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Vocational Training for CCH Students

Thanks to financial assistance from De Stortkinderen VZW (Friends of CCH, Belgium), nine CCH youth are currently taking enormous strides toward self-sufficient (and even prosperous) adulthoods through a two year intensive vocational training program at Don Bosco in Sihanoukville. The Don Bosco campus in Sihanoukville is pictured above.

Don Bosco is a Salesian order of the Catholic Church which runs the premier vocational training programs for disadvantaged youth in Cambodia, covering numerous areas such as automotive repair, hotel management, graphic design, and much more (see below).

Here is a map of Cambodia to get you oriented as to where Sihanoukville is located:

Acceptance into the Don Bosco program is rather competitive, because the record of job placement for Don Bosco graduates is outstanding. For the entering class of October 2009, there were over 700 applicants for only 177 positions (a 25% acceptance rate). 10 CCH youth applied, and 9 were accepted (90% !!). A very good showing which speaks well for these CCH youth who gained admittance.

To give you a sense of the facilities, here is one of the newer buildings at the training school campus:

A succinct explanation from the Don Bosco website http://www.donboscokhmer.org/ explains the essense of the program. The Sihanoukville program also has a website, as follows: http://www.donboscosihanoukville.org/

Don Bosco Salesians operates professional and technical schools in Cambodia, including a Hotel school in the beach resort town of Sihanoukville. Phnom Penh, Poipet and Sihanoukville schools offer a wide choice of professional education, including a Social Communications course, where the students get in touch with the latest technologies in IT, TV, radio, marketing and foreign languages.

Most of our students come from disadvantaged families, and when they finish successfully their “cursus studiorum”, they can easily find a job, because the school is well known and reputed as a good one. They have the necessary skills to manage their professional life.

The nine young men who have just begun classes travelled the long drive from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville in heavy rains, and arrived at 8:30 PM---an all day trek. Here they are the next day setting up house in an apartment near the school:

Yes, it is all young men. This is not because Don Bosco is only for boys. It has to do with the particular demographics of CCH. Although the orphanage has an equal number of boys and girls, there tend to be more older boys at present, and the older girls are generally more interested in academic track education than vocational training.

One of the main costs associated with this program is housing, because Don Bosco has limited space for on-campus residence. Therefore, De Stortkinderen VZW of Belgium is undertaking to handle this challenge---short term by renting a house, and perhaps long term by having CCH own land and build a residential facilty for CCH Don Bosco students. For more information, or to offer help to De Stortkinderen VZW in their fund raising efforts, visit their website at http://www.stortkinderen.be

In Cambodia, Most Poverty Is in the Countryside

The Steung Meanchey garbage dump near Phnom Penh has long been an iconic symbol of poverty in Cambodia. However, poverty and disease in Cambodia are mainly hidden and silent in the countryside. This month, CCH photo journalist Piset presents an investigative report on poverty in a Cambodian village, where he visited and took photos. Sokunthea presents a compelling story about HIV after a visit with a family ravaged by the disease.

Piset's Photos and story about Poverty: Read the story here. See the photos below.

Sokunthea's story and photos about an HIV family. Read the story here. Photos below.

On a Lighter Note...the Cambodian Pchum Ben Holiday

Pchum Ben is a celebration which takes place every September in Cambodia. Many people return to their home villages, and pay homage to departed ancestors. CCH children are no exception. Several CCH children took a trip to Teborey village in Takeo Province, along with CCH Director Mech Sokha, his wife Dany, and two CCH photo journalists, Sambath and Theara.

Read Sambath's Story Here. See Sambath's and Theara's photos below.

And Finally.........

There is much more news to be reported next month, too, about a developing CCH 3 facility, and a newly begun CCH International School, These are exciting new undertakings, and by next month, there will be quite a bit to report.

However, despite the wonderful accomplishments of CCH, the orphanage is far from immune to the financial problems afflicting the world economy. Underlying the impressive programs, day to day expenses are always needed to pay for life's necessities. The differences you see in these photos between the children at CCH and those suffering in poverty is.....you. CCH is doing fine for 2009. Nobody knows about 2010, however. The crucial year end giving season is nearly here.

Want to make a donation to CCH? Click here to find out how.

Content: Sambath, Theara, Piset, Sokunthea, Elia, Don Bosco in Sihanoukville

English Editing and Layout: Chhim Thavery and Elia Van Tuyl