Tuesday 28 April 2015

Everything was awesome !

Fundraising Disco

Everything was awesome for the Princess 'n Pirate disco at Coutts Crossing Hall.  A smaller turnout than we'd hoped but with some momentum we can make it a bigger event next year and the kids that did attend had an awesome time.  A huge thank you to SMILE productions for donating their time and coming all the way from Coffs Harbour.  If you are looking for a professional organisation to run  an event for children, Andrew and his crew do a wonderful job. Also, a thank you to the Nymboida Canoe Centre for allowing us to use their bus to take the kids from Nymboida to Coutts Crossing and to Bob Warner for volunteering his time to drive them all and of course to all the parents and kids that supported the event


Kids having fun at the dance

Nymboida Markets

Toni is back every second Nymboida Market, selling produce from our little farm and items we've brought back from organisations we support in Cambodia.  The money from the sales at the market goes to the Cambodian fund, so if you're looking for a hand made sarong bag from the ladies at COLT or soaps from the Goodwill Centre, see Toni at the market stall.


Barb modelling scarves


The lovely Ruth, modelling a sarong bag and scarf


Don't forget to attend the huge Nymboida Mothers Day Market on 10 May, starting at 8am.

Due to time commitments Toni can only attend every second market (once a month) if anyone wants to volunteer their time to attend the alternate market to sell items, just speak to Toni and we'd love to have you help out ! That way we'd have the stall at every market (once a fortnight)

Jumble Sale

Just a small reminder ahead of the impending biannual Jumble Sale.  We rely on goods donated to sell at the sale, our biggest fundraising event.  You can drop goods off at our house or we can collect them from you.  Please contact Toni p: 6649 4263 or e: cookie1616@gmail.com if you want to help with donations.

We will be having the jumble sale in conjunction with the Nymboida Market on 21 June.

Donors

We have several wonderful people who have set up regular donations into the fund raising account. Regular donations allow us to commit to projects that are ongoing.  If we had more regular donations (a few dollars each week or fortnight from several people goes a long way) we would be able to fund more longer term projects in education and health,  our two main priorities.  If you are interested in donating, you can set up a regular funds transfer from your bank account to the fundraising account, details of which are here

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Monday 13 April 2015

"Think I better dance now !"

Fund Raising Dance

Andrew from Smile Productions in Coffs Harbour has donated his organisation to put on a Kids Disco at the Coutts Crossing Hall this Saturday, 18 April.  Andrew does a great job and the kids will have an awesome time !

We have a free bus organised from Nymboida to take any local kids to Coutts Crossing.  The bus leaves from the Nymboida bus stop at 5:30pm and returns at 8:30pm

Costs are $10 a head and include light refreshments 

A huge thank you to local Nymboidan man about town, Bob Warner, for donating his time to drive the bus and to the Nymboida Canoe Centre for allowing us to use their bus.

All funds raised go to helping organisations we support in Cambodia

Booking are essential:
Contact Toni P: 6649 4263 E: cookie1616@gmail.com

  
Flyer

Friday 10 April 2015

Art 'n another perspective

Art to inspire creativity

An art session has become one of our regular activities during our yearly visits. The teachers and students really look forward to it. This year we enlisted the help of local Nymboida artist Pamela Denise who donated the materials and expertise. Pamela donated a workshop where Toni learnt the process of making the items and also how to deliver the workshop to the children herself. It turned out to be the best art session we have ever held. We usually hang the art in the centre so that everyone can enjoy them but the children loved their dragonflies so much they all wanted to take them home to show their parents. Why not let them have a little beauty in their homes?

Starting the creative process

Such rich, glorious colours



Ann's Tale


We had tried to organise a group of some of the wonderful people who donate to come to Cambodia with us. Unfortunately for a variety of reasons the small group became a group of one. Then Toni's Mum, Ann was the only one of the group left standing.  We asked her to write a small piece about what she thought...

Just back from an exciting and enlightening trip with Toni and Trev to see their Cambodia. The groups they help support (Goodwill centre, COLT and  CHOICE) are doing fantastic work providing food education and clean water for the poorest families so the children have a chance  to get an education, also helping women to become self sufficient making soap, clothes and bags which can be sold to give them an income. The Khmer we met were very nice, humble people who are making the best of what they have-little as it is. We can't help them all but every thing we do will help.    

Toni and Ann choosing items to sell at our local market



Friday 3 April 2015

Sihanoukville

Sihanoukville

The main port and largest coastal town in Cambodia, the town were we lived in 2011. Returning was like a homecoming of sorts.

Exchange Rate

We took A$7000 of donations to Cambodia, A$500 was donated to CHOICE, the rest was converted to US Dollars, with the currently deteriorating exchange rate we received US$4930.  Some of this was used to buy the Sarong Bags from COLT, these will be available for sale at the Nymboida Markets.  The remainder we deposited into the Cambodian account to fund our on-going projects. As mentioned in the last post, we are now unable to take on any more projects amd we're concerned we may struggle to fund the current projects.

Free classes for the village 

That night we sat in on the English and computer classes at the Goodwill Center, both of these classes are funded with your donations.  Buntha is really pleased with the results of the children. The children attend classes based on knowledge not on year level so that classes may have students aged five sitting beside children aged twelve if the older student hasn't had the opportunity to attend school previously. The children have never used a computer before, as it is not in the public school curriculum. Not until University are they given that opportunity and most cannot afford that luxury. Two of the students now have employment in design businesses in town due to these classes.
Sambath teaches the English classes five nights a week. The children are now writing and reading whole sentences in English. It reinforced to us the benefits of our fundraising efforts.  These classes are open to anyone in the surrounding village.

Buntha teaching IT design

Sambath teaching English night classes

Dinner with friends 

Once again we were in the same place at the same time. Four of the past managers of the Goodwill Center and the teachers had a wonderful dinner at the Small Hotel, owned by Henrik who founded the Center. Thank you to Henrik and Mom for looking after us all. It was a fantastic night and great to catch up with everyone in a more relaxed atmosphere.

Happy shiny people