Our friend Drew shares the accomplishments of EYC in 2012
In this Issue of our Newsletter:
End of year fundraising
2012 at a Glance
Student Profile – Ms. Pat Sreymom
EYC Conducts Leadership Training
End of year fundraising - We Need You In 2013
As we look to the New Year, each of us has an opportunity to make an impact on the world around us. We here at EYC hope that you will consider making a donation so that we may continue to impact our students. Our ever-growing number of students depends heavily on the schools and programs of EYC, and we rely upon YOU to help us.
This coming year has the potential to have the largest impact yet. We’ve begun to compile and annualize financial and programmatic output data, so be sure to look for the results next month. The foundation has been set and building has begun; now we need you to help us to keep our classrooms open as we roll out our services to over 500 students everyday. We can’t do it without you, so if you are able and willing, please make a donation. U.S. citizens can make a tax free contribution online via our partner Village Earth by clicking here . Donors outside of the U.S. can make an online donation via our U.K. based partner Camkids by clicking here .
Making a donation with your credit card will take just a few minutes and will go a long way to help those in need.
2012 At a Glance
EYC has evolved and, with your ongoing financial contributions, continues to diversify and grow its program portfolio. Often people view EYC as “the organization providing free English and computer classes.”
While free education is still one of EYC’s pillars, we have grown into an organization that lives its vision, offering programs that better the livelihoods of Cambodian youth using a multi-faceted approach, which we have shown helps to break the vicious cycle of poverty. Some additions in 2012 include;
• Prioritized Job Placement , hiring an experienced professional to find students jobs and internships.
• Provided community organizing training and assistance to our young leaders so they could implement community improvements.
• Rolled out a new school, Impact School , serving 120 young people.
• Hired an IT manager and revamped our computer training .
• Added ABC classes at each of our 4 schools for very young learners.
We are proud of our 2012 accomplishments and thank every financial contributor for enabling us to do this important work.
Student Profile – Ms. Pat Sreymom
Meet Ms. Pat Sreymom. Sreymom is one of those students who truly has benefited from many of EYC’s services. Being the youngest in a family of eight, both her parents worked relentlessly in rice fields to provide for the family’s basic needs, so higher education, proper English skills, and assistance finding quality employment seemed out of Sreymom’s reach.
After graduating high school in 2010 Sreymom moved to Phnom Penh, hoping for a better life, away from the rice fields. While staying with a distant relative along the railroad tracks, Sreymom began studying English and computers at EYC’s Youth School. Beside lots of determination, Sreymom had little going for her and asked our staff that we help her with housing and employment. She could speak some English, and her desperation was convincing that she would work hard if given an opportunity. Sreymom interviewed for a part time job as a cleaner, and started crying during the interview while wanting to convey the importance of her finding work. She got the job, and it has been an uphill climb ever since. She also moved in with EYC’s English teacher, Sreyroth, herself also a university student at the time, and began studying at Aziza School, just downstairs from her new home.
She worked hard and connected with her boss, who found her other jobs cleaning for her friends, which got her stabilized to where she could next focus on studying at university.
She convinced EYC to give her a scholarship to study accounting for the first term. She had a good reputation as a cleaner and began making an above average salary for a Cambodian. She began contributing toward her tuition until she became financially independent and able to pay for all of her university after a few terms.
Hope was becoming evident throughout Sreymom’s life; she no longer struggled with basic English or computer skills, she had moved into a safe and nourishing home with a dear friend, was working jobs she enjoyed and taking care of her own needs for the first time. It was then that Sreymom added something she hadn’t had much of in her life: play.
Sreymom joined EYC’s cycling team, where she has consistently been the strongest female team member, taking 2nd place for the race series. While at a mountain bike race, Sreymom connected with a cycling tour company, Grasshopper Tours, and was recruited to work in their shop. After learning the business, she was promoted to be a day-tour guide, and currently has this job of leading tourists on bike rides through local islands and Cambodian countryside. She is good at her job, and has lots of opportunities to practice her English speaking, which has dramatically improved.
Sreymom was able to get much needed major dental treatment, thanks to a generous donation from Changing Lives Foundation. She was treated for a myriad of dental problems including tooth replacements. EYC covered 50% of the treatment cost and provided the remaining balance to Sreymom as an interest free loan. (EYC is able to provide dental care for all of our under-16 years old students thanks to support from Camkids)
In an effort to promote women in sports, EYC partially helped Sreymom to buy a quality mt bike in 2012. Tragically, her bike was stolen while posing for a team picture after a race earlier this month at Angkor Wat. Sreymom’s heart was broken. When EYC supporter Stacy Farrell, who was at the race, heard the bad news she took a collection and raised enough money to buy a new bike for her. A big relief for Sreymom!
Sreymom also served as a student team leader, was a key player in EYC’s garbage clean-up run by the Community Organizing team, and participated in the Youth Leadership Challenge.
When asked what role EYC played in Sreymom’s adult life and future she was lost for words but said, “EYC touched all parts of my life….my health, my education, my social skills, my employment….There is nothing I can say to show how important EYC is to me. All I can say is THANK YOU to everyone that gives money to EYC to change my life and the life of other people like me. Without your help my life and future would be very different.”
Sreymom is currently a 3rd year accounting student at Phnom Penh’s Vanda Institute.
EYC Conducts Leadership Training
In an ongoing effort to hone effective leadership skills among our students and teachers, we recently graduated a group of 30 of our student leaders from a very professional training based on “The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader” by John C. Maxwell. The eight-session training course was facilitated with the objective of giving EYC students a chance to work in groups, reflect on their personal experiences, and solidify what they learned so they can improve their personal and professional qualities; moving one step closer to becoming a leader in their community.
The training was facilitated by Mr. Rodwell Kov, a Cambodian native who was educated in the U.S. and has extensive international teaching experience. We felt very lucky to have had such a professional volunteer with us, and saw the benefits of having a trainer with both Cambodian and Western perspectives.
Post-training feedback included the students telling how they now have better insights and tools to take action and lead changes, which they intend to deploy in their classes and in their personal lives.
End of year fundraising
2012 at a Glance
Student Profile – Ms. Pat Sreymom
EYC Conducts Leadership Training
End of year fundraising - We Need You In 2013
As we look to the New Year, each of us has an opportunity to make an impact on the world around us. We here at EYC hope that you will consider making a donation so that we may continue to impact our students. Our ever-growing number of students depends heavily on the schools and programs of EYC, and we rely upon YOU to help us.
This coming year has the potential to have the largest impact yet. We’ve begun to compile and annualize financial and programmatic output data, so be sure to look for the results next month. The foundation has been set and building has begun; now we need you to help us to keep our classrooms open as we roll out our services to over 500 students everyday. We can’t do it without you, so if you are able and willing, please make a donation. U.S. citizens can make a tax free contribution online via our partner Village Earth by clicking here . Donors outside of the U.S. can make an online donation via our U.K. based partner Camkids by clicking here .
Making a donation with your credit card will take just a few minutes and will go a long way to help those in need.
2012 At a Glance
EYC has evolved and, with your ongoing financial contributions, continues to diversify and grow its program portfolio. Often people view EYC as “the organization providing free English and computer classes.”
While free education is still one of EYC’s pillars, we have grown into an organization that lives its vision, offering programs that better the livelihoods of Cambodian youth using a multi-faceted approach, which we have shown helps to break the vicious cycle of poverty. Some additions in 2012 include;
• Prioritized Job Placement , hiring an experienced professional to find students jobs and internships.
• Provided community organizing training and assistance to our young leaders so they could implement community improvements.
• Rolled out a new school, Impact School , serving 120 young people.
• Hired an IT manager and revamped our computer training .
• Added ABC classes at each of our 4 schools for very young learners.
We are proud of our 2012 accomplishments and thank every financial contributor for enabling us to do this important work.
Student Profile – Ms. Pat Sreymom
Meet Ms. Pat Sreymom. Sreymom is one of those students who truly has benefited from many of EYC’s services. Being the youngest in a family of eight, both her parents worked relentlessly in rice fields to provide for the family’s basic needs, so higher education, proper English skills, and assistance finding quality employment seemed out of Sreymom’s reach.
After graduating high school in 2010 Sreymom moved to Phnom Penh, hoping for a better life, away from the rice fields. While staying with a distant relative along the railroad tracks, Sreymom began studying English and computers at EYC’s Youth School. Beside lots of determination, Sreymom had little going for her and asked our staff that we help her with housing and employment. She could speak some English, and her desperation was convincing that she would work hard if given an opportunity. Sreymom interviewed for a part time job as a cleaner, and started crying during the interview while wanting to convey the importance of her finding work. She got the job, and it has been an uphill climb ever since. She also moved in with EYC’s English teacher, Sreyroth, herself also a university student at the time, and began studying at Aziza School, just downstairs from her new home.
She worked hard and connected with her boss, who found her other jobs cleaning for her friends, which got her stabilized to where she could next focus on studying at university.
She convinced EYC to give her a scholarship to study accounting for the first term. She had a good reputation as a cleaner and began making an above average salary for a Cambodian. She began contributing toward her tuition until she became financially independent and able to pay for all of her university after a few terms.
Hope was becoming evident throughout Sreymom’s life; she no longer struggled with basic English or computer skills, she had moved into a safe and nourishing home with a dear friend, was working jobs she enjoyed and taking care of her own needs for the first time. It was then that Sreymom added something she hadn’t had much of in her life: play.
Sreymom joined EYC’s cycling team, where she has consistently been the strongest female team member, taking 2nd place for the race series. While at a mountain bike race, Sreymom connected with a cycling tour company, Grasshopper Tours, and was recruited to work in their shop. After learning the business, she was promoted to be a day-tour guide, and currently has this job of leading tourists on bike rides through local islands and Cambodian countryside. She is good at her job, and has lots of opportunities to practice her English speaking, which has dramatically improved.
Sreymom was able to get much needed major dental treatment, thanks to a generous donation from Changing Lives Foundation. She was treated for a myriad of dental problems including tooth replacements. EYC covered 50% of the treatment cost and provided the remaining balance to Sreymom as an interest free loan. (EYC is able to provide dental care for all of our under-16 years old students thanks to support from Camkids)
In an effort to promote women in sports, EYC partially helped Sreymom to buy a quality mt bike in 2012. Tragically, her bike was stolen while posing for a team picture after a race earlier this month at Angkor Wat. Sreymom’s heart was broken. When EYC supporter Stacy Farrell, who was at the race, heard the bad news she took a collection and raised enough money to buy a new bike for her. A big relief for Sreymom!
Sreymom also served as a student team leader, was a key player in EYC’s garbage clean-up run by the Community Organizing team, and participated in the Youth Leadership Challenge.
When asked what role EYC played in Sreymom’s adult life and future she was lost for words but said, “EYC touched all parts of my life….my health, my education, my social skills, my employment….There is nothing I can say to show how important EYC is to me. All I can say is THANK YOU to everyone that gives money to EYC to change my life and the life of other people like me. Without your help my life and future would be very different.”
Sreymom is currently a 3rd year accounting student at Phnom Penh’s Vanda Institute.
EYC Conducts Leadership Training
In an ongoing effort to hone effective leadership skills among our students and teachers, we recently graduated a group of 30 of our student leaders from a very professional training based on “The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader” by John C. Maxwell. The eight-session training course was facilitated with the objective of giving EYC students a chance to work in groups, reflect on their personal experiences, and solidify what they learned so they can improve their personal and professional qualities; moving one step closer to becoming a leader in their community.
The training was facilitated by Mr. Rodwell Kov, a Cambodian native who was educated in the U.S. and has extensive international teaching experience. We felt very lucky to have had such a professional volunteer with us, and saw the benefits of having a trainer with both Cambodian and Western perspectives.
Post-training feedback included the students telling how they now have better insights and tools to take action and lead changes, which they intend to deploy in their classes and in their personal lives.
