Assisting Children to School
Project Overview
The education system in Cambodia is an important bridge between economic and social development. Improved literacy and education amongst especially the rural population can be a key element to improve a agricultural productivity, employment diversification and income growth. Although the percentage of children who start a primary education is relatively high at 80.6%, the drop out rate is also high with only 26.1% making it to lower secondary and 9.3% entering upper secondary. Of this, girls have by far the highest drop out rate especially when they reach the age of puberty and start to take on more responsibility within the house.
Literacy rates are also a concern with only 68.7 % (81% male and 58% female) that schools especially schools in more rural areas are extremely under resourced. More than half a million Cambodian children of primary school age remain out of school, most of them in remote areas. Some of the major reasons for this are….
* The majority of poor children have to work to contribute to the family income
* Families cannot afford to buy school uniforms, supplies and school fees
* Children have difficulty concentrating when in school as they suffer from tiredness from the burden of heavy work and malnutrition which easily leads to early drop out or irregular attendance
*Although in theory parents do understand the importance of education, in reality it is not a priority for them
Distances are too far without any means of transport
Project Outline
Ensured children in Lvea Em district, Kandal province have access to quality education
Accessed children in Lvea Em district, kandal province to primary, secondary and high school
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* 50 previously unschooled or struggling children from four communes in Lvea Em District will have access to the public school system, attending regularly primary and secondary and high school by October 2010.
* 50 children regularly attend a weekly student self study group to support them in their studies and teach them essential faith based life skills/values.
* The local church in Lvea Em will be able to support their local communities in not just spiritual but in physical ways, in the process building valuable relationships and gaining acceptance.
Activities
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* Provide needed funding to cover school materials, extra tuition for children to enable them go to school
* Do home and school visit to ensure the children access to good quality education
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* Organize and support a self study group to help a poor education learning students
* Conduct Student Study Tour program
* Facilitate the student networking among themselves
Supported by AOC, this church and community initiative will give disadvantaged girls and boys from poor families in four communes in Lvea Em Disrict the opportunity to be selected into the project. The criteria will target children who are either to poor, HIV positive children, PLWHA’s children, Orphan or children were put to work by their parent to attend school or those who are in the high drop out ranged due to difficult circumstances.
Each child will be provided with school uniforms, study materials (books, bags, snacks and necessary resources etc) including bicycles if they have to travel long distances to be able to attend school. Families of very poor children who rely on the children working to help provide for the family will also be compensated with rice to help ease the pressure enabling the child to stay in school. The children will be assisted in their studies through a regular study self-study group, headed up by volunteers from the church, where they will be held accountable and be able to receive extra curriculum help so as to help them keep up in school as well as receiving health and biblical study to compliment this.
Impact
Disadvantaged girls and boys from very poor families are able to attend and complete a primary school 
education, giving them the opportunity to break the poverty cycle, succeed in the future and be positive role, models in their families and communities as well as experience fullness of life through and educational and biblical world view. Through our work and partnership with Government and other NGOs, we want the children of Cambodia to have hope for a brighter future - one built on the foundation of an excellent education.
