We ended the day with a visit to Sangkheum Center, an orphanage in Siem Reap that provides education, vocational training, and care to disadvantaged, neglected, and orphaned children in the area. The center is a beautiful complex with great people doing great things for children in Cambodia. Besides serving as a home for over fifty children, the center offers extra tutoring in English, health care, sports, leisure trips, and training.
One of the training programs the Center provides is traditional Khmer music and dancing. The idea is to not only give the children an appreciation of their culture, but also give them a skill for future employment. The students are given formal instruction every Sunday and perform throughout the area. They gave us a performance at their school, and it’s nearly impossible to put it into words. Beautiful, entertaining, impressive, touching … it really has to be seen and heard to understand.
Sangkheum Center is an example of great people doing great things for great kids. We can help by staying in touch, connecting our kids with their kids, and providing some financial support. It’s a perfect service learning connection for the middle school.
If there is one thing I learned on this trip, it's that kids rule.
No comments:
Post a Comment