Harnessing Opportunities through Play and Education

Along with a number of volunteers including my Kiwi cousin, Anna, and Vang, a new waiter at Soria Moria, we helped in a clean up morning at Toutear Village home of the Self Help Community Center. Organised by NEDO volunteers Gro Fjeldtvedt and Snorre Birkeland the purpose of the day was to promote health and hygiene in a fun and community spirited way. While we volunteers got our hands dirty collecting rubbish, with some help from the kids, the children were given educational handouts, toothbrushes, toothpaste and soaps. In addition they were taught how to clean their hands properly and clean their teeth, too! The day was presented in a fun way and got the whole community involved!

After our morning of clean up we cycled out to meet Ton Pin’s family, one of HOPE’s sponsored young adults. His family live just behind Sangkheum Center, so we jumped on our bicycles and cycled through the beautiful Cambodian countryside to get there, passing the local market and purchasing a sack of rice for their consumption feeding the family of seven. We were welcomed with fresh cocoanut juice and a sea of smiles!