered some minor injuries, but I gave him some money and sent him off to the local clinic for x-rays to be sure. He’s recovering nicely, but still sore. His helmut was destroyed - it saved him for sure! The bike needed the whole from wheel replaced.
So, there’s the news from another week here in Kep Cambodia.

Thanks to Dr. Pat Blachford and Bill Rathbun and family for supporting 11 more bicycles which will be added onto the final Rotary distribution of 55 more bikes scheduled for this month - 66 more bikes still to give out!

A big thanks to volunteer friend, Pauline Johns, who will be coming back from Australia to help me and Mr. Un Vanthon in Phnom Penh with this final distribution.

More bikes are still needed. A donation to ‘A Mine Free World Foundation’ of $50 can provide this rural means of transportation to a child here in Cambodia immediately, and can also be added on to this next distribution. Your donation can be sent to: A Mine Free World Foundation, 906 Fung Place, Kitchener, ON, N2A 4M3.
Many thanks to Linda Harrison and Dan Blix of Muskoka, Ontario, who are keeping the 'Embracelets' project going back home while I'm over here.

Many Thanks to the following Ontario locations that sell the bracelets and pens which help support women’s literacy here in Cambodia:

Ditchburn House, Gravenhurst (seasonally)

YWCA International Boutique, St. Clair Sve, E.,Toronto

I’ll also have them available for sale at future presentations again. Please email me at: schoolsforcambodia@gmail.com if your business is interested in selling these bracelets and pens in support of women’s literacy here in Cambodia.

Celebrating Rotary Bicycles at Cambodia World Family-Krong Kep School

76 students had their dreams realized when they received a Rotary sponsored bicycle at a huge distribution ceremony at ‘Cambodia World Famly - Krong Kep School’ (CWF-Kep) on December 18th, 2009.

50 bicycles were sponsored by the Rotary Club of Bracebridge-Muskoka Lakes, Ontario, Canada and 22 by the Rotary Club of Orillia, Ontario, Canada. 4 more were sponsored by Pauline Johns, who helped me throughout this whole distribution here in Kep, Cambodia.

All of the recipients were students of CWF-Kep school who live miles away from this ‘Free English’ school, and from the nearest government school.

In Cambodia, children go to school six days a week. They usually attend the government school for part of their day, and then, if available, they attend extracurricular classes in English or other beneficial subjects. It costs some children a few cents a day to attend government school. Many can’t afford that, therefore many rely on these ‘Free English’ schools that are supported by organizations.

Here, in Kep Province, these ‘Free English’ schools are almost non-existent. The CWF-Kep school is the only one like it around for miles and miles. Kep district was still under the thumb of the Khmer Rouge until a few short years ago. This area sadly lacks the wealth of organizations which are seen operating throughout the province of Siem Reap. I couldn’t have been happier to see this wealth of bicycles go to such needy rural children. Now these children will have the necessary means to attend the Khmer, English, Sanitation and Computer classes that are available for free at this small, rural 3-room school. They’ll be able to come to its small Library and borrow one of its few books, take it home, and share literacy with their rural family.

The 76 bicycle recipients came from the villages of Phnom Lev, Chamkabei, Domnak Chang Aer, Oudong, Rones, Ampeang, Koh Soum, Kantal Toul and Prey Takov; all in Domnak Chang Aer District in Kep Province.

So - Big Reasons for a Big Celebration!

There was a huge audience in attendance - friends and family came from miles around to attend the 8:30am Ceremony. Many, Cambodian Commune and district officials also attended, including His Excellency Sam Sarin, Chief of the Kep Provincial Council. His moving speech gratefully acknowledged and thanked Rotary for its contribution to education in this impoverished province.

CWF-Kep director, Mr. Om Chamnap, outlined the many in-school and community outreach programs that the school provides. I’ll be filling you in on more of these as the weeks go by. This week Mr. Chamnap will be taking me with him to the rural village Khmer Literacy classes that he conducts - I will finally get some good Khmer Language lessons!

CWF-Kep also has 15 families on it’s waiting list for its Micro-Credit program. You can provide a poor rural family with a self-sustaining business for as little as US$100!

The last week of December will find me implementing the ‘Embracelets’ program for women and girls in rural Kep villages. More information on this ‘A Mine Free World Foundation’ sponsored project at http://embraceletsforbooks.blogspot.com

‘Cambodia World Family - Krong Kep’ is more than just a school for children. It also provides community outreach programs with a strong focus on bringing education and self-sustaining skills to rural women and girls. At present, there is a desperate need to have a few of its sewing machines fixed so it can reinstate its sewing classes for women. This beneficial program is presently suspended due to lack of funding. The library urgently needs both Khmer and English books, which can be bought here in Cambodia for a fraction of the cost in other countries. More bicycles are needed throughout this district!
Please visit the CWF-Kep website at www.cwf-kep.org to find out more and how you can donate to this school.

I’ll be here for many more weeks yet. Anyone in Canada who wishes to make a contribution towards this schools needs, can easily do so by sending your donation to ‘A Mine Free World Foundation’, 906 Fung Place, Kitchener, ON, Canada, N2A 4M3. Please indicate that your donation is for ‘CWF-Kep’. Your donation can be easily accessed by me in Cambodia, and 100% of your donation will go quickly into action here on-the-ground in Cambodia.

Many thanks to my fellow Rotarians in Bracebridge-Muskoka Lakes and Orillia…the Rotary International Emblem can now be proudly seen on the frames of many bicycles throughout this province as the children ride smiling to school!

Bracebridge-Muskoka Lakes and Orillia Rotary Bikes Arrive at CWF-Kep School!

Two days ago, 76 bicycles arrived from Phnom Penh...5 hours away from here!

Thanks to the generosity of The Bracebridge-Muskoka Lakes and Orillia Rotary Clubs, 72 children will have a way to get to school. 4 more bikes had been donated by Pauline Johns of Australia.

All bikes arrived 'sandwiched' in the back of a large truck. Children were estatic when the truck arrived.

Cambodia World Family - Krong Kep School (CWF-Kep)had 15 new students enrol that day! News about this bicycle shipment travels quickly - I'm sure the school will get more students as news of 'bikes for the students' travels through the villages!

Handlebars, lamps, pedals, baskets all had to be attached upon arrival...Rotary Stickers as well! That took two days in itself!

Teachers had to take turns staying overnight at the school to 'guard' this precious shipment until the big 'Bike Distribution Ceremony' tomorrow... Kep District officials in Attendance!

So, stay tuned...in a couple more days, I'll report in on the biggest ceremony a school around here has seen in a long time!

Dreams Made Real for Cambodian Children

The generosity of Rotary Clubs and ‘A Mine Free World Foundation’ donors have kept me busy since my arrival in Cambodia on October 13th. There have been numerous highlights including the 20 Rotarians from Ontario district 7070 who came over for a 2-week ’Sweat Equity Trip’, food relief distribution to Cambodian villages in the aftermath of Cyclone Ketsana, the Bakong Technical College Ceremony where 35 bicycles were distributed, a distribution of 20 bicycles 25km north of Kralanh, a school uniform and shoe distribution ceremony at the ’Muskoka School’ in Ta Trav village, the commencement of preparing building materials for the ‘Bakong Technical College’ project, making ’Embracelets’ on Sundays with Cambodian students at school and my present volunteer endeavor here in Krong Kep, Cambodia, at the ‘Cambodia World Family - Krong Kep School‘ (CWF-Kep), where on December 18th, 76 more bicycles will be given to children here at the school’s big bicycle distribution ceremony.

Here in Cambodia, generous gifts to schools and villages don’t go unnoticed! It is quite usual to invite the village, commune and district chiefs to come and say a few words of thanks and make a small ceremony out of the whole affair of gift-giving. I’ll be asked to say a few words on behalf of the Rotary Clubs who donated the bulk of these 76 bikes here in Kep.

I’m also busy preparing for a third, large 53-bicycle distribution which will occur the last week in January for the rural villages surrounding Takeo, Cambodia. So, in total, 184 bicycles will have been distributed in rural villages while I’m here - but the need is great, and more funding for bicycles is always welcomed. For $50 (Canadian funds), a child receives a sturdy bike with carrier, basket, lamp, lock and key, therefore giving a child the transportation with which to get to rural schools, which can be up to 10km away in some instances!

In Canada, a donation to the bike bank project can be made by sending your $50 donation to ‘A Mine Free World Foundation’, 906 Fung Place, Kitchener, ON, N2A 4M3. In the US, your donation can be made to ‘Project Enlighten’ - for donation details, visit their website at www.projectenlighten.org

But I don’t do this bicycle distribution all on my own. I rely heavily on trusted Cambodian volunteers, who include: ‘Project Enighten’ scholarship students, Mr. Un Vanthon and family in Phnom Penh, and here in Kep - CWF-Kep school director Mr. Om Chamnap and teachers Pen Ravuth and Tep Chien. All these Cambodian volunteers are most happy to give their time to help impoverished rural children by giving them the necessary transportation to get to school.

A huge thanks go to dear friend, Pauline Johns from Australia, who just spent a week getting sweaty, dusty and dirty as we made our way to 76 rural bike applicant’s homes on the backs of motos over the bumpy roads (sometimes not even a road!), through the rice paddy villages of Cambodia. There is no better dirt-biking to be had! At times, we’d have to get off the bikes to climb a hill, or slog through a muddy, water irrigation route. This part of the country is also famous for its Natural Salt Fields - some bikes will be given to poor children living there.

Two district 7010 Ontario Rotary Clubs are responsible for ‘Making Dreams Real’ through the distribution of bicycles here in Cambodia. With the help of a Matching Simplified Grant, the Rotary Club of Bracebridge-Muskoka Lakes has donated 118 bicycles so far, and the Rotary Club of Orillia has donated 42. The remaining bikes were sponsored by ‘A Mine Free World Foundation’ donors and Pauline Johns.

A very special thank you goes to John Chow of Toronto, who this past year contributed $1,000 to The Bike Bank Project in Cambodia!

It will take me a few blog entries to catch up on all that’s gone on here in Cambodia, but I’ll fill you in on one more ‘Muskoka’ highlight before posting this…incidentally - this is the first time that I’m in a location with limited access to internet, and sometimes there’s just no service to be had. Krong Kep is a small town about 6km away from the Viet Nam border. It is the closest town to the CWF-Kep school, (which is 20km away to the east!), that has a guesthouse. There is no ATM, no pharmacy, no newspaper!….I have to go about 15km north to Kampot for those services. I have a small television in my room. I get 4 channels - 3 in Khmer and one in Vietnamese (I think!)…so, I really am shut off from what’s going on in the rest of the world….

Thanks to the continuing generosity of Muskoka, the US$2,000 that was raised at our annual ‘Giant Garage Sale’ in Gravenhurst, transformed itself into school uniforms and shoes for the close to 400 children attending the ‘Muskoka School’ in Ta Trav village, Siem Reap district. A special thanks to all the garage sale volunteers, who worked so hard to raise this!

The ‘Trailbazer Foundation’ in the United States, was the organization who made the ‘Muskoka School’ a reality here on the ground in Cambodia, and readily took on the task of sourcing out the best price in Cambodia for these school uniforms and shoes. There was even money left over to buy a couple of water filters!

On November 24th, there was a special gift distribution ceremony at the school, where area officials, Scott Coates from Trailblazers and myself gave speeches recognizing the importance of these uniforms for the students attending this school. For most children, these school uniforms are the only good set clothes these children own. The many that were barefoot, and at risk of getting hookworms, now have shoes. Thanks to Rattana from Trailblazers for arranging the transportation that took several of our Rotarians, friends, Pauline and I out to Ta Trav. The only feasible way for us to get out there was in the back of a utility truck…a little jostling at times in places where the road had suffered some damage during the floods brought on by Cyclone Ketsana, but, it was an event we would not have missed for the world! We have wonderful memories and photos of smiles as we distributed the uniforms and shoes personally to every child. Thanks again to the Trailblazer Foundation!

Rotarians, Bicycles, Muskoka School & Cambodia World Family - Krong Kep School

It's been a busy, busy first 2 months...I'm well on the way to distributing over 145 bicycles that have been generouly donated by the Rotary Clubs of Bracebridge-Muskoka Lakes and Orillia in Ontario, and some sponsored by private donors...more news on this, The Muskoka School Uniform Gift Distribution Ceremony, the District 7070 Rotary Sweat Equity Trip to Cambodia, and my present volunteer endeavors at the Cambodia World Family School - Krong Kep (CWF-KEP)will be posted here in a day or two. In the meantime - enjoy the newly posted photos....

Many thanks to volunteer and dear friend, Pauline Johns from Australia for her support the past three weeks, and all the wonderful projects that she has implemened here in Cambodia. She just finished accompanying me and two CWF-Kep teachers for days as we home-interviewed 76 student bike recipients in rural Kep villages.

I’ve been here in Cambodia for 2 months now, and have home-interviewed, documented and distributed 111 bicycles so far. For the past week and a half, I’ve been situated in Kep, Cambodia, where I had the opportunity to see the dire need in the surrounding rural villages. Families here survive on next to nothing. The only income they may get is the $1/day they make when they are hired to hand-harvest a rice crop in the sweltering sun.

Schools are sometimes up to 10km away, so many children don’t have the opportunity to go to school - you have given these children the valuable gift of education.

As the Christmas season approaches, consider telling your friends about the benefits that a gift of a bicycle can give to a rural child in the developing country of Cambodia.

A special Christmas gift card has been designed for this purpose. A donation of $50 provides a child with a sturdy bicycle equipped with a carrier, basket, generator-powered lamp, lock and key. I will be in Cambodia for several weeks yet to distribute more bicycles. Bicycle donations can be made to:

A Mine Free World Foundation
906 Fung Place,
Kitchener, ON, Canada
N2A 4M3

'A Mine Free World' Provides Aid to Ketsana-Flooded Villages in Cambodia

$400 Food Aid Distributed to Flooded Village Homes in Roluos and Beng Donpa

Typhoon Ketsana, which affected 17 provinces in Cambodia, has left 36 people dead and an estimated US41 million dollars in damages. The National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM) in Cambodia reports that these figures will rise. This US$41 million dollars only represents the damage to rice fields, homes and domestic animals. There are an estimated 1,000 schools damaged or destroyed. Roads to the ‘Muskoka School’ in rural Siem Reap district remained impassable for 2 weeks - some places flooded a meter or more. Damage to these roads are still under repair.

27,933 hectares of rice were damaged and hundreds of homes were destroyed with tens of thousands of families displaced - countless homes and villages still remain flooded presenting a serious threat of water-borne disease from the remaining stagnant water. 60,000 children in Cambodia die each year - many from waterborne diseases.

Yesterday, one of the children that I had visited in flooded Roluos village just this past weekend had died.

I arrived in Siem Reap on Tuesday, November 13th, and 2 days later, we made our first visit to flooded, impoverished homes in Roluos village in Bakong district. We went with a group of 11 people from the US - members of the Cambodian-American Community of Oregon (CACO). This group was led by friend, and Project Enlighten co-team member Chanly Bob. Chanly and his group had funded numerous bicycles for villages, orphanges, etc. They brought along some of these bicycles to Roluos to donate to the flooded families there. Our ‘A Mine Free World Foundation’ in Canada had raised $400 towards food for flooded families. So, in a wonderful, collaborative effort by both organizations - we heaped bicycles with food and presented them to these families.

A big thank you to CACO for donating 10 bikes to our very own Bike Bank Project (www.thebikebankproject.blogspot.com ) .

Over the weekend, we went out to Beng Donpa village, Slorkram Commune in Siem Reap district. This village consists of 5,735 people representing 1,180 families. Roads there were still flooded, as were many homes. “A Mine Free World Foundation’ gave out food to over 100 of the poorest and most affected by flooding.

All this could not have been done without the help of ‘Project Enlighten’ university scholarship recipient Khemra Horm and her family. Khemra and her family had gone out and purchased all the food, divided it up into grocery-bag portions facilitating distribution. Khemra had pre-assessed and interviewed the most needy families. All families were given rice, tinned fish, soya sauce (staple for making soups) and packaged instant noodles. A portion of the money was also used to buy used clothing for some of the poorest.

Many thanks for the support of those who supplied the funds for this relief. A special thanks to the women from Daphne’s Drop-in at the Women’s Resource Center in Bracebridge, Ontario, Canada, who raised $150 for these direct relief efforts.

There are many more in these, and similar villages, who still need your help coping with the aftermath of Typhoon Ketsana. Details are in the blog entry below on how you can support these direct relief efforts through ‘A Mine Free World Foundation’, a registered non-profit organization in Canada - for details see: www.aminefreeworld.org .

Let me take a moment and tell you about two families in particular in Beng Donpa village. Our distribution efforts throughout this village were authorized by village leader Meak Chan Monyrom, who accompanied us as we trekked on foot from home to home via flooded village roads.

One family - the large Joeun family - lives in a small, flooded hut pieced together by bamboo and tarp fragments. The family, and their home are pictured at the right. As you can see, the father is a landmine victim. The family survives by selling recyclable garbage that they collect. They had barely any belongings in their small, flooded home. None of the children go to school. They don’t have the small ‘fee’ it costs to enroll, nor do they have the money for the required school uniform, pencils, notebooks, etc. Whatever money they scrape together goes for food to feed the family.

At the center of the Joeun family photo, you will see little 11-year-old Sampeos (in the red shirt). She has not started school yet. “A Mine Free World Foundation’ is dedicated to providing assistance to landmine victims and their families. To get little Sampeos started in school for the year would only cost US$30 - $10 for 2 school uniforms, $5 for teacher ‘fee’ and $15 for a school bag and school supplies. Sampeos has already been designated to receive a bicycle through the Bike Bank Project. She just needs a sponsor to get her started in school. Please consider supporting her education.The two charming Joeun identical twins are too young to start school this year, but will be able to next year.

‘A Mine Free World Foundation’ has a special program called ‘Vanna’s Fund’, which provides financial assistance towards the education expenses for landmine victims and their families. It is named after Vanna, who lost her leg to a landmine at the age of eight. Maria van Santen, author and founder of ‘A Mine Free World Foundation’, was touched by Vanna;s story and wrote the children’s book ‘Vanna’s Dance’. Vanna is now 17 and resides here in Siem Reap, Cambodia where she is enrolled in grade 11. Her education and living expenses are supported through ‘Vanna’s Fund’. Vanna will now also be helping other young landmine victims who are supported through ‘Vanna’s Fund’.

Cambodia is a mine-infested country plagued by an estimated 5 million landmines. The Cambodian Mine/UXO Victim Information System (CMVIS) reports 199 deaths from landmines for the period of January to September 2009. Most victims are farmers working the fields or children playing in the fields. Many more are maimed by these explosive remnants of war.

The second family depicted in this blog entry is that of 9-yr-old Peon and his grandmother. Peon lives in a small, flooded bamboo hut. Peon has just started grade one. When I met this bright, friendly boy, I was immediately concerned with what were large, swollen glands or ducts under his eyes. There was also an infected discharge coming out of the corners of his eyes. Through translation, I found out that Peon was born with this large swelling under the eyes and that he also had been taken to the Angkor Children’s Hospital where he had received free treatment. The hospital here has referred him for free specialized treatment in Phnom Penh, but Peon’s family lacks the money for transportation to Phnom Penh and the possible need for accompanying family accommodation as well. This is so, so often the case in Cambodia. There are excellent hospitals providing free expert treatment for children in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, but most often the case rural families lack the money for transportation to the hospital. So, often children suffer with debilitating conditions, or worse yet, die from lack of medical attention.

Volunteer work in Cambodia is often an emotional struggle of mixed feelings. There are many rewarding instances where a smile can be brought to a child’s face with the smallest gesture of kindness, hope or offer of help. But, there are also the times where you are unable to help, and walking away is a difficult thing.

On the horizon, there are yet many more rewarding moments to come here in Cambodia! There are many more Bicycles to be given out to needy students - thanks in big part to the generosity of fellow-Rotarians from the Orillia Rotary Club in Ontario, Canada, who recently donated $2,000 to ‘A Mine Free World Foundation’ for the Bike Bank Project in Cambodia - that will mean 40 bikes for needy kids in the districts of Siem Reap and Kep, Cambodia. More exciting news soon regarding the Bike Bank Project, the Bakong Technical School Project, the ‘Embracelets’ Project, and a visit by 20 district 7070 Rotarians from Canada!

Donate Now to Help Cambodian Typhoon Victims

Help us provide direct relief supplies - Please Donate now!

On September 29th, powerful Typhoon Ketsana, which ravaged the Philippines, raged through central Cambodia killing at least 15 people and injuring many others.
Authorities in Cambodia reported that thousands have been evacuated from their homes as the torrential rains and winds up to 145km (90 miles) an hour swept through Cambodia. First reports indicate that the Kampong Thom and Rattanakiri provinces were the hardest hit. Hundreds of homes in these areas have been damaged or destroyed.

Eastern areas of Siem Reap province have also been hard hit and are still flooded. Roads to the 'Muskoka School' are presently seeing water over a metre high in places.

In response to the urgent need to supply aid to those affected by this disaster, ‘A Mine Free World Foundation’ (AMFW) (www.aminefreeworld.org), a registered non-profit organization in Canada, is putting in place an Immediate Action Plan.

We are asking you to Donate Now to provide aid to those children and their families in Cambodia affected by this natural catastrophe.

AMFW Executive Director, and Rotarian, Lisa McCoy will be arriving in central Cambodia on October 10th to oversee direct distribution of much-needed food and supplies to those in rural typhoon-affected areas.
Any amount that you can give will go directly to assisting these victims.

So far, $400 has been raised but we need more to buy dried noodles, rice, canned food, water for many. Areas devastated are important rice growing areas and thousand have lost this precious food supply. In the coming months, these families will need food to see them through.

River levels are still on the rise in Cambodia.

Donations can be made through:

PayPal at aminefreeworld@yahoo.com,
or
by cheque to ‘A Mine Free World Foundation’,
906 Fung Place, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, N2A 4M3

More information and footage of the devastation in Cambodia can be viewed at this BBC link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asiapacific/8281950.stm

A Mine Free World Foundation provides educational and humanitarian assistance to those in mine-infested countries. and help us help those affected by Typhoon Ketsana....Please GIVE NOW

Thank you for your support.

Maria van Santen – Founder & Lisa McCoy – Executive Director
A Mine Free World Foundation
http://schoolsforcambodia.blogspot.com/ http://projectenlightenburma.blogspot.com/
http://thebikebankproject.blogspot.com/ http://embraceletsforbooks.blogspot.com/

MUSKOKA TALENT FESTIVAL - Gravenhurst Opera House - Saturday September 26 - 7pm

Mark SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26TH, - 7pm on your calendars! Location – on stage at the GRAVENHURST OPERA HOUSE. Don’t miss the ‘MUSKOKA TALENT FESTIVAL’ featuring VINCE GRITTANI - THE WEEKEND GUY – a fundraising variety show with all proceeds going to The ‘MUSKOKA BIKE BANK WORKSHOP’ project at the Bakong Technical College project site in rural Siem Reap province in Cambodia. Get your tickets soon – they are only $15 each and can be obtained through the Gravenhurst Opera House at 705-687-5550 or from Lisa McCoy at 705-687-8538, email: schoolsforcambodia@gmail.com

Headlining this fabulous evening is Vince Grittani - 'The Weekend Guy' http://www.weekendguy.com/AboutVince.htm Award winning Playwright, author, illustrator and TV personality (Weekend Guy, Cottage Life TV), Vince is sure to make this evening an entertaining highlight of the year that you won't want to miss!

Fabulous theatrical and musical performers from throughout Muskoka have donated their talents for the spectacular 'Muskoka Talent Festival' variety show, including TIM SULLIVAN & DOUG BANWELL, THE MUSKOKA BIG BAND, IAN & PRU DONALSON, THE PEPPERMILL PLAYERS,The MUSKOKA SAXOPHONE CHOIR, THE MERRY WINDS Clarinet Quartet, Award-winning Students from INSPIRING SOUNDS MUSIC STUDIO, ‘JUST 8’ the popular Jazz Vocal Ensemble, The GRAVENHURST SAXOPHONE QUARTET, GEORGE KADWELL & KATHY KILBOURNE, …just to name a FEW...and various COMEDY ACTS in-between to keep you laughing! Keep watching this site for further updates. We have a few surprise spectacular performers participating!

Doors open at 6pm that evening with surprises, cash bar, and entertainment in the Trillium Court pre-show. Refreshments will be served after the show as well!

A Mine Free World Foundation!

The 'Muskoka Bike Bank Workshop' is a $6,000US project that will see a much-needed bicycle depot and repair shop built in rural Cambodia. This workshop will also teach bicycle repair to rural students. So far, close to $2,000 has been donated towards the purchase of bicycles, with another promised $6,000 coming from area Rotary clubs. We need a rural depot center in Cambodia to distribute and repair these bikes!

The 'Muskoka Bike Bank Workshop' is one of the many projects under the Canadian registered non-profit organization 'A Mine Free World Foundation'(AMFW) www.aminefreeworld.org - an organization providing educational and beneficial projects and programs for students and landmine victims in developing countries. This organization, founded by Kitchener, Ontario author and publicist, Maria van Santen, is pleased to announce Lisa McCoy, as the new Exectutive Director. We welcome on board Muskoka AMFW Team Members Doug Banwell from Huntsville and Dan Blix from Gravenhurst.

Thanks to Dan Blix of Gravenhurst for designing the fabulous 'Muskoka Talent Festival' poster. For great graphic desogn or Ad work, you can contact Dan at:
Dan Blix Ad Services,705 687-4555 or dblix@sympatico.ca Dan's Advertising Design: http://dansadvertisingdesign.blogspot.com./


Also, new to the Board of A Mine Free World, is Ronnie Yimsut, a landscape architect, author, activist and Khmer Rouge genocide survivor. Ronnie is also the Project Manager of the Bakong Technical College project - a college providing academic and vocational education in rural impoverished Siem Reap province in Cambodia. Ronnie, along with Lisa co-manage The Bike Bank Project here in Canada and the US. See: http://thebikebankproject.blogspot.com

To make a donation towards 'The Muskoka Bike Bank Workshop', please send your cheque, made out to 'A Mine Free World Foundation' to Box 53, Gravenhurst, ON, Canada, P!P 1T5.

Rotarians and Friends from District 7070, and beyond, are joining Chris Synder, Dr. Nina Cole, and myself on a two-week Sweat Equity Trip to Cambodia this November. We will be building the first 2 buildings at the Bakong Technical College site - The dining/Community hall and the 'Muskoka Bike Bank Workshop'! We have a couple of spots still open to anyone wishing to get involved in this exciting mission of work mixed with fun- all the while enjoying the culural wonders of Cambodia and its people! Contact Lisa for details!

I'll be heading back to Cambodia and the Thai-Burma border in mid-October for another 5 months of volunteer work, and would be most happy to give your group a presentation on the countries, people and projects of SE Asia.


$3,900 Raised for Cambodian and Burmese Refugee Children!

A HUGE Thanks to all of those from far and wide who made the fourth annual ‘Muskoka School Kids Giant Garage Sale’ such a resounding success!

Thanks to the generosity of those who donated items, volunteered their time, trucks and muscles and made financial contributions at the sale; Jay and Linda Harrison and Carl and I are happy to report that we have met all our goals, and more!

From the sale proceeds, we will be able to purchase the 500 flip-flops and school uniforms for the children at the newly completed ‘Muskoka School’, now in use in rural Siem Reap province in Cambodia! Theses clothes may be the only good set of new clothes that these children have ever had! http://schoolsforcambodia.blogspot.com

$205 was raised in ‘Embracelets’ donations at the sale. This project sponsors Cambodian student girls to attend English school in Cambodia through the sale of bracelets that they make themselves. Your donation of $7 towards a bracelet provides a month of school! http://embraceletsforbooks.blogspot.com

Through the generosity of John Chow of Toronto, who arrived at the sale and contributed $1,000, we can now provide 20 bicycles for rural students in Cambodia who have no way to get to school. http://thebikebankproject.blogspot.com

Also, $400 from sale proceeds will be given towards computer training courses and educational supplies for Burmese refugee students on the Thai-Burma border. http://projectenlightenburma.blogspot.com

Thank you to ‘Muskoka Party Rentals’ of Bracebridge for their use of tents, Father Joe Moran and St. Paul’s Roman Catholic Church for their loan of tables, and to superwoman and owner of ‘New Stuff’, Gravenhurst, Mary Woodall for her efforts and contributions!

Many thanks to the following volunteers and contributors who made a big difference in the lives of many children in South East Asia:

Bill and Dora Rathbun, Dan and Linda Blix, Denise Falko, Sue Gibson and her trailer, the Rotary Clubs of Muskoka and Orillia, Marlyn Goodwin, Dr. Nina Cole of Toronto, Dan Crawley of Washago, Ditchburn House, Pam Dunlop, Sue Stockdale, Steve and Eva McCoy for site use, Bill Kinghorn, David Bryce, Kim Barlow, Inge Fritz, Steve Thomas, Andy and Georgie McCoy, Mike and Darlene, Sue and Jon Gurr of Moonview Gallery in Bala, Frank and Penny Prazak, Barb Trimble and to the countless others who contributed in one way or another.

Thanks also goes to Muskoka's fine press for their continuing support: Muskoka Today, What's Up Muskoka, Muskoka Magazine, The Gravenhurst Banner and the Bracebridge Examiner!

Thanks again Muskoka for your enthusiasm and big hearts!

Proud to Be Awarded a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow!

I'm proud and priviledged to be a member of the Rotary Club of Gravenhurst, Ontario, Canada, and humbled and honored to have received a Paul Harris Fellow last month at our annual Rotary President's Night Gala at the New Muskoka Bay Clubhouse.

'Muskoka School Kids' Giant Garage Sale - A Week Away!

“Muskoka School Kids” Giant Garage Sale

Saturday July 11th and/or Sunday, July 12th (raindate) – Dawn to Dusk

270 John St. North – Gravenhurst - Across from Bethune House

Proceeds for flip-flops and school uniforms for our Muskoka School Kids, The Bike Bank Project and scholarships for Burmese Refugee Students.

We Need Your Help to make this sale a Success!

WE NEED:

-Donations of new or good used items.

-Volunteers

-Tarps (to borrow)

- Donations of some take-out pizzas for our volunteer’s lunch

- Donations of Donuts, cookies, a can of coffee, sugar cubes, coffee whitener

- Plastic bags

If you can provide any of the above, please contact Lisa McCoy at 687-8538 or schoolsforcambodia@gmail.com
Gravenhurst Drop-Off location for garage sale items: 960 First St. South – ANYTIME!

For Pick-up of items please contact Lisa McCoy or Jay Harrison at 687-7679
Hundreds of ‘Embracelets’ made by students in Cambodia available at the sale – see http://embraceletsforbooks.blogspot.com/

See photos of kids now using the ‘Muskoka School’ in Cambodia at: http://schoolsforcambodia.blogspot.com/

Thanks for helping our Muskoka School Kids! Tell Everyone about the sale and See You There!

‘Muskoka School’ in Cambodia Completed!

Over two years of fundraising, donations and volunteering has resulted in the completion of the ‘Muskoka School’ Project in Cambodia, a six-room government elementary school for 500 children in the impoverished village of Ta Trav in Siem Reap district.

Big-hearted Muskoka citizens, Rotary Clubs, area businesses and churches rallied to the cause of these children - half a world away – and raised over US$20,000 toward this school building project! Now, this school will proudly bear the name of Muskoka and its generosity for generations to come.

In the mid-seventies, Cambodia lost a third of its population in a mass genocide led by Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge. During those years, up to 2,500,000 innocent, precious lives came to unimaginable brutal ends, leaving Cambodia with a young and struggling population.

Not only do these people struggle with poverty, disease and lack of clean water - they suffer these devastating obstacles amidst the over 5,000,000 landmines that still plague the Cambodian countryside.

Recovery for the people of Cambodia is slowly progressing, thanks to organizations such as The Trailblazer Foundation http://thetrailblazerfoundation.org/ and the Ontario-founded Cambodia Landmine Museum Relief Fund (CLMMRF) http://www.cambodialandminemuseum.org/ . The ‘Muskoka School’ is a Community Outreach project of the CLMMRF in collaboration with the Trailblazer Foundation; who managed the project on the ground in Cambodia. This project not only benefits the 500 children who will utilize it, but it also gave some much-needed employment to men and women in this rural area.

As a Rotarian, I am proud of the support that area clubs gave to this project. I am also overwhelmed and humbled by the many ways that Muskokans from all walks of life gave to this project. Some volunteered their time and donated items to our ‘Giant Garage Sales’. Others attended the fundraising evenings generously sponsored by the Boston Pizza Restaurants in Gravenhurst and Bracebridge, and at ‘Upstairs at Regatta’ at Muskoka Wharf. Many people gave in so many ways.

A special thanks to MPP Norm Miller for his support of this project.

Very sincere thanks to the staff and editors of Muskoka Today, Muskoka Magazine, What’s Up Muskoka, Gravenhurst Banner and Bracebridge Examiner.

There was a Muskoka Team behind this project – none of it could have been done without them - so be sure to give each one of them a big pat on the back. Dan Blix, area graphic designer, has been behind this project since Day One, and has put hours of time into it. Likewise, Bill Rathbun, fellow Rotarian – countless hours. Jay and Linda Harrison put their hearts, souls and muscles into this project, and saw the birth of this school for themselves when they came to Cambodia this winter for their 3-week ‘sweat equity’ trip. Rotarians Jim Goodwin and Pat Bongers also worked for the cause. Scott Aitchison and Tim Cantelon of Huntsville also made their way over to Cambodia to visit the Muskoka School children, and generously supported this project.

So, so many people to thank. They are all mentioned in previous posts on this blog. Be sure to read about all those who have contributed.

A special thanks of support to ‘Project Enlighten’ – http://projectenlighten.org/ . Each winter, all of our organizations head over to Cambodia, self-funded, and get involved with scholarship programs, school-building projects, cow and bike bank projects and numerous other projects to benefit the children and people of Cambodia, Burma and Laos.

This November members of the Rotary Club of Toronto (and I) will be heading over to Cambodia to fund and build the initial buildings of a wonderful vocational college project in another poor area of Siem Reap District – The Bakong Technical College http://www.bakongtechcollege.org/ . I’m hoping to get some area Rotary members to join along on this trip. More news on how you can support this project soon. Information on making Canadian tax-deductible donations to this project can be obtained by emailing me at schoolsforcambodia@gmail.com

Many children in Cambodia will now have a chance at their Future Dreams Made Real through the opportunity of education at the Muskoka School.

The official Inauguration Ceremony for the school will be held late this fall. I’ll be there to represent the kindness of those in Muskoka who gave in so many ways for these children.

In the meantime; please read on and see how you can further help these 500 children. They need flip-flops and school uniforms. Please donate your items to our Giant Garage Sale on July 11 in Gravenhurst, across from Bethune House. Call us now to have your items picked up – Jay Harrison 705-687-7679 or Lisa McCoy 705-687-7679.

Many Thanks Muskoka!

‘Muskoka School’ Progress! – Giant Garage Sale July 11th…And MORE!

The citizens and Rotary Clubs of Muskoka have lots to be proud of – a government elementary school is being built in their honor for hundreds of impoverished children in rural Siem Reap province, Cambodia.

This school presently has over 350 children in attendance at the dilapidated wooden structure on the Ta Trav school site. With the completion of the new six-room cement school building, the attendance is expected to rise to 500 students.
I’ve been back from Cambodia over 3 weeks now, and have received numerous updates from the Trailblazer Foundation (www.trailblazerfoundation.org), the US-based organization on the ground in Cambodia implementing this wonderful school project. The Trailblazer Foundation is building this school in collaboration with the Canadian-founded ‘Cambodian Landmine Museum Relief Fund’ (http://cambodialandminemuseum.org/). This blog entry shows a couple of photos from the April 7th and April 21st progress updates which I have received. To see more photos, please visit my Picasa Web Album Site at: http://picasaweb.google.com/schoolsforcambodia/ .

As I write, the signs are being made for the school, and soon they will be ready to put the roof on the school. There is a second new latrine being built beside the school. This project will be finished sometime late in May, at which time the students will start to have classes in the new building.

The official inauguration for the ‘Muskoka School’ Project will occur in November or December 2009 and I’ll be there in person for that grand event.
During my visits to the school site, I encountered a couple of needs that the ‘Muskoka School’ kids have. First, and most important – they need shoes! The majority don’t have any of the standard Cambodian footwear – the flip-flop. This results in the children becoming susceptible to hookworm infestation – a nasty parasite that enters through the soles of the feet, and work their way up to the intestinal tract causing severe illness. For US$300, five hundred flip flops can be purchased at a local market in Siem Reap. Secondly, many of the children don’t have the standard government blue-and-white school uniforms. They can be purchased locally for US$3-$6, depending on size.

Mark Saturday, July 11th on your calendars – that’s the day we’re having the Annual Giant Garage Sale for the ‘Muskoka School’ children. We’re asking everyone to donate good-used items for this sale, which will raise money for shoes and uniforms for the children. Please consider volunteering for the day – we’ll need lots of manpower. Call or email me with goods to donate, or to volunteer at 705-687-8538 or schoolsforcambodia@gmail.com . Thanks Carol Fraser and Jay & Linda Harrison for volunteering!

Money raised from this sale will also go toward some bikes for some needy students. US35 will see a bicycle, complete with carrier, lamp and basket go to needy rural students who otherwise have no way to get to school. This is done through the new Bike Bank Project – Cambodia: http://thebikebankproject.blogspot.com/ . It is with huge delight that I report to you on the fundraising efforts of a grade eight class at Huntsville Public School. They are presently fundraising for a bicycle for needy student in Cambodia! Take on the challenge, and have your class or group consider this small fundraising endeavor that can result in a huge change in the life of a Cambodian child.

As many of you know, I am as equally compelled to help the Burmese refugee students, as I am the Khmer students. All of us at ‘Project Enlighten’ (www.projectenlighten.org) have dedicated ourselves to a new project: Information and Technology Computer training scholarships (CICT Program) for the Burmese refugee students that I taught this past winter at ‘The All Burma Student’s I.T. Union’ in Mae Sot on the Thai-Burma border (ABITSU – www.abitsu.org ). For US $300 you can sponsor a student in a four-month intensive computer training course which will enable a student to further their education in this field. The course is done through internationally recognized ‘Brainbench.com’ . More information on the ‘Project Enlighten’ sponsored CICT Program can be found at http://projectenlightenburma.blogspot.com/ . Some of the proceeds from the Giant Garage Sale will go to this cause and the cause mentioned below.

Likewise, I have personally challenged myself to provide help for the ‘Kayan Women’s Organization’, a group of young Kayan women from Shan state in Burma. As a recipient of the Muskoka YWCA’s Women of Distinction Exceptional Achievements Award, I am a strong believer of women and human rights. Women in military-controlled and heavily censored Burma know little of the outside world and suffer constant violence and suppression by the military. I spent a month teaching English to these young women. Project Enlighten funded the repair of their computers, and purchased a television for them. Two of my students have recently gone back inside Burma for a few months to teach other women in their remote state. You can read more about these young Christian women on my Project Enlighten – Burma blog site.

Please visit my new blog site announcing a very special project: ‘Embracelets For Books’. I came back with 440 beautiful hand-woven bracelets made by elementary students in Siem Reap. No two bracelets are alike! The sale of these bracelets ( $6 - $8 ) goes towards further education for the students who made them. Naret Duk, our Project Enlighten Scholarship recipient in Cambodia is founder of this marvelous project, with Dan Blix and I acting as her Canadian Project Managers. I am pleased to announce that so far $80 in bracelet sales has been raised. Read more at: http://embraceletsforbooks.blogspot.com/

The month of May will see co-Rotarian Bill Rathbun and I busy giving presentations to Rotary Clubs throughout Muskoka. Please contact me if your group or service club would like a presentation.

On a sad note:
BOU SENG HOURT1981 - 2009

With a very heavy heart and profound sadness we at the Cambodian Landmine Museum Relief Fund announce the passing of Bou Seng Hourt.
Hourt was the wife of Aki Ra, the gentle mother of Amatak, Mine, Meta and dozens of children who called the Cambodia Landmine Museum their home.
She made all our lives richer for having known her.
We will miss her.

In tribute to Hourt, I include the last photos I took of her this winter. Hourt was a champion of women who dedicated her life to landmine removal and the young victims of these remnants of war. She spent her days beside Akira in the minefields, was mother to countless child landmine survivors and spent hours in the running of the museum and facility in Siem Reap.

Last of all, a very special thanks to Gravenhurst supporters Bill Rathbun and Dan Blix who spend hours doing their part to help the children of Cambodia and the young refugees from Burma. They kept me going this winter while I was in SE Asia.

Search for me on Facebook, and become a friend of mine. This past winter, my Burmese English Class students intoduced me to Facebook - now help me make it grow!