Don Bosco Kep provides basic, secondary and technical education to poor youth living in the Cambodian provinces of Kep, Kampot, Takeo, Ratanakiri and Mondolkiri. The organization’s educational and social development programs help students break the cycle of poverty in their lives and become contributing members of their communities. Don Bosco Kep provides special attention to children and young people from ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities, orphans and at-risk youth in danger of becoming victims of human trafficking, labor exploitation or other abuses.

“Youth living in poverty are among the least likely to have access to educational programs that provide the skills necessary to lead stable, productive lives,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian missionaries in Cambodia are working to ensure that every child, no matter their situation, has access to education.”

In order to best meet the needs of the youth it serves, Don Bosco Kep is constantly expanding its services. In October 2011, courses in social communication and journalism as well as front office management, housekeeping and tailoring were added to the technical school. In October 2012, an electrical department opened and information technology and language classes began. A year later, the technical school again expanded to include coursework in culinary arts, agriculture, food and beverage, art communication and office administration.

The addition of a farm will help to support the work of the agricultural department which serves to train Cambodian youth in mechanical agriculture while producing food for the technical school to aid its sustainability. Since 2011, the agricultural department has worked with limited resources on a small piece of land inside the school’s campus. Over the past several years, the department has been growing with the addition of more teachers and students and has been making a broader social impact in the regions of Kep, Kampot and Takeo.

In order to sustain this growth, Salesian missionaries have obtained a plot of land near the school for the development of the small farm. Thanks to the support of donors from Germany, Salesian missionaries are planning for new facilities on the land including a classroom, a store for equipment and a farm house. In order to make the land operational, missionaries are working to secure funding for the required fence around the property and for the installation of 10 solar panels that will allow the project to supply its own energy and ensure its sustainability. The project will also require a newly drilled well as Kep Province lacks a public water service. Once completed, the small farm will provide an opportunity for additional hands-on training for the agricultural students and serve to provide a sustainable food source for the technical school.

Cambodia’s long history of violence and conflict has led to almost a quarter of Cambodians living in poverty, according to UNICEF. Since the end of the Khmer Rouge regime, Cambodia’s economy has been strengthening with particular growth in construction, tourism and agriculture. However, Cambodians are still struggling, particularly those living in rural areas where close to 75 percent of the population face seasonal food shortages.

With almost a quarter of Cambodians over the age of 15 illiterate with very little access to education, poor youth find it especially challenging to break the cycle of poverty. To provide youth with greater opportunity, Salesian missionaries in the country operate 45 schools and seven vocational training centers in poor, rural villages through a partnership with Salesian Missions and the Ministry of Education.

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Sources:

Don Bosco Kep

UNICEF – Cambodia 

The post CAMBODIA: Salesian Missionaries Developing Small Farm at Don Bosco Kep to Aid Agriculture Education, Food Production first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Don Bosco Kep was one of 34 programs funded by USAID grants that support construction projects and the purchase of equipment for overseas institutions. For children with disabilities living in Cambodia, access to education is limited and the opportunity to break the cycle of poverty is almost nonexistent. UNICEF notes in its State of the World’s Children 2013: Children with Disabilities report that globally, close to 61 percent of boys finish school but for boys with disabilities that number drops to 51 percent. For girls, 53 percent finish school but among those living with a disability, only 42 percent finish their education.

The UNICEF report also notes that studies across countries show a strong link between poverty and disability, which in turn is linked to gender, health and employment issues. The report further suggests that inclusion in mainstream schools and educational settings is usually most appropriate for children with disabilities and when teachers and personnel are trained to consider disability-related issues, they look upon inclusion of children with disabilities more positively.

Don Bosco Kep provides basic, secondary and technical education to poor youth living in the Cambodian provinces of Kep, Kampot, Takeo, Ratanakiri and Mondolkiri. The school’s educational and social development programs help students  break the cycle of poverty and become contributing members of their communities. Don Bosco Kep provides special attention to children and young people from ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities, orphans and at-risk youth in danger of becoming victims of human trafficking, labor exploitation or other abuses.

“Youth living in poverty are among the least likely to have access to educational programs that provide the skills necessary to lead stable productive lives,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Children living in poverty with a disability are even less likely to attend school when compared to their peers. Salesian missionaries in Cambodia are working to ensure that every child, no matter their situation, has access to education.”

In order to best meet the needs of the youth it serves, Don Bosco Kep is constantly expanding its services. In October 2011, technical education began at the school in social communication and journalism as well as front office management, housekeeping and tailoring. In October 2012, the electrical department opened and the information technology and language classes began. A year later, the school expanded again to include coursework in culinary arts, agriculture, food and beverage, art communication and office administration.

In 2013, Don Bosco Kep began welcoming students with disabilities. One such student, Ang, who is enrolled in the art communications program, was afflicted by polio at a young age and lost his ability to walk. While he does have access to a motorized wheelchair and a motorbike with three wheels that allows him to get to and from the campus buildings and up the ramp to his classrooms, he still requires assistance. The art school is located on the second floor of the youth center building and the male residence is on the third. It is only with assistance from his classmates that he is able to access those areas of the building, which often leaves Ang feeling like a burden to those around him.

With the newly acquired USAID funding, Don Bosco Kep plans to make specific modifications including the installation of elevators in the main buildings, the construction of ramps to access areas for community gatherings and the creation of a students’ and teachers’ residence with all of the modifications that will allow those with physical disabilities to live and attend school independently.

Jaime Correa-Montalvo, program director at the Salesian Missions Office for International Programs headquartered in New Rochelle, New York, recently visited the campus of Don Bosco Kep to oversee the implementation of the new grant.

“We appreciate the funding from USAID that will allow Salesian missionaries to transform the Don Bosco Kep campus to welcome and giver greater access to students with physical disabilities,” says Correa-Montalvo. “The new construction modifications will open up the campus allowing students to have better access from building to building and have a greater degree of self-sufficiency.”

Cambodia’s long history of violence and conflict has led to almost a quarter of Cambodians living in poverty, according to UNICEF. Since the end of the Khmer Rouge regime, Cambodia’s economy has been strengthening with particular growth in construction, tourism and agriculture. However, Cambodians are still struggling, particularly those living in rural areas where close to 75 percent of the population face seasonal food shortages.

With almost a quarter of Cambodians over the age of 15 illiterate with very little access to education, poor youth find it especially challenging to break the cycle of poverty. To provide youth with greater opportunity, Salesians in the country operate 45 schools and seven vocational training centers in poor, rural villages through a partnership with Salesian Missions and the Ministry of Education.

Sources

Don Bosco Kep

UNICEF – State of the World’s Children 2013: Children with Disabilities

UNICEF – Cambodia

USAID – USAID Announces Awards to Support Schools and Hospitals Abroad

The post CAMBODIA: Don Bosco Kep Awarded USAID Grant to Provide Greater Access for Students with Physical Disabilities first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The three recipients of the book donation, Don Bosco Technical School Kep, Don Bosco Technical School Phnom Penh and Don Bosco Poipet Center, plan to utilize the new books in classrooms as additional resources to their current technical education materials. The book donation will also provide teachers another educational supplement for their lessons.

“A new book in the hands of a student opens him or her up to the opportunities that are available through education,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco headquartered in New Rochelle, NY. “While this is true whether it takes place down the street or across the globe, it is especially powerful in places like Cambodia.”

Cambodia has a long history of violence that has resulted in a quarter of Cambodians living in poverty and surviving on less than $1 per day, according to the World Bank. About 80 percent of the country’s population resides in rural areas and has limited access to education, healthcare and other public services.

Today, close to a quarter of Cambodians over the age of 15 are illiterate. With very little access to education, poor youth find it especially challenging to break the cycle of poverty. To provide youth with greater opportunity, Salesians in the country operate 45 schools in poor, rural villages through a partnership between Salesian Missions and the Ministry of Education. In addition, Salesians operate seven vocational training centers that impart much needed job skills.

The book donation was comprised of more than 80 boxes of books covering a variety of subjects including business, science and computer programming. All the books have been made available in the classrooms and school libraries at the three technical institutions.

One of the recipients, Don Bosco Technical School Kep, specializes in technical education for disadvantaged youth from poor communities in the provinces of Kep, Kompot and Takaew (a region particularly disadvantaged when it comes to access to professional education). In order to best meet the needs of the youth it serves, Don Bosco Kep is constantly expanding its services.

In October 2011, technical education began at the school in social communication and journalism as well as front office management, housekeeping and tailoring. In October 2012, the electrical department opened and information technology and language classes began. A year later, the school expanded again to include coursework in culinary arts, agriculture, food and beverage, art communication and office administration.

Another recipient, the Don Bosco Poipet Center, provides education to poor youth from the Banteay Meanchey province and the Western region of Cambodia. The center focuses on services for homeless youth and orphans, child victims of human trafficking, child workers and other at-risk youth. Youth are provided access to residential services, vocational and technical training and a youth center that provides additional services focused on literacy, reintegration for homeless youth and a sports program that helps youth develop positive social interactions with their peers.

“Salesian technical education students have the incredible potential to continue their studies and become leaders in Cambodia and later work to make sure that education can be available and accessible to all,” adds Fr. Hyde. “Not only is education about learning to read and write, it’s the foundation for a career and a secure livelihood.”

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Sources

World Bank – Cambodia

Don Bosco Cambodia

The post CAMBODIA: More Than 2,000 Students Have Better Access to Technical Education Thanks to Recent Book Donation Coordinated by Salesian Missions first appeared on MissionNewswire.

With almost a quarter of Cambodians over the age of 15 illiterate with very little access to education, poor youth find it especially challenging to break the cycle of poverty. To provide youth with greater opportunity, Salesians in the country operate 45 schools and seven vocational training centers in poor, rural villages through a partnership with Salesian Missions and the Ministry of Education.

For children with disabilities living in Cambodia, access to education is limited and the opportunity to break the cycle of poverty is almost nonexistent. UNICEF notes in its State of the Worlds Children 2013: Children with Disabilities report that globally, close to 61 percent of boys finish school but for boys with disabilities that number drops to 51 percent. For girls, 53 percent finish school but among those living with a disability, only 42 percent finish their education.

UNICEF notes that studies across countries show a strong link between poverty and disability, which in turn is linked to gender, health and employment issues. UNICEF’s report further suggests that inclusion in mainstream schools and educational settings is usually most appropriate for children with disabilities, and when teachers and personnel are trained to consider disability-related issues, they look upon inclusion of children with disabilities more positively.

Don Bosco Technical School Kep, located in southern Cambodia, is in the process of seeking funding to make the necessary modifications to their campus to allow for better inclusion of students with physical disabilities.

“Youth living in poverty are among the least likely to have access to educational programs that provide the skills necessary to lead stable productive lives,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Children living in poverty with a disability are even less likely to attend school when compared to their peers. Salesians in Cambodia are working to ensure that access to education is something afforded to every child no matter their situation.”

Don Bosco Kep specializes in technical education for disadvantaged youth from poor communities in the provinces of Kep, Kompot and Takaew (a region particularly disadvantaged when it comes to access to professional education). In order to best meet the needs of the youth it serves, Don Bosco Kep is constantly expanding its services. In October 2011, technical education began at the school in social communication and journalism as well as front office management, housekeeping and tailoring. In October 2012, the electrical department opened and the information technology and language classes began. A year later, the school expanded again to include coursework in culinary arts, agriculture, food and beverage, art communication and office administration.

In 2013, Don Bosco Kep began welcoming students with disabilities like Ang, a young student enrolled in the art communications program. Ang was affected by polio at a young age and lost his ability to walk. While he does have access to a motorized wheelchair and a motorbike with three wheels that allows him to get to and from the campus buildings and up the ramp to his classrooms, he still requires assistance. The art school is located on the second floor of the youth center building and the male residence is on the third. It is only with assistance from his classmates that he is able to access those areas of the building, which often leaves Ang feeling like a burden to those around him.

Once funding has been secured, Don Bosco Kep plans to make specific modifications like installing elevators in the main buildings, constructing ramps to access areas for community gatherings and creating a students’ and teachers’ residence with all of the modifications that will allow those with physical disabilities to live and attend school independently.

“Youth with disabilities have the same ability to achieve as their peers, if given the opportunity,” adds Fr. Hyde. “Don Bosco Kep is working to make sure that all students have access to the opportunity to lead fulfilling lives and contribute to the social, cultural and economic vitality of their communities.”

To help support the Salesians efforts to make Don Bosco Kep accessible, please go to SalesianMissions.org and donate.

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Sources:

Don Bosco Kep Cambodia

Salesian Missions – Work in Cambodia

UNICEF – State of the World’s Children 2013: Children with Disabilities

UNICEF – Cambodia 

The post CAMBODIA: Making Access to Education Possible for Youth with Disabilities first appeared on MissionNewswire.