Education Program
YEAR
2012 – present
ISSUE
The few hours a day of basic formal public schooling alone, is not enough to break through the poverty cycle.
TEAM
13 caring professional teachers and mentors.
IMPACT
Over 900 students enrolled in free lessons in Math, English, I.T, Health & Morality, Art and Sport.
The Issue
- It’s hard to study when you’re hungry. Around 30% of local children are underweight, and 45% are stunted due to nutritional deficiencies.
- The few hours a day of basic public Khmer schooling does not equip students with the knowledge and development needed to break the poverty cycle.
- Additionally, the public school system does not have the resources to develop the ‘whole child’, including their health and nutrition; instilling students with core values and sense of self worth.
Sadly, denied the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills needed for gainful future employment, children are left to perpetuate the cycle of poverty.
Poverty is one of the single greatest predictors of vulnerability to trafficking. When people are struggling to pay for food or rent, school, or for health care, they become desperate for solutions. They become easy targets for traffickers. Combined with other factors like lack of education that prevent them from attaining legal work, they are ripe for exploitation.
How We Address It:
Our free Education program operates under the guidelines of and in alignment with the Ministry of Education Youth and Sport, Ministry of Tourism, and the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training.
Innovative teachers and a child friendly school, combined with established curriculums provide the perfect learning environment for our little ones to thrive. The children love coming to Feeding Dreams where they can play, learn, eat and enjoy some sense of a childhood.
The program includes:
- English language lessons, allowing access to a huge range of employment opportunities inaccessible to non-English speaking Cambodians. English is not taught in the public school system.
- Computer lessons. As the children of impoverished families, FDC provides their only access to computers and the vital skills fundamental to good jobs in a modernising economy. In the public Cambodian school system, young children have no access to computers at all.
- Nutritional food and clean water. It’s hard to study when you’re hungry, or ill from malnutrition and waterborne diseases. Around 30% of local impoverished children are underweight, and 45% stunted due to nutritional deficiencies. FDC Kids are ensured access to filtered water and a good meal every day at school.
- Accredited Maths, and Morality, Health, and Hygiene lessons . Essential education in work and life skills. Enabling students to understand their basic human rights, helping them recognise and avoid violence, exploitation and trafficking.
- Art and sports. Organised sports and art allow for the development of self-expression, critical and creative thinking skills, teamwork, and motivates students to enjoy learning. The public school system provides some sports and physical education for the children but the time allocated within the curriculum is limited.
- First aid treatment and medical support. All students have access to at times lifesaving support for problems that would likely otherwise go untreated.
For many of our students the few hours a day attending Feeding Dreams is the only time they get to be “kids” – building skills, self-worth, confidence, and most importantly, hope for a brighter future. Replacing time they would be required to engage in child labour with learning and organised play , free from the hardships of collecting rubbish and chronic hunger.
Feeding Dreams Cambodia Education Support
Break the cycle and donate US$20 / AU$30 / GBP£15 / CAD$25 per month (tax deductible) to support our Education Program
US$25
Will Provide
250 Pens and Pencils
US$50
Will Provide
200 Exercise Books
US$100
Will Provide
15 School Backpacks