On behalf of the children under Rainbow Projects and the local villagers, I would like to say thank you both individuals and business associates for contribution to our programs.
Mr. Pean, who comes from a poor family in a rural area, graduated his high school since 1996, and attended a training course in Siem Reap Provincial Pedagogy. After finishing his training course in 1998, he became a governmental teacher. Because the teacher's salary is not enough, he decided to find other part-time jobs by entering Thai speaking tour guide in Siem Reap Province, where he worked only on weekend, but on weekdays he taught at his school. These incomes weren't enough for his family's needs because he had to support either his sisters and brothers who were studying at schools and his own family.
In 2003, he started to work more part-time at the night-time in a hotel in Siem Reap Town. By supporting over administration and some tour-services at that time, he was accepted to work with a tour company, and he was sent to train his tour management skill in Thailand. After he came back from Thailand, he was promoted to be a manager in this company. Now Pean can speak Thai, and English for his communication regarding the WFC's projects.
His experiences from his jobs above are the factors to drive this charity project to be appeared, named "Working for Children". Despite his position in the travel company is good enough for him, but he still takes care much of his community and village children, and he took his own experiences to change, show, and attract all the villagers in his villages in other to persuade them to be interested in education and drive the population in his village to send their children to school. Pean thought that this is the only way to break out the cycle of poverty in his community, so he proved them by explaining and showing the villagers what he achieved as examples.
In addition, Pean has created up many projects to find and collect the donation from charity people outside to contribute the communities around there, and he started to develop his village with farming by depending on not only nature. Recently WFC has set up an Eco-farm and anticipated that this will be an Agricultural Training Centre for his communities in the future.
Nowadays, besides, take care of children at Rainbow orphanage, he responsible for over 700 children and 17 teachers at the local government primary school.
Mr. Pean hoped after they finish school, some of them can return back to help and work with WFC replace him and continue his goals works for communities.
- I was born during the civil war which brought me all experiences from Pol Pot Regime, and most of my friends did not attend school, so 80% of the villagers have lived in poverty. The poor and orphans have no chance to pursue the education, even secondary school, and also many of the teachers here are from other village far away from my community.
- As a Cambodian, I can play as an important part of the government policy to develop the human resources in my community through out the donations for children to get education because it can break out the poverty while the poverty happens from non-education.
These projects are started by Cambodians with the cooperation among my friends, retired teachers, and Buddhist monks who share their own sources, powers, and ideas in the purposes to make a better future for children.
The major obstacles to starting the Rainbow are the lack of management, funds, human resources, and the organization procedures that comply with the Cambodian laws.
Our projects are run by Cambodian volunteers who believe in their works that can help the children in our community such as university students and some of undergraduate students.
All Rainbow staff are the volunteers who work part-time after their main careers as civil servants and university students except cleaner and gardener.
The Rainbow projects have no specific sponsor or donors, yet we can still run our projects depending on some charity activities oversea, foreign tourists who visit our activities and donate, especially the profits from volunteers who join our projects, cooking class, village tours, and stay in Rainbow homestay.
I think that the ones who have more budget, skills, time, and knowledge should contribute or share with the poor as they can do in the purposes to develop our society mainly focusing on child education according to their needs.
Due to the poor cooperation by the local authority (Real Help, Real Hope)
I strongly hope that these projects can ensure all children and Rainbow children to become as the pillar of their society and full of virtue and knowledge to be sustainable themselves, family, and the whole community.
Rainbow has its dormitory to provide as accommodation to stay for someone, so he/she can help us by volunteering to teach and work here like our former Rainbow children.
All, both locals and foreigners, are encouraged to join our projects as long as they are interested in the children education.
