Cambodian Kids Care Center Needs Your Help!

Hey there! My name is Becka Wright and I just returned from volunteer teaching at Cambodian Kids Care Center (CKCC) on Koh Chang in Thailand. I've been teaching for 20 years in the US, and the days I spent teaching at CKCC completely changed my perspective on teaching in the best of all possible ways. I experienced first-hand what a truly child-centered educational experience looks and feels like, and how it can be accomplished with so few resources.

The children who attend CKCC are unable to access Thai elementary schools for a number of reasons, whether it is undocumented status, extreme poverty, or other "red tape" issues. Kru Uan, who is the head teacher of CKCC, donates his time and energy to give his students a safe place to learn and grow both academically and social-emotionally year-round. He transports the children to and from school in an old converted pickup truck and cooks them a nutritious meal every day for lunch. As he said to me, "the focus here is not on education, it is on the children," and the aim is to help these children break the cycle of poverty and find new pathways forward by not only learning English in addition to other academic subjects, but also on learning how to use friendship and a family-style environment to support one another as they face day-to-day challenges.

Because the school is funded solely by donations, its ongoing existence is always in question. It costs about $10,000USD to run the school annually -- this includes rent, electricity, groceries, and whatever few supplies that can be purchased to support the students' learning endeavors.

These children are vibrant, brilliant, witty, and determined. They need so many more resources, but the small amount of donations that the school receives is not enough to keep their needs met for the long term. Funds will be used to pay rent and utility bills, purchase groceries and assorted school supplies including notebooks, reading and math instructional materials and manipulatives, pencils, scissors, art/craft supplies, and games of all kinds to help the kids remain fully engaged in their experience.

Please help support these amazing students and their tireless and their selfless teacher by donating to this fundraiser. Thank you!