Category: Cambodia

The Goducate music program in the Philippines has been extremely successful. Many students have got back into school or been able to continue their education on the strength of their music ability. Those who have formed the orchestra have been able to earn money by playing at various events. Others are able to earn money by giving music lessons. Along the way they have learnt qualities such as discipline, endurance, diligence, teamwork.

Now the program has been introduced at the Goducate Children’s Home in Cambodia. Three Goducate musicians from The Philippines spent 10 days at the Home giving the children intensive recorder, keyboard, violin, and flute lessons. Despite some apprehension on the part of the teachers about having to teach in quite a different culture, the training went smoothly. After all, learning music knows no limits, works beyond borders, conquers cultural diversity, and overcomes language difficulties. By the fourth day most of the children were able to play simple songs such as Happy Birthday and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

The chance to learn to play a musical instrument is beyond the wildest dreams of many children in developing countries, what more for abandoned children, such as those we have at the Children’s Home. We hope that the musical training being offered to these children will help widen their education, increase their confidence, give them hope for the future, and perhaps offer them a means of earning a living. Goducate’s aim is always to help the needy help themselves.

Construction of the workshop for the vocational training of the boys at the Goducate Children’s Home in Cambodia has started. And most of the work is being done by the boys themselves. Each boy does his part according to his strength and capability. The smaller boys do much of the fetching and carrying.

Some also mix cement.

So far the boys have received their vocational training informally, by pitching in and helping with whatever is being done at the Home. However, the plan now is to provide vocational training more systematically, hence the construction of the workshop. The workshop will be suitable for training in skills such as welding, electrical work, motor-vehicle repair and servicing, and carpentry.

Working on projects such as this brings out the best in the boys. They learn teamwork, endurance, discipline, and creative thinking. They also gain a sense of fulfillment as they assess what has been accomplished at the end of each day.

The children at the Goducate Children’s Home in Cambodia are busy digging their newest and largest fish pond. It will be three times as as large as any of the existing ponds. The children are working on it in the afternoons after their formal classes. They hope to get the pond done before the rainy season starts in June.

This new pond is intended for white pinkish tilapia, which are larger and more expensive than the black ones being reared in the existing ponds. We hope to start with 100 fish.

Fish rearing has been introduced at the Home not only to provide food for the children but also for the market. It is part of the livelihood training program and a means of helping the Home become self-sustainable one day. These aims are in keeping with Goducate’s mission to help the needy help themselves and with its desire that its projects should work towards sustainability.