Spring 2025
Dear friends and family,
I hope you all are keeping well. It’s spring time. What a beautiful time of year and my favourite season. New growth… warmer, and feels fresher!
I thought I’d take some time to let you know the progress from our scholarship program and Education Centre—alongside some critical context about the unfolding border tensions.
Education Centre
Life at the Centre is vibrant as ever. English, maths, computer skills, and life-skills classes are full of eager learners. Attendance remains high, and we’ve recently refreshed key learning materials, keeping the environment safe, nurturing, and inspiring for all that come.
See below for ways to help the Centre grow and offer stability to these earnest students.
Scholarships
Our scholarship recipients continue to excel. Mid-year exam results show significant improvement, and we’re excited about the confidence and leadership blossoming among them. Their stories of perseverance remind me every day why your support matters so much. They in turn are also supporting, teaching and mentoring younger students which is so precious to witness.
Community
You would’ve recently received our project email regarding the border conflict and the need for providing basic supplies to the families in the border areas that are now displaced and living in “safe-camps”. I thought I would include some facts here that will help you understand the situation and to give you some more clarity and context of the needs these people are facing.
Recent Clashes & Human Toll: Heavy fighting broke out on July 24 around the Prasat Ta Muen Thom (Preah Vihear) area and the “Emerald Triangle,” involving artillery, airstrikes, and rocket fire. It has been the worst flare-up in more than a decade, resulting in over 40 reported deaths and hundreds of thousands displaced—about 138,000 in Thailand and 80,000 in Cambodia.
Ceasefire Status: A Malaysia-brokered “immediate and unconditional” ceasefire came into effect on July 28 through talks facilitated by ASEAN, the U.S., and China. While it has largely held, both nations continue to accuse each other of violations.
Even with the ceasefire, landmine incidents and troop build-ups persist. Efforts to monitor the ceasefire include ASEAN observer deployment.
As highlighted in the recent email I sent we are putting together survival kits to send to the displaced families in the border region. The kits include rice and noodles, some cooking utensils, mosquito nets, tarpaulins and a few toys for the kids.
We are aiming around $50 for a kit.
If you can help in anyway please do! I will head there mid-September to oversee the distribution along with a some teams from a few other NGO’s here.
Thank you for the responses I’ve already received and generous contributions to help.
I never take for granted the help that I receive. Every exam passed, every skill acquired, every moment of confidence is made possible by you. In turbulent times, your kindness provides stability and opportunity. Thank you for standing with these young people — and for uplifting our community when it matters most.
A quick glance on how you can help:
Option 1 – Support Through Giving
If you’d like to continue making a difference, please consider a gift toward scholarships or the Education Centre. Even a small contribution helps keep a child learning in a safe and supportive environment.
Option 2 – Spread the Word
One of the most powerful ways you can help is by sharing this project with your family and friends. The more people who know about the Centre, the stronger our support network becomes.
Option 3 – Stay Connected
We’d love to keep you updated. Please reply to this email if you’d like to receive student stories, prayer points, or opportunities to be more involved.
Option 4 - “12 Months of Education” Sponsorship Campaign
Each month, it costs $720 to keep the education centre running: covering teachers, supplies, meals, and utilities.
This year, (academic year starts in October here) we are inviting friends to sponsor a month. My dream is to find 12 generous sponsors — one for each month of the year — who will cover the centre’s monthly expenses.
Here’s how it works:
• Choose a month to sponsor for $720
• Your name (or your family / business / life group name) will be celebrated as that month’s Education Partner (or you can opt to be anonymous) or maybe you would even like to dedicate a month in honour of somebody special…
• You’ll receive photos, art work updates, and a thank you message from the children during “your” month
• Together, all 12 sponsors will ensure a full year of hope, stability, and education for these kids. And it’s all tax deductible! Win win…
Imagine the impact: for one month, YOU make it possible for every lesson to be taught, every smile to shine, every child to dream.
If you can’t sponsor a full month you can still share a month with a friend or contribute part of the cost — every gift counts!
There are 12 spots available, and once they’re filled, we’ll have the entire year secured.
So far we have two months sponsored for this next year. Knowing each month is covered will take a lot of pressure off the day-to-day activities, scholarships and the community focuses that still need funding.
As always your support and compassion keeps me both hopeful and resilient here in Cambodia.
Thank you for standing with us. Together, we are making a difference.
With gratitude,
Arohanui,
Annie