CCH---Going Strong

CCH continues strong in development of its programs and projects, but still needs lots of generous support to maintain its success. As CCH celebrates the beginning of its 6th year of operation, there are nearly 140 children thriving under the care of Mech Sokha and his dedicated staff. The hallmarks of life at CCH continue to be hope, an emphasis on self-reliance, and at the same time, support for children to create as many options as possible as CCH students grow into adulthood within Cambodian society.

Success Breeds Success---CCH Special Programs

Over the past 18 months, CCH has attracted more and more well wishers and support for special programs. Below---a few of these innovative efforts.

Transition to Adulthood
Charles Pieters of VZW de Stortkinderen in Belgium takes the CCH Management Team for a tour of the Don Bosco vocational training program in Sihanoukville. CCH young adults may eventually receive training there

Vocational Training
Cooks in Training
Eight CCH girls have been studying hairdressing intensively. At right, Japanese visitors give a workshop on Japanese style hairdressing. The possibility exists that some CCH girls will be able to go to Japan for a few months to further study Japanese techniques
As always, CCH has several handymen-in-training, whether to fix a computer or a gasoline powered electric generator, (or clear mud from a hole!). Sambath and Sambol (right) study at SCAPD (Street Children Association for Development Project), and have done so well there, they received a letter of appreciation from SCAPD.

Youth Angels
Mr. Marc Gold (center, right) of 100 Friends Project in the U.S. helps fund CCH Youth Angels, a social welfare and outreach program headed up by CCH Management Team member, Ravuth (to Marc's right). The family pictured at the left is among approximately 30 people being helped by Youth Angels at present, including some suffering from HIV/AIDS. Currently, another CCH youth, Rithy, is beginning an internship with Youth Angels.

CCH Library
The Library at CCH has become an institution. Student librarians are now hard at work at both CCH 1 and CCH/CDCC to make reading a daily activity for as many children as possible.

CCH Road Show
And lest we forget where most of the children at CCH once lived and worked, the CCH Road Show continues to make regular visits to Steung Meanchey Dump, to distribute food. At right, CCH students are helping college students from Hong Kong to distribute food to needy children.
On other days, the Road Show is off to poor villages to share books, art, and organized games. All the children shown above are NOT from CCH, but are benefiting from the CCH Road Show program, run by CCH students. Not pictured here: CCH Road Show and CCH Rock Band were invited to perform for 2 days during the public boat races in Phnom Penh, 23-24 November. They were also invited on 25 November to perform 97 km from Phnom Penh at Taing Kork village, Kampong Thom Province

Fun and Special Events

CCH kids celebrate the beginning of CCH's 6th year
In late November, all of Phnom Penh celebrates the Water Festival, complete with fireworks, boat races, carnival rides, and fun along the Mekong River.
Australian coaches are training boys at CCH & CDCC to play football at nearby Sisowath High School. The CCH team plays against another team from the Friends Restaurant every Saturday morning.
Meanwhile, younger children at CCH/CDCC have plenty of toys to play with. Also just completed at CCH/CDCC in cooperation with the local NGO CamboKids---a new sandbox!
3 CDCC girls, Sothary, Kunthea and Lina now have taken on the responsibility of teaching traditional Cambodian Dance to younger children, Monday through Friday, 5:00-6:30 pm.
Several lucky CCH girls got to go to Japan to perform traditional Cambodian dances at the 15th anniversary of the founding of Japan Team for Young Human Power (JHP), the Japanese NGO which provided the initial financing for CCH, and has just concluded its six year commitment of support to CCH. The girls are shown here with Mr. Nop Sao, Secretary to the Board of CCH.

Special Projects

At the side of CCH 1, a new covered dining and kitchen area is under construction
Meanwhile, a door and metal covering has been completed at the back of the property, to create an all weather, more sanitary food preparation area. At CCH/CDCC, a new second story dormitory structure has been completed, and a third floor is now beginning construction. This extra space will free up some rooms for formal classrooms, similar to the spaces just completed at CCH 1.

Other News

• CCH/CDCC now has its own student Management Team, consisting of 8 older children. Their duties are similar to that of the 5 student Management Team at CCH: Counsel younger children and participate from time to time in CCH staff meetings.
• As many as 21 CCH students will eventually enroll in the high quality ACE (Australian Center for Education) English training. An intensive 2 year training will lead to Englsih fluency, which will be a great advantage to all these children as they prepare for adult life.
• Many visitors continue to come to CCH. In the past month, Denise Bobba of Pay It Forward Project in the USA visited and contributed a child sponsorship and funds for the Youth Angels Program.
• Volunteers continue to teach English at CCH, including 2 new "gap year" students from United World College in Singapore, and Nina and Lena from Australia. Japanese Embassy staff continue to tutor children in Japanese once a week. ICan, an International school for grades 1-8, has a social exchange program with some children at CDCC. Local NGO Rey Yom continues art classes at CCH.
• Food prices are rising in Phnom Penh, making the General Operating Costs of CCH go up. Still, nutrition is the number one priority at CCH, so children receive 3 meals a day, plus occasional desserts and other treats.
• Staff members continue to take special one and two day trainings in subjects such as health care and NGO evaluation

And Finally....

Chanta, first in his class of 51

At the amusement park during Boat Race Days

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Contributors to this report:

Content: Mech Sokha & Elia Van Tuyl

English Editing and Layout: Elia Van Tuyl

Fabulous Photos: Hout Ravuth & Chin Sayorn