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Progress Report: Fall 2003

Our school building is finished. Here you see it as the construction is just winding up. It is a little wider and a taller than usual for a two room school, but we are adding a room, so the proportions will even out. Thanks to you generous contributors, the school is paid for and we also have funds to complete the bathroom. Poum Steing residents are very happy with their beautiful new school. The quality of the construction is good and the building should last for many years.

Our school building is finished. Here you see it as the construction is just winding up. It is a little wider and a taller than usual for a two room school, but we are adding a room, so the proportions will even out. Thanks to you generous contributors, the school is paid for and we also have funds to complete the bathroom. Poum Steing residents are very happy with their beautiful new school. The quality of the construction is good and the building should last for many years.

The other completed project is the well. Here you can see a father and son using it. Notice how much good, clean water we are getting. Not only is it working fine, the drilling cost is paid. We still need to add fill between it and the school and pour concrete around the base. We are also considering the addition of a storage tank. Again, the village is pleased.

	The interior rooms of the school are quite beautiful. The roof tiles glow in the light and the windows frame the vegetation outside. The high ceiling makes it relatively cool inside. Here you see the interior and some of the roof tiles. The benches are yet to be installed. This will be done by September, when school starts. We will have four teachers, two for the morning classes and two in the afternoon. The planned addition will be used to store the school supplies and sewing machines (see below)

The interior rooms of the school are quite beautiful. The roof tiles glow in the light and the windows frame the vegetation outside. The high ceiling makes it relatively cool inside. Here you see the interior and some of the roof tiles. The benches are yet to be installed. This will be done by September, when school starts. We will have four teachers, two for the morning classes and two in the afternoon. The planned addition will be used to store the school supplies and sewing machines (see below)

We had a small party when construction was finished and invited the District Superintendent of Schools to attend. He was delighted with the School and asked Sarith to thank all the Americans who contributed. He said that the School District will support the school and pay the teachers (one of whom is Sariths nephew). We promised to add $10 per month to each teachers salary to make this remote placement attractive to good teachers. While we knew we had official approval to build, we had not expected this degree of support and this assurance of continuity for the school.

We had a small party when construction was finished and invited the District Superintendent of Schools to attend. He was delighted with the School and asked Sarith to thank all the Americans who contributed. He said that the School District will support the school and pay the teachers (one of whom is Sariths nephew). We promised to add $10 per month to each teachers salary to make this remote placement attractive to good teachers. While we knew we had official approval to build, we had not expected this degree of support and this assurance of continuity for the school.

The poorest children in the village do not go to school and have little chance to escape poverty. We decided that instead of buying school uniforms as we did last year, we would hire a teacher to teach some poor local kids to sew uniforms. After the initial investment, we can make our own uniforms at no extra cost while providing vocational training. Contributors from Cambridge bought 7 sewing machines to make this possible.

	Sarith talked to the mayor and the older villagers to find the families most in need. Here is the house of one of these families. The father died and there are many children. The older daughter bikes to Siem Reap to get work, which is not always available. Sometimes the family goes hungry, so we gave them a large bag of rice to tide them over until this daughter learns to sew.

	Here you see this girl beginning to learn to sew. Sariths sister-in-law is helping her learn how to use the treadle on the sewing machine. We provide a stipend as she is learning and then she will earn a piece rate. She can already make a uniform, but it takes her all day. She will be able to make at least two per day and earn more than she did wor doing construction.

We have 6 girls learning to sew. Those who learn (and we expect them all to be able to learn this) will get a certificate of training they can use to find work in the garment industry. We also are hiring a teacher for an evening literacy class for them and anyone who wishes to learn to read and write. Those who work construction are much too tired at night to study, but the sewing students will be less exhausted. We hope this generation can learn to support themselves and their family. Here you see the sewing teacher and a student.

We have 6 girls learning to sew. Those who learn (and we expect them all to be able to learn this) will get a certificate of training they can use to find work in the garment industry. We also are hiring a teacher for an evening literacy class for them and anyone who wishes to learn to read and write. Those who work construction are much too tired at night to study, but the sewing students will be less exhausted. We hope this generation can learn to support themselves and their family. Here you see the sewing teacher and a student.

	We keep the machines safe at a private home On the highway. The teacher doesnt like to go to this remote village and would charge more for this. As the students learn and the addition is built, we will move them to Poem Steing. We did not plan to do so much, but we had funds to run the school and discovered this need. We will make as many uniforms as we bought last year plan to raise money for the addition to house the sewing machines. We thank you for your generosity to these children and their village.

We keep the machines safe at a private home On the highway. The teacher doesnt like to go to this remote village and would charge more for this. As the students learn and the addition is built, we will move them to Poem Steing. We did not plan to do so much, but we had funds to run the school and discovered this need. We will make as many uniforms as we bought last year plan to raise money for the addition to house the sewing machines. We thank you for your generosity to these children and their village.

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