Welcome to the latest update of all REECH has been up to over the past quarter. The last couple of months have been pretty intense and we’re keen to keep REECH supporters up-to-date with all that’s been happening. So, grab a cuppa and settle back for a good read as we share news of the amazing projects that have kept us out of mischief.
September is all about the Big Bike Giveaway
Each September REECH fundraises for its annual Big Bike Giveaway, a day when up to one hundred bikes are gifted to families with a disabled child and living in remote villages in central Cambodia. During the year bikes are also gifted to young girls wanting to get to school without being sexually harassed or those living long distances from their school.
Receiving a bike can be a game changer for families living in some of the remotest parts of Cambodia. A bike enables a mum to take her chooks, eggs and home grown veggies to the nearest markets for sale. A bike means a student who has finished primary school can ride to the nearby high school a couple of villages away and continue their education. A bike can also be used to take a sick child to the clinic a couple of kilometres away. Not too many items facilitate income generation, education as well as health care access.
And then, there are the girls living in rural areas such as 12 year old Srey Pich pictured below. Srey lives with her parents an hour’s walk from her high school in Siem Reap. REECH gifted her a bike to ensure the long walk each way to and from school was not a barrier to her continuing with her studies. For many kids, distance is enough of a deterrent to drop out of school. REECH wants to ensure this barrier is removed for as many girls as possible.
It’s not too late to gift a bike
While the Big Bike Giveaway fundraiser officially wraps up at the end of September, it’s never too late to gift a bike for just $100.00. REECH’s direct deposit bank details are available at the end of this newsletter should you wish to donate a bike or two. Of course the all important tax receipt will be provided.
REECH invests in equipping Khmer teachers and education leaders
While the focus for September has been on fundraising for bikes, July’s focus was on empowering Khmer teachers to be better skilled teachers and education leaders as part of REECH’s commitment to teacher professional development and training.
Over the past few years, a team of educators from Australia have run training workshops for local Khmer teachers. In 2023 we had 24 teachers attend the inaugural workshops. Last year, 45 attend the training sessions. This year we had 93 from six provinces enrol! To meet this huge increase in demand we ran not one but two workshops in July. Participants came excited and full of anticipation for this opportunity to grow their skills, capacities and competencies over two days of intense instruction and networking.
This year’s workshops were a complete revamp of previous workshops. Each morning started with a plenary session with topics relevant to all participants: self-care (Day 1) and, as you can see in the photos below, creativity in the classroom (Day 2). Following the plenary, participants split into three streams: leadership, early childhood education and teaching English as a second language.
Upskilling Khmer education leaders
As last year’s workshops wrapped up, an agency director contacted REECH and spoke of the challenges she was having finding training for her agency’s Khmer educators in leadership positions. She asked if we’d consider providing this training. It seemed a challenge too good not to take up, so this year we provided workshops for school principals, agency directors and those setting direction and implementing change within their education-focused agencies.
The sessions the role and purpose of leadership and vision, along with other vital topics such as strategic planning, dealing with children and families who had experienced trauma and helping teams to grow and develop potential.
Those in this stream said one of the aspects they found most helpful was getting to know other leaders. All of a sudden they realised they weren’t the only one facing challenges such as student engagement and poorly trained teachers. Many commented that they found it reassuring and helpful to hear the experiences of other leaders – something they’d never done before.
Teaching teachers to teach English
A number of REECH-supported agencies run English language classes. These classes are particularly popular with young adults studying at university and those moving to Phnom Penh from rural areas who need English for work. The sessions covered lesson planning, assessment and evaluation and the unique challenges of learning English as a Khmer speaker. This stream was particularly interactive, fun and practical which worked well as most of the participants were young adults with plenty of energy and enthusiasm.
Teaching those working with little ones
Given the importance of early intervention in child development, REECH has long given priority to agencies working with little ones, particularly those living in high risk settings such as domestic violence and addiction or are at risk of being sold into the sex trade industry. Workshop sessions were fun yet practical and covered topics including the importance of play, the foundations of language development and the impact of trauma on learning. Participants loved the interactive games, and afternoon Q&A sessions where they could discuss some of their more challenging students with the leaders and other teachers in their session.
A lesson in Networking 101
Whenever possible, opportunities were given for participants to network with those working in their speciality areas. On the first afternoon ten blank business cards were handed to each participant. They were asked to write their name and contact details on the card and then to swap their cards with others. The card swap exercise quickly descended into hilarity and chaos but the ice was broken and people began to appreciate the importance of connecting with others who understood their workplace challenges.
Graduation ceremonies and fancy diplomas
Over the years we’d discovered the Khmer love a bit of pomp and ceremony. And who could blame them. This bunch is just one generation away from the total annihilation of their nation’s education system and with that the fuss of graduation ceremonies and elaborately designed diplomas.
At the conclusion of each workshop, all participant received a certificate, a hand shake and round of applause from their peers. Their smiles really says it all!
Follow-up school visits
In addition to running the workshops, the Aussie teachers visited some of the schools of those who’d come to the workshops. This provided workshop participants with an opportunity to receive feedback on their teaching style as well as for the teachers to give professional development to staff who weren’t able to attend the workshops. The Khmer teachers loved showing off their classrooms and the chance to chat about challenging students or difficult classroom management issues in a very hands on way.
And that’s a wrap…
For three years now, this team of exceptional professionals has given up their mid-year school holiday break to spend time investing in the lives of Khmer teachers and leaders. They do so with grace, compassion, empathy and a fabulous sense of humour. Over time, we’ve see teachers grow in confidence as they’re equipped and up-skilled to be more competent educators. Their gratitude and appreciation is enormous and readily expressed which we all appreciate. Needless to say, planning has already begun for the July 2026 teacher training workshops!
