Achievements of CCH Children

One of the extraordinary features of Center for Children's Happiness is how it provides its children with opportunities to achieve things outside of the world of the orphanage. The photos above in fact come from the banner of the Smile Project blog http://www.smile-cambodia.blogspot.com The Smile Project, run by UK citizens Michelle Kemp and Brian Gray, has carried out a very innovative 10 week program with the CCH students pictured above, taking these students to various locations in and around Phnom Penh to document life through the eyes of their cameras. The blog features the best photo work of each student, but here is the amazing news: The students have mounted a month long public photo exhibition in town, met with the British Ambassador, and, most amazingly, received an audience with the King of Cambodia!

.........CCH kids at the photo exhibition .........Michelle with commemorative plate from King

CCH Director Mech Sokha, wife Dany and CCH kids at royal audience

King of Cambodia at right, bowing to Sokha, Dany and CCH kids

The children received new school uniforms from the King and a small financial gift. Sokha and Dany received a certificate of appreciation for helping to rebuild Cambodia.

This is not the only achievement to brag about this month. The three young men pictured below have qualified for a Cambodian soccer team which will soon participate in the "Homeless World Cup" in Australia.

Bunroeun, Vannak and Tola, ready to compete in Australia

For more information, check out the Homeless World Cup website here: http://www.homelessworldcup.org/

As a measure of how Cambodia is changing, the country recently held a track competition for developmentally challenged youth, and this girl, Sina, of CCH, took first place in the long distance run:

CCH Students Begin to "Give Back"

Most visitors to CCH notice the wonderful hospitablity of the children. A slightly longer stay reveals that all of these children are extremely aware of their good fortune in coming to CCH. The long term success of CCH will depend on these children, as they become adults, and decide to help other children at CCH as they have been helped. Below is one small effort---girls who are sewing saleable decorative items. Sayorn, a young man from CCH who has been lucky enough to study in high school in Singapore, plans to take these items with him to sell, as part of a long term fund raising effort on his part. All of the faithful hard work of Sokha, Dany and the staff is beginning to slowly bear fruit.

Lots of Visitors and Volunteers

One of the characteristic which makes CCH such a vital place is its openness to many visitors. The parade continues!

Teacher Prak Sokha welcomes Visitors from New Zealand

CCH Kids show off new mattresses purchased by Mr. Marc Gold of 100 Friends Project in the US.

Pannasastra University students party with CCH kids

Can you believe this? Cambodian college students introduce Cambodian children to......

a Mexican pinata!

Two new volunteers from Denmark settle in as teachers at CCH

School Days

Lest you think its all awards and parties at CCH, the truth is that nowadays, there is a pretty intense academic atmosphere. Nearly all the older children Grade 7 and up, are now in full time, challenging academic settings, and they study a lot!

And when they are not studying, they are learning how to teach. Pictured below, Director Sokha showing CCH librarians how to effectively read stories to other children when the CCH Road Show goes on tour.

Then, back to school!

Pannasastra International School Scholars with their new uniforms

What's Up with Construction Projects?

No too much right now. If you do not live in the tropics, it is easy to forget about monsoon season---that would be right now. There are some dry days, and the photos below show a new parking pad at CCH 1, and a new gate being built. When things dry out, construction will continue on the kitchen/dining area at CCH 1, and construction will begin on the Youth House next to CCH 2. The new dorms at CDCC are virtually finished, as are the fourth story classrooms at CCH 1.

CCH Finances

We diligently avoid pestering all of you wonderful readers about money in these pages, so you can enjoy your stay here. Except this time! As 2008 comes to a close, CCH has had a pretty good year. Many wonderful grants have been obtained for special training, construction and education projects, but 2009 looks like it might be more difficult. The world financial crisis will have some effect, and costs have risen sharply in Cambodia for necessities such as food. As 2008 closes, if we are lucky, we will break even as far as revenue for necessities. 2009 looks a little dicier. You can help with 2009 by making a donation now to CCH. Its easy. Here's how you do it:

If you live in United Kingdom, Canada, Belgium, or Germany, click HERE to be directed to the proper online donation site.

If you are in the United States, or any other country not listed above, go HERE for clear instructions how to donate by check or online, tax deductible in the U.S.

Remember the world famous wisdom of US Founding Father, Benjamin Franklin:

"A penny saved is a penny donated to CCH."

Contributors to this report:

Content: Mech Sokha & Elia Van Tuyl

English Editing and Layout: Elia Van Tuyl

Photos: Pho Phaneth & CCH students