Fabulous time in Shanty Town

Last year during five weeks, we had the great opportunity to have one of our best intern that we never had before : Mathieu Membrez, age 18 ; coming from Switzerland.

Mathieu told me that this internship was one of the greatest experience in his life. 

Before, he was just having a normal life, studying, with wonderful parents, in a good area in Geneva.  But one of his dream was to travel for a human association in some part of the world.  

Meet people who had nothing, and be aware of their life couldn’t be compare to his.

Being able to help the poor communities as much as he could, and offer them his help his, during the time he was in Cambodia.

In July 2019, he had the chance to make his dream become a reality.

He came during 5 weeks in Cambodia helping Shanty town spirit Ermine Norodom Association. Taking part as much as he could in the association, providing people with what they need, (sanitary products, soaps, rice, etc..) He discovered that those people had not much in their life but had such a great heart.

• He went with Ermine and other interns during various missions to the Shanty Town Spirit  he was helping in buying sanitary products, and deliver them to the communities.

Thank you to Ermine, Maira and all the other people who surrounded me during this time.» 

- He took this opportunity to take pictures, in order to use them after for the Shanty Town Blog.

- He had also been in charged of writing 11 short stories for the Shanty Town Spirit’s blog.

During those 5 weeks, it has been an incredible and unforgettable experience for him.  

As he said « First in my way of thinking. Having seeing so much poverty with my own eyes,  and being able to see the differences all over the world ».  

« It was a little bit difficult at the beginning but it was such a wonderful experience. 

 For him, after having such experience, helped him increase the confidence in himself, and realize how lucky he was being able to follow Shanty Town  Spirit Project.

He also admitted, that the first time in a Shanty Town, was very difficult and disorienting for him. How could people leave there ?  but those people are just amazing, the families in the slum have such a great heart, emotional heart.

What he enjoyed the most was going to meet the communities of the slums and visiting centers that shanty Town is helping, being able to see that people with nothing are so pride to show me what they have.  They do have practically nothing, as we can say from our point of view and way of living : how can they  leave with so little?  They are amazing and happy with what they have. 

- during his internship, he also took part of the distribution of food, rice, etc… and was very proud and happy to do it.

« I have a big regret for the moment is that I am not gonna be able to go back sooner enough  to Phnom Penh, to help Ermine and Maira  witch do a such a great work.

I keep a very good memory of what I did with Shanty Town Spirit, I had a very good experience of life and more for me.  I took, part of so manies  different activities , and I really thanks the people I met for the great opportunities offered to me.

When I left Phnom Penh after 5 weeks, I said I am sure of it, one day I will go back there and continue the work with Shanty Town Spirit and see again all those wonderful person I met.

 Shanty Town Spirit is a wonderful Association who work with the families of the communities in te slum.  Actions, works, represent a very great amount of work and they do succeed in what they do.

You can  give your support and help them to help others.  Any donations is welcome, money of course, but also in kind  (clothes, hygiène kits , school materials, etc…)

On last thank you to  Princess Ermine Norodom, I am looking forward to go back again there as soon as possible. 

                                                  One Spirit, One Heart, One Community                                      

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

      Click on Make a difference 

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)

Victor sky.phi@gmail.com

Words by Nathalie Bonpain

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