This piece is a snippet about the charity that I am working in, the great work that it does but also the importance and the need for it in Cambodia.

Unlike any other Country Cambodia has experienced brutal and bloody leadership making it near on impossible for the population to thrive.

Brief overview of the history

Cambodia has been subject to significant levels of trauma over the years (Khmer Rouge being the most horrific and detrimental to the citizens of Cambodia) which left the country in an appalling state.

Traditional education in Cambodia was performed by the local wat, and the Bhikkhu ( Monks) were the teachers. The students were almost entirely young males, and education was limited to memorizing Buddhist chants in Pali. Buddhism was and still is the religion of Cambodia. The vast amounts of Pagodos, Wats and Temples in the Country display the commitment and significance of the faith.

During the period of the French protectorate, an educational system based on the French model was established alongside this traditional system.

Initially, the French neglected education in Cambodia with only seven high school students graduating in 1931, and only 50,000 to 600,000 children enrolled in primary school in 1936 (statistics suggest that there were in excess of 2.7million children) but this system did continue to grow and develop and was under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education.

This system continued up until 1975 when the Khmer Rouge came into force. The Khmer Rouge era destroyed the education system in place and killed many of those who were deemed to be educated.

This was a traumatic experience for the whole of Cambodia both on the infrastructure of Cambodia and the personal effects on individuals

Some educated individuals (such as teachers) fled the country. However for most they were not able to and during this four year period 1.7million people were killed.

In 1980 in a timeframe of 10 years there were only 50,000 teachers; 150,000 less than in 1970.

More than 30 years later, Cambodia is still overcoming the trauma and issues from this 4 year reign. Cambodia is still struggling to provide basic education and there is a substantial number of illiterate people living in remote and rural areas for which for them it is near impossible to access education.

In order to pull itself out of poverty Cambodia must improve the education system.

Current Barriers to Education:

1. Costs:

As with most education systems families are still expected to cover the costs of items such as notebooks, pens, school uniform, course material and so on.

These expenses may seem trivial but with the average Cambodian family living on less than $2 per day this is significant. It has been estimated that these additional costs are 40% of a families total income.

2. Travel:

Of the total population 90% of the poorest families live in rural and remote areas. These families do not have transportation to get to school and due to their location the time it takes them to get to school is not viable.

3. Child Labour:

Children are a valuable asset to the families being another pair of hands to go to work and earn for the family. When the families are this poor food must come first.

4. Lack of Schools:

There is a lack of schools contributing to travel times and oversized classes. The following statistics are from a UN report:

In Urban Areas: There are 197 buildings, of which 11% have no ground floor, 10% have no proper roof and 4% don't have proper walls.

In Rural Areas: There are 805 buildings, of which 19% have no ground floor, 11% have no proper roof and 11% don't have proper walls.

In Remote Areas: There are 83 buildings, of which 26% have no ground floor, 15% have no proper roof and 17% don't have proper walls.

With a population in excess of 4.7milliion this number of establishments is not sufficient.

5. Teachers

Teachers are paid by the Government; their salary is extremely low being between £30 and $50 dollars per month which is not enough to live on. This means that there is a lack of teachers and that teaching is not a desired profession.

All the above factors contribute to the high dropout rate and lack of education in Cambodia.

This Life Cambodia (NGO)

This Life Cambodia is a not for profit non-governmental organisation established to improve the quality of and access to education in Cambodia by listening to, engaging with communities..

This Life Cambodia has several specific programs which are aimed at poor households in an attempt to overcome this inequity and access to education.

The Four specific Programs are as follows:

Lower Secondary School Development Program. The goal of the LSSDP is to increase community involvement in school development to improve access to and quality of education in Cambodia.

This Life Beyond Bars.

To bring together individuals, families, communities and existing sub-national mechanisms to create awareness, knowledge and the capability to work together to take sustainable action on issues relating to the criminal justice system.

Student Assistance.

The Student Assistance program comprises of 3 elements; Light Up A Life With Solar, Pedal Out of Poverty and Student Sponsorship. These three project areas are designed to assist scholars to not only successfully complete their schooling, but also to thrive at school.

Community Research and Consultancy:

The Community Research and Consultancy Program (CRCP) at This Life Cambodia provides information and services on issues affecting the provision of public education and human rights in Cambodia to the communities, NGOs, government ministries, academics, and the general public at large. Through the activities of CRCP, which compile the knowledge of This Life Cambodia, more people and organisations are better prepared, equipped, and able to make informed decisions about educational development issues.

Community involvement, education and empowerment are the keys to the journey out of poverty. This Life Cambodia strives to encompass all of these elements in all aspects.

One of the most critical steps to achieving the developmental goals is for the solutions to come from communities themselves. This Life Cambodia facilitates this process, offering technical advice and direction to help communities to develop the tools they need to lift themselves out of poverty.

TLC

The continued support from Donations and Grants allow this organisation to continue its valuable support to the community. The Volunteers provide valuable external business knowledge and work with the local staff to determine the most effective and efficient approach.

Other:

Despite all that the Country has gone through Cambodia is a welcoming, friendly and kind nation which I hope with a little support will start to thrive and prosper.

In my short time with TLC I have already had the opportunity to meet some inspiring young individuals both local Cambodians and Volunteers.

I am grateful for their warmth in accepting me into their workplace and community and I look forward to my time here over the coming months.

For further information on This Life Cambodia please see http://www.thislifecambodia.org