Update: 6 August 2007

Me and Steph had a long chat over the net tonight, as well as working out some targets, I learnt a good few things.

Firstly, children in Cambodia DO receive free high-school education. However, due to barely-existant funding, the education the children actually receive is generally of a very poor quality. I have mentioned this before, but I met a girl who went out into rural Cambodia to teach in one such school, and the teachers who taught English could barely communicate with her.

In Cambodia, the only real chance of getting somewhere is to get a degree. But Universities generally don't accept students who have had a Khmer (Cambodian) education. They look for students from private 'International Schools'. These such schools provide a better education - although it can be inconsistent - and should ensure acceptance into University. These schools charge around $5-10 (£3-5) per month, and additional costs include a mandatory school uniform (£2.50), stationary and exercise books (£2.50) and transport (varies, but usually not over £3 per month).

Steph was concerned about the actual quality of the education at these private schools and I think this is something we shall have to investigate. We should be able to pay the school directly though and we have a possible link with a trustworthy tuc-tuc driver who would be happy to take the children to school. These links are valuable because we can ensure the kids are actually getting to school and perhaps even receive progress reports.

University is not free. The costs vary but from what I have learned from locals and what Steph has gathered, the fees are around $30 per month (£15). This seems very reasonable, although is still too expensive for most Cambodians to afford. Me and Steph agreed that we should make that a long-term priority, although in the meantime there are more important things to look at.

Importantly, the children need to receive a better diet. As I have mentioned, many, if not all of the children are anemic and receiving adequate protein and essential vitamins and minerals can be difficult; rice is cheap, chicken is not.

Healthcare is another priority. Healthcare in Cambodia is in what could be, and often is, described as 'crisis'. Public healthcare is too expensive, medicines are often counterfeit, emergency care is barely available. This is something we shall have to get advice with, and a lot of research is high on the agenda.

I am actually off to Hungary for two weeks, and although I will be able to check e-mails, I will, for the most part, be relaxing and taking some much needed time-off. Please don't hesitate to contact me though, and Steph, who has been indescribably brilliant, is actually at Lighthouse volunteering (and doing a great job), so if you have any questions for her, you can contact her on steph@cambaid.org.uk.

Thank you for reading.

Jon