Hello,
Firstly I would like to apologise for the lack of an update and general activity over the past few weeks. I have been doing a lot of relaxing but I have also spent a lot of time researching and mulling where I want to go with Cambaid as well as getting a lot of advice...and gaining several supporters. For anyone not already a member of our Facebook group, I started a 'group' on Facebook whereby anyone can become a member, show support or even donate, roughly two-months ago. I have been really encouraged by the response, the group has forty-members and I have been contacted by several people from all over the world; from the US to Vietnam.
One problem that I hope to resolve soon is the structure of Cambaid; it is all-well-and-good researching, sending e-mails and gaining online support, but at-the-end-0f-the-day, I need to sort out the basic organisation so we can start getting some real support (i.e. money) so we can really start making a difference. I have been encouraged by advice I have received from Oz who runs a local charity, who assured me that getting the charity going would be a lengthy process and at the same time it will be crucial to maintain the initial enthusiasm for the cause throughout.
Essentially, getting a good structure to the charity is important so, were anything to happen to me, the charity must be able to continue...basically it can't be a one-man-show, and although I have a great partner in Steph, she is abroad and I need at least three, but preferably five, local people who are prepared to put in some time to keep the charity going.
I am starting University (again) in October and I am hoping this will be a good gateway to meeting enthusiastic, like-minded people who are prepared to help. And being at University will also give me a lot more spare time; working fifty-hours-a-week doesn't exactly give me loads of spare time to research and communicate.
Anyways, I will be posting more updates in the coming weeks, so if there is anyone out there reading this gabberwocky, thank you and well done for getting this far and please keep it up....
thanks again for reading, jon
Wednesday, 29 August 2007
Monday, 6 August 2007
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
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
Saturday, 4 August 2007
Paypal!
We now have an account with Paypal to receive any donations as well as a bank account.
I want to stress that we are NOT yet a registered charity and that any donations are placed based purely on trust. If you would like to talk to me directly about anything regarding Cambaid I would be happy to talk to you on the phone or in person, just e-mail me on jon@cambaid.org.uk and I will give you my number/address.
Our e-mail address for donations is donate@cambaid.org.uk, the bank account details are:
Natwest - Account No. 16032462 - Sort Code 52-10-42 (please reference your name on the transfer)
Thanks
Jon
I want to stress that we are NOT yet a registered charity and that any donations are placed based purely on trust. If you would like to talk to me directly about anything regarding Cambaid I would be happy to talk to you on the phone or in person, just e-mail me on jon@cambaid.org.uk and I will give you my number/address.
Our e-mail address for donations is donate@cambaid.org.uk, the bank account details are:
Natwest - Account No. 16032462 - Sort Code 52-10-42 (please reference your name on the transfer)
Thanks
Jon
Thursday, 2 August 2007
Update: 2 August 2007
I've established a few things during the last few days. Firstly, I'm going to have no difficulty finding enough people to sponsor all of the children at Lighthouse through high-school. I sent out an e-mail just to a few friends I was e-mailing home whilst away and the response has been great. I have already raised enough to ensure four of the ten kids go to school for the next year!
I am trying to find a local person in Phnom Penh who can act as an independent auditor so I can be 100% sure that donations are being spent wisely; not only is this for my own, and the donors, piece of mind but also as a requirement of the Charity Commission when it comes to registering. Finding someone happy to do that would be a huge step in the direction of registering.
I still need to sort out a structure. I have several contacts and I know of many local people who will be willing to help, but I guess it is just going to take time. And I am so impatient!#
Another decision has been made, thanks to Steph - my "partner" in all of this who is actually at the orphanage at the moment - to try and pay the school directly for the children's fees. In return we would expect a regular update on the kid's attendance so we can be sure that donations for school fees are being well spent.
For the time being I am waiting to hear back from the 30+ NGO's I have contacted to try and find someone to be an independent auditor.
Thanks for reading x
I am trying to find a local person in Phnom Penh who can act as an independent auditor so I can be 100% sure that donations are being spent wisely; not only is this for my own, and the donors, piece of mind but also as a requirement of the Charity Commission when it comes to registering. Finding someone happy to do that would be a huge step in the direction of registering.
I still need to sort out a structure. I have several contacts and I know of many local people who will be willing to help, but I guess it is just going to take time. And I am so impatient!#
Another decision has been made, thanks to Steph - my "partner" in all of this who is actually at the orphanage at the moment - to try and pay the school directly for the children's fees. In return we would expect a regular update on the kid's attendance so we can be sure that donations for school fees are being well spent.
For the time being I am waiting to hear back from the 30+ NGO's I have contacted to try and find someone to be an independent auditor.
Thanks for reading x
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