Susie Lachal from Running Water Project was the club guest speaker on 13 March 2024. From 2005, efforts have focussed on Cambodia, to rebuild its educational system from bottom to top. Cambodian teachers in small villages and cities have been supported through teacher education, professional development, curriculum development as well as improved classroom amenities resulting in increased school retention, particularly for girls.
Since 2009, Susie has had a long-standing relationship with the Camberwell Rotary Club partnering to assist government schools in Kampong Thom, Cambodia. The work is centered on Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) combined with Menstrual Health Management (MHM) for around 14,500 students, 350 teachers across 60 schools. Before and after the classroom upgrade above.Some of the Camberwell Rotary Club funding achievements in education in Kampong Thom include:
- 2009-2014 teacher training workshops for 6 years ($2,000 per annum)
- 2015-2018 transportation costs for teachers from rural areas to the Provincial Teacher Training College to attend professional development workshops for 5 days ($4,000 per annum – equivalent to around $10 per teacher)
- 2016 clean running water and toilet projects in school
- 2017-2019 2 x 3 classroom buildings constructed on 2 sites
- 2018 purchase of school furniture for a rural secondary school of 120 students ($8,000)
Below is the before and after the school's refurbishment.
The process of the delivery of services is initiated with a meeting with principals and village chiefs to discuss their needs and what can be offered. An agreed plan is jointly formed with the principal’s responsibility agreeing to maintain the infrastructure and be notified when repairs and maintenance are required.
All materials are purchased locally, and local trades are engaged from Kampong Thom. Villagers and students volunteer their time to help digging trenches, painting etc.
