Food for Education: new year, new focus

Monday, March 21, 2011

Since 2005, Life and Hope Association and Rice for Cambodia have been supporting the education of poor children by providing their families with rice, uniforms and school supplies. In 2010, there were 5 villages and 160 families participating in the program.

This year, it has been decided to move the program to another six villages in Angkor Thom district and, while continuing the provision of rice, uniforms and school supplies, to work also on the capacity building within the community.

During the meeting between the staff of LHA and Rice for Cambodia and community leaders on Monday 14 March, it was decided to expand the program by including training on agriculture, sewing classes, and a competition for the best maintained home. It is expected that in this way people will start growing vegetables, generate some income, and also clean around their houses. There are also plans to include an educational program on birth-control.

After the meeting, primary school students were provided with uniforms and school supplies. Rice for Cambodia were introduced to some of the most vulnerable families in the area. The two of the visited families live in very tiny huts. One man has lost his legs due to bomb explosion, and he struggles in taking care of his four children alone, especially that one of his children suffers from mental disability. Another family that LHA is planning to include in the program struggles for survival, because the mother is severely ill and can neither walk, nor sit. Her daughter cannot go to school, because she needs to take care of her mother.

The motto of Rice for Cambodia is "Give fishing rod, not fish". It is good to provide support and thus improve the lives of the most impoverished and vulnerable people, but at the same time need to empower them and to help them to become more independent.