Solidarity between Associations and partners

 

 AEFC Association d'Entraide des Français du Cambodge  is a french association , which is acting to help and support French Community in Cambodia providing a vast support, in all kind of problems or situations, they are also helping NGO’s which have lost donors because of the Covid 19.

 L’aefc is receiving a lot of food from Kiwimart Cambodia  to be distributed to the French communities in trouble and also too different NGO’s who are working with the most vulnerable communities of Phnom Penh. 

Shanty Town Spirit had been one of the beneficiary among other Association to receive groceries  such as dry biscuits, snacks, noodles and many other Items.

Those groceries have been distributed on a regular basis to the most vulnerable communities in different slums. 

The huge amount of supplies gave us the opportunity to support our NGOS partner’s such as Little Heart, Genesis of Transformation, Light Of Mercy.

Because of the sanitary crisis (Covid 19) some people lost their job or loose a part of their salary, so without L'aefc and Kiwi Mart it will be more difficult for them and for us to support them.

The donation is so welcome and give them the chance to help the communities with their food support, so that families can still eat and keep their usual good spirit.

Because of Covid 19 situation is very hard for all of us to continue, nor for French communities neither for foreigners. Regarding all NGO’s in general, participation is less  that it was used to be, so it makes to situation even worth.

For the last distribution of food,  we were very happy to have with us  Mr Bruno Bogvad correspond to L’aefc, like this he manage to have a correct picture of how we are using the donation and how it’s like in the life of the disadvantage communities.

Bruno was very surprise and happy to see families receiving us with big smiles. We were able to manage  spending quality time with the kids of Boeung Trabek, they all spoke to us a lot on different subjects such as life, school.   They were very proud to make us discover their environment.  They were excited about this visit, and try their best to keep us as long as they could.

Thank you so much to L’aefc and kiwimart-Cambodia for your support and for your good heart since the sanitary crisis begins.

 

 One Spirit, One Heart, One Community   

                                   

       You can help us by sponsoring the Shanty Town Spirit program:

 Click on Make a difference or Email us

  Contact  Ermine Norodom: +855 (0) 17 49 27 19 (French and English)

norodomermine@gmail.com

Words by Nathalie Bonpain

Life amongst the graves

We paid a little visit to the community living in the slum of Smor San ! The particularity of this slum is that it is situated on the exact location of a cemetary. Indeed, its inhabitants installed their homes and live amongst the colorful graves of an old graveyard ! Important to know here is that no Cambodian people are buried here, since the khmer culture is opposed to cemeteries and preaches that people should be burned.

We began with a distribution of hygiene supplies: some toothpaste, toothbrushes, some soap and clothes. We had enough goodies for at least 120 people, everybody was thus very happy because they all could manage to get something of their own ! 

Then, we went to the house of a disabled family taken over by Shanty Town Spirit, including a grandmother, a mother and her four children. We talked with them for a while and they showed us around their little habitation. The oldest boy and the grandmother are the only members able to bring money to the family. The grandmother washes dishes and the boy manages to find small jobs around the area, despite his disability. Maira, with the help of Shanty Town Spirit, provides them basic supplies to support them (clothes, hygiene products, medicine, food). 

After that, we met another grandmother from the community, who told us that she had problems with her eyes and that she needed help. We noticed that she might be needing a cataract surgery. We spoke with her and managed to get her one since then. It is thanks to the dedication of volunteers and the generosity of the donors that grandmothers like her are able to be healed and to live freely in dignity ! 

Everybody deserves the right to have access to hygiene, health products and decent clothes. 

                                                 One Spirit, One Heart, One Community                                      

      You can help us by sponsoring the Shanty Town Spirit program:

Click on Make a difference

                   OR contact  Ermine Norodom: +855 (0) 17 49 27 19 (French and English)

norodomermine@gmail.com

           Phirun Prak (Arun): +855 (0) 96 663 6666 (English and Khmer)

    arun.aenorodom@gmail.com

    words by Matthieu Membrez

The excellent school results of the Boeung Trabek kids !

We paid another visit to the Boeung Trabek community ! Indeed, we had some donated clothes to distribute, and Ermine needed to see the kids of the community to check on their school results as well ! So we were first welcomed by Sokear, one of the first children that Ermine took care of, and then joined by Srey Net, Srey Nith, Srey Lip, Ron and Terry’s grandmother ! They were all very happy to see us ! 

We first began with the clothes distribution, which were mainly girls’. In these moments, we have to remain as fair as possible so that every child gets about the same amount of things. We let the girls pick what suited them best and they were all delighted with what they received in the end ! Everyone deserves to have decent clothes and to feel good-looking in them ! 

Then, it was time for Ermine to check on the kids’ school results, as she does every month. Everyone handed Ermine their grades of the month and she gave rewards to the children who had worked well and progressed since the previous time. It is important for Shanty Town Spirit to keep a little stringency regarding the school results, so that the children understand the importance of school, education and hard work in life ! Because every kid has the right to go to school ! 

We were very happy to note that almost every child is below 10 in the class ranking !

It is always a very precious and joyful moment to go visit the community of Boeung Trabek a few times a month ! The kids always welcome us with big smiles and warm hugs ! 

                                              One Spirit, One Heart, One Community                                      

                                You can help us by sponsoring the Shanty Town Spirit program:

                                                           Click on Make a difference

                             OR contact  Ermine Norodom: +855 (0) 17 49 27 19 (French and English)

                                                          norodomermine@gmail.com

                                       Phirun Prak (Arun): +855 (0) 96 663 6666 (English and Khmer)

                                                            arun.aenorodom@gmail.com

                                                           words by Matthieu Membrez

Sokear’s dream job !

Ermine and some other Shanty Town Spirit volunteers including Maïra paid a visit to the Boeung Trabek community: we didn’t come over empty-handed ! Indeed, Nathy has very kindly donated her bike to Sokear, one of the very first kids looked after by Ermine who is now almost 20. Sokear was very happy about that since he was actually in need of a bike to go to work and to school ! 

Sokear took us to his house to see his family and his friends: Srey Nett, her grandmother and Srey Nith were there and they kindly invited us to stay a moment with them. So we talked for a little while: they told us about their school results, their job and how the children of the community were doing. Then, we talked about what they dream to become later. Sokear, for example, wishes to become a lawyer and is about to enter law school ! Thanks to his faith and his determination, and also thanks to the work of the donors and the volunteers, Sokear can get closer to his dreams ! 

After that, we visited a few of the usual families of the community, all always delighted to see us ! On that day, we came with bars of soap, toothbrushes and clothes for the kids ! All the children were able to get themselves one of each ! It really was a wonderful moment ! 

                                     One Spirit, One Heart, One Community                                      

      You can help us by sponsoring the Shanty Town Spirit program:

Click on Make a difference

                   OR contact  Ermine Norodom: +855 (0) 17 49 27 19 (French and English)

norodomermine@gmail.com

           Phirun Prak (Arun): +855 (0) 96 663 6666 (English and Khmer)

    arun.aenorodom@gmail.com

 words by Matthieu Membrez

Un Avenir assuré grâce à de bons résultats scolaires/Just study and believe in the future

Un Avenir assuré grâce à de bons résultats scolaires / Just study and believe in the futur

Comment réussir sa vie ? la meilleure façon de s’assurer un avenir réside dans les études que tout un chacun peut faire et dans les moyens qu’il se donne pour y arriver.

C’est pour cela que nous suivons les enfants sur le plan scolaire dans les familles défavorisées.  Nous sommes derrière eux pour les faire travailler et faire en sorte qu’ils puissent s’assurer un avenir, autre que ce qui pourrait leur être donner, en ayant eu la malchance de naitre dans un bidon ville.

Cela de manière régulière, nous surveillons les carnets de classe, s’ils vont bien à leur cours supplémentaire, s’ils suivent bien les cours en général.  Et dès que l’un d’entre eux à de bons résultats, il obtient un vélo.

Vélo, qui s’avère être le Saint Graal pour tous ces enfants.  Grace à cela, ils peuvent aller à l’école plus rapidement, moins fatigués, et ils peuvent s’amuser pendant leur temps libre.

C’est le cas de Nath Putheara, qui a obtenu un « Certificat d’appréciation » pour les cours d’anglais qu’elle suit, elle est en grade 4 et a obtenu la quatrième place.  Elle a eu son vélo, qu’elle voulait rose, très girly.

D’autres ont la possibilité d’effectuer un stage dans un établissement, comme cela a été le cas de Sokear, qui a fait un stage chez Infinity Insurance.

Ou encore nous leur offrons des sorties cinémas, Kids city ou faire un bon repas.

Les récompenses sont nombreuses mais ils doivent bien travailler pour obtenir cela.

Lorsqu’ils ont des difficultés dans une matière, nous nous assurons de leur faire suivre des cours de soutien dans cette matière, ainsi ils peuvent rattraper leur retard.   

Mis à part pour Ron, qui lui non seulement travaille très bien, mais qui aime tellement les maths qu’il veut continuer les cours de soutien même s’il en a pas besoin.

Toutefois, il nous est plus facile d’aider les enfants dès le grade 1, comme cela ils ont toute leur scolarité devant eux.  Nous rencontrons quelques difficultés avec les enfants qui ont commencés l’école à 13ans.  L’Association n’a pu les prendre en charge qu’à partir de ce moment-là.  Donc, nous faisons tout ce que nous pouvons pour leur faire comprendre combien il est important d’étudier pour avoir un emploi correct.

Just study and believe in the futur 

How can those kids be sure to have a real futur in life ? Well the answer is simple : STUDY, and then everything becomes possible.

This is why we are helping the kids in the poor families. We give them the opportunities to study properly by keeping track of their results.

On regular basis we are visiting them, questioning them if they are going to class, if they are following additional classes for which we pay for.  

And as soon as one of them is getting good results, he or she received a reward.  Most of the time they are expecting a bicycle.  But they have to be at least in the first five in class.

Having a bicycle is very important for them, they can go with it to school and it makes their life so much easier.

This is the case of Nath Putheara, who received a « certificat of appreciation » for her good marks in English.  She got her bike, pink, and was thrilled when she received it.

Others got the opportunity to do an internship in a company, Sokhear did one at Infinity Insurance.

Or we take them for a movie or to Kids city, or for a good meal.  All those things that they can’t have in their life.

There are a lot of rewards, but they have to study and get proper results

And when they face difficulties, we are giving them some additional support.  They can have support classes, so that they can keep on with the others.

Which is not the case for one of them, Ron, who is working really well at school, and gets very good marks, but love so much mathematics, he wants to have additional classes even though he is in the first one in class.

However it is easier to help those kids as soon as they start school, in grade one.  Like this we can be part of the entire scholarship.  It is more difficult for the kids with whom we started when the Association was created.  They were already 13 years old, so they have to get back with their delays.  Not so easy but we have success in this two.

Studying in class is the answer for a proper future.  

                                  One Spirit, One Heart, One Community                                      

      You can help us by sponsoring the Shanty Town Spirit program:

Click on Make a difference

     OR contact     Ermine Norodom: +855 (0) 17 49 27 19 (French and English)

norodomermine@gmail.com

           Phirun Prak (Arun): +855 (0) 96 663 6666 (English and Khmer)

    arun.aenorodom@gmail.com

Nathalie Bonpain: +855 (0) 15 652 691 (English and French)

  bonpainnathalie@gmail.com  

words by Nathalie Bonpain

Un après-midi vitaminé / An afternoon full of vitamins

20 Septembre 2018

 Ce sont les vacances scolaires en ce moment pour les enfants cambodgiens. Et durant une après-midi nous avons eu la joie de leur apporter des fruits, suite à une généreuse contribution d’une personne tenant à garder son anonymat, pour commémorer la date de décès de sa meilleure amie Nuria.

60 kg de fruits pour plus de 13 familles, cela représente du volume.

 Nous étions quatre pour effectuer cette distribution, et cela a été un réel plaisir.

 Il faisait très chaud, le soleil aussi chaud que les sourires que nous avons reçus tout au long de cette visite. Tour à tour chaque famille a reçu son lot de vitamines, nécessaire à toute personne dans son quotidien. Mais les fruits coutent chers et ils ne peuvent pas s’en acheter facilement.

 Tout un chacun connait l’importance de manger des fruits régulièrement pour avoir suffisamment de bonnes vitamines, comme la vitamine C (orange) pour les défenses immunitaires, la vitamine B (pour booster les neurones, etc…

 Toutes ces familles sont heureuses lorsqu’elles nous voient arriver, nous sommes toujours accueillis avec des grands sourires et beaucoup de chaleur humaine.

 La visite continue auprès des mamans, et distribution des fruits aux enfants qui nous suivent. Un bonheur à prendre, comme la joie de ce petit garçon qui reçoit un fruit de ma part.

 Ces visites apportent de la joie des deux côtés, du côté des personnes qui reçoivent tout autant que des personnes qui donnent. Nous essayons de faire cela de manière régulière, autant que nous le pouvons…..

 An afternoon full of vitamins

 20th September 2018

 It’s time for holidays for the Cambodian students. And during a full afternoon, because of a generous contribution from an anonymous person, we had the real pleasure to bring them fruits. For this person it was a special occasion, in memory of her best friend Nuria, who died a year ago.

 60 kg of fruits for more than 13 families.

We were four to do this distribution, and it was a very happy moment.




 Temperatures were really high, as high as all the smiles and nice welcome we received during this visit. Every family received fruits, and they were very pleased because fruits cost some money and it’s on very rare occasions than they can have some.

 Everybody knows how it is important to eat fruits, for the vitamines, as oranges for the vitamin C to boost the immune system, or bananas for vitamines B12 and potassium for the brain and the heart. All those families welcomed us with smiles, nice words, and we could see that for them it is very important to receive those contributions.

 We follow up our visit with the mummies, taking care of the distribution of fruits to the kids who are following us. A happy moment to share such as this little boy who received a fruit from my side.

 Those visit bring joy and happiness from both side, from us and them, we are pleased to give them and they are delighted to receive. We try to do this as much as we can, because it is very important to deliver basics food to all those people. We are constantly looking from new donors.

                                  One Spirit, One Heart, One Community                                      

      You can help us by sponsoring the Shanty Town Spirit program:

Click on Make a difference

                                                                       OR contact                                                               Ermine Norodom: +855 (0) 17 49 27 19 (French and English)

norodomermine@gmail.com

           Phirun Prak (Arun): +855 (0) 96 663 6666 (English and Khmer)

    arun.aenorodom@gmail.com

Nathalie Bonpain: +855 (0) 15 652 691 (English and French)

  bonpainnathalie@gmail.com  

words by Nathalie Bonpain