Goducate … Go And Educate! – Page 202 – Helping Asians Help Themselves

2010-12-312010-12-31

Visit by the Goducate Children’s Home to the USS Mustin

The children from the Goducate children’s home in Prey Nob, near Sihanoukville Cambodia, had a big treat early this month – they were invited by the United States Navy to tour one of the guided missile destroyers from the 7th Fleet – the USS Mustin!

The children, over 40 of them, queued up and were orderly and well behaved as they boarded the destroyer, and they were divided into two groups. During the tour, the boys were allowed to pose with the big guns, and they had a field day indeed! Perhaps some of them had now determined to join the Navy when they grow up!

The USS Mustin often calls at the port of Sihanoukville, Cambodia, and act as goodwill ambassadors, giving their time and resources to the poor in Cambodia.

The US Navy had been involved in community work with the Goducate children’s home since early 2010. The kids received free dental treatment from the Navy dentists during an earlier visit, and the Navy also sponsored the purchase and installation of several ceiling fans at the Children’s Home.

Goducate looks forward to more opportunities for co-operation with the US Navy in the near future.

2010-12-29

Goducate musicians play for the town

On Dec 16, 2010, our town of Bay had an orchestra playing in public for the first time—-and the orchestra was the Goducate orchestra! We were invited by the mayor to play Christmas carols for the town.

Our musicians and their parents were excited but also worried. Since it was the first time an orchestra was playing in the town, we did not know how many people would turn up. About 300 people came to enjoy the music.

Not only did our orchestra perform. So did 34 selected students from those attending our music and feeding programme in neighbouring villages; they formed a band playing the recorder. Most of these students had started to learn to play the recorder only about a month ago. Denver, who accompanied the recorder band on the keyboard, is only 10 years old.

After the mayor’s speech I was invited to introduce the orchestra and to explain why we started music tutorials. At the end of the concert, we were given a token of appreciation. Unexpectedly, the mayor also announced that he would commit 5000 pesos (USD 112) to our orchestra, and he invited us to play again on Sat Dec 18. In addition, one of the town councillors promised to donate uniforms for our recorder players because she noticed that they were wearing their own school uniforms. We plan to use the 5000 pesos from the mayor to get uniforms for the members of our orchestra.

The concert scheduled for Dec 18 did not materialize because of the rain. We took shelter in the town hall until 8 pm, taking photographs with Santa Claus. Later we took the children sightseeing around the town, which they enjoyed very much.

2010-12-272011-01-28

Progress at Goducate’s first backyard farm

On Dec 13 I reported on how Goducate model-farm manager went to Dayap village to help start up our first backyard (or frontyard) farm. He has since returned to Nanayanita’s vegetable patch. The pictures show how the long-bean plants have grown.

Nanayanita and two other women from Dayap also visited our model farm to learn what can be done. These other two women have also started frontyard farming at home.