School new building in Battambang, Cambodia

Challenges in Cambodia

Cambodia has an unfortunate history in which people’s lives were destroyed progressively and exponentially as successive regimes gained and then lost power following Cambodia’s independence from France in 1953. During the Khmer Rouge regime between 1975 and 1978, and the 13 years of civil unrest that followed, the Cambodian people were subjected to extreme violation of their rights and genocide. At least 1.5 million Cambodians died while under the Khmer Rouge regime. Forcefully evacuated from their homes and separated from their families, Cambodians continue to suffer from long periods of starvation, forced labour and extreme hardship. After more than two decades of civil war, Cambodia has become one of the poorest and least developed countries in South-East Asia, with low adult literacy and high drop out and repetition rates in primary and secondary schools.

Why Build Schools?

Every child deserves access to quality education and a safe and secure learning environment is essential for educational success. It has been proven that education is one of the most important factors to eradicating poverty. Education is the building block of every society and we believe education is a fundamental human right.

Building Schools in Cambodia

While main cities such as Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, may seem to be thriving due to the blooming tourism industry and assistance received from the high influx of non-government and community-based organisations, development is not evenly spread in Cambodia. Many families continue their struggle to make ends meet, as the majority of villages outside cities remain invisible, unsupported and have no share in the socio-economic growth. This coupled with the very poor condition of school buildings, means that education takes second place, as parents fear for their children’s safety. Although most of the communities understand the importance of education, they lack the resources and ability to provide clean drinking water and basic school and sanitary facilities. Hence, building schools in Cambodia is critical for increasing students’ participation in education.

Our Model

We partner with local non-governmental organisations (NGO), who have the vision, drive and community standing to create change. Empowering locals creates positive change. As projects progress, and all the way through to completion, we create proof of impact reports for our donors with updates, photos and GPS co-ordinates on Google maps. We encourage our supporters to visit the projects they are donating for to help them feel and see the impact of their generosity and have a first-hand experience.

Approach

Guided by a bottom-up approach, community leaders and the school committees are engaged in close collaboration and consultation to develop and construct the facilities. Classroom of Sustainable Development Community e. V. believe in fostering positive relationships with the communities, as it enables us to understand their real needs and ensure the projects’ sustainability. Through regular follow-ups and communication, we remain sensitive to their needs even after the project is completed, enabling us to continue supporting them in promoting education and increasing participation in school.

Architecture Design

Budget & Reporting

Depending on the size of the student population, the construction of a school building (with 3 to 6 classrooms) costs 40,000 € to 70,000 € and accommodates around 75 to 200 students. It is also possible to contribute part of the total cost of a school building (e.g. 50%). As with all our projects, a detailed final report will be provided together with a financial reconciliation, within two months of project completion.