A book to help Cambodian school kids.

Cambodia is one of the most impoverished countries on earth, with about 66% of the population existing on $1 a day. For people in the poor rural village of Ang Chagn Chass outside Siem Reap, things are even harder, especially for the children. Many of them couldn't make the 9km trip to the nearest school or didn't have money for uniforms or books, so they were forced to work in the fields or help make money so their families could eat. Their opportunities in life are few, especially for the girls, like begging, selling things in the streets to tourists, or unfortunately getting exploited in the sex industry.

But that all changed when an American businessman, Danny Spitler, and his family collaborated with a wonderful local Cambodian man named Mr. Chea Sarin to build a real school for the kids in this village. It started humbly - with just a latrine and one concrete room for 50 students, but 8 years later it's grown into a whole educational and community compound that helps about 400 kids a school year and a satellite location. Not only does it give the kids a free first class education but aids them in the practical necessities and life skills they'll need to better their lives and the lives of their families and village.

The Spitler School is privately funded thanks to the Spitlers, outside contributions, and volunteers. To celebrate the children, and raise more money for their educations, we're putting together a book with this campaign, containing stories, essays, and photos from the children, and also mixed media information about their school, their lives, their village, and the struggles but also beauty of Cambodia.

With your donation we can pull off the nuts and bolts of this project and also the small cost of travel, research, technology, and the bigger cost to self publish, print, and distribute this book. The eBook will be available on Kindle and sold all over the world and a printed version of the book will be sold via Amazon.com in the United States, with all proceeds going to the children and the school in perpetuity.

For more info about the school you can go read my blog 
 about my first visit there or go to the official Spitler School 
website.

I appreciate the love and can't wait to share with you the remarkable stories and indomitable joy and spirit of the children!

-Norm :-)