Sunrise Children's Villages Newsletter - January - March 2015

IT’S TIME TO CELEBRATE!

Find out how you can be part of Sunrise history, page 3

How a US$180 pump gave more than 100 people access to a never ending supply of clean drinking water. Page 5

The

LIFEBLOOD of COMMUNITY

Volume 15, Issue 2 January - March 2015

EDUCATION, HOUSING WATER, HEALTHCARE Resources that change lives

A MESSAGE FROM

Geraldine Cox Greetings to one and all, I spent more than a month in Australia banging the drum and shaking the tin.

With the fall of the Australian dollar I am having to bang and shake twice as much!

When I returned it was lovely to see so many kids from the community running around Sunrise.

Sunrise has recently invited almost 300 children from the neighbouring villages and communities to take part in English, Khmer, dance, sport, art and computer classes free of charge.

Our plan is to work with the local communities - teachers, principals and parents - to provide training and help increase the standard of education for as many Cambodian children as possible.

Last month we also welcomed three new boys to Sunrise - Sovannareth, Khem and Sovannaroy.

As you can see from the photo on the right, Sovannareth wasn’t too sure about me when we first met, but after a few hugs and kisses he is now right at home.

At the end of last year seven of our children graduated high school and have gone on to complete

vocational training.

Between them they are completing Bachelor Degrees and Associate Graduate Diplomas in marketing, agronomy, banking and finance, international relations and English literature.

They join 16 other Sunrise graduates who are also completing tertiary education at universities and trade centres across Cambodia.

And we are all so proud of Soknoeun Soeun.

Soknoeun Soeun studied Year 11 and 12 at Seymour College in Adelaide.

She achieved 85 per cent in her HSC exams which placed her among the top 15 per cent of students, Australia wide.

You simply cannot ask for more than that.

She is now in her first year of a degree in social work at the South Australian University in Adelaide.

Go, girl!

To keep in contact with all our Sunrise children who are over the age of 18 and living at our Outreach Houses, I have started taking them out for dinner, six at a time, every Monday night.

This gives me a chance to enhance my relationships with them and see what is happening with their studies and personal lives.

SUNRISE OBSERVER

SEE SUNRISE THROUGH NEW EYES Have you ever wondered what it is like to live at Sunrise or grow up in Cambodia?

The Sunrise Observer is our in-house student newsletter that is written, designed 2.

and published by the children of Sunrise.

It is a must read, filled with great reports and insightful opinion.

Download your copy of the Observer from www. scv.org.au/news.

Good news for me - My five year cancer treatment is over and it is great not to be on so many drugs!

As well as Sunrise celebrating its 21st anniversary this year, plans are also underway for my 70th birthday which I will celebrate in Phnom Penh, Adelaide and Sydney.

Finally, many of you will be familiar with Sopheak - one of my older Sunrise boys, who studied agriculture, and now works at Sunrise.

Sopheak and his wife welcomed a healthy baby girl named Menear.

The first time I met her she was 2 hours old and was wrapped in an Australian flag!

As always I am indebted to all our sponsors, old and new, who are the backbone of Sunrise and without whom we would simply not exist.

Until next time, Love and light xxx

JOIN US ONLINE You don’t have to wait three months to catch up on all the news and activities at Sunrise. Join us online at Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn and keep up-to-date with everything that is happening in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Adelaide.

We love receiving comments from our Sunrise family.

@GeraldineCox_ Sunrise Children’s Villages - Cambodia

IT’S GLOVES ON FOR SUNRISE

Sunrise Phnom Penh set to house new National Boxing Academy

Sunrise has a reputation for training and developing some of Phnom Penh’s best boxers.

With the South East Asia Games fast approaching, Sunrise is proud to have been selected to work with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MOEYS) and National Boxing Federation to build a new national boxing academy at Sunrise.

The 20 metre by 30 metre complex will be located behind our new Macquarie Group Learning Centre.

The new boxing academy is a great addition for Sunrise’s sport program.

As we look to further develop our community projects, the establishment of the academy will be one of our most historic milestones.

Over the next eight years the boxing academy will

take on 10 to 15 trainees a year – all aged under 13 – and will work with them to develop their boxing skills and bring them up to a professional level.

In 2013 eight boxers who trained at Sunrise posted a series of podium finishes at the national championships – walking away with four gold medals, two silver medals and one bronze medal.

This year another two boxers from the local community who train at Sunrise will compete at an international level.

If you’re interested in partnering with Sunrise to develop and support one of our Community Outreach Programs, our Fundraising Co-ordinator Sinan Sezen would love to hear from you. You can send him an email - sinan.sezen@scv.org.au.

SUNRISE TIME CAPSULE To commemorate Sunrise’s 21st anniversary and Geraldine’s birthday, Sunrise will be burying a time capsule.

The time capsule will be opened on Geraldine’s 100th birthday in 2045.

We would like to invite you to send in a message, card, or special trinket to be buried

alongside messages from the children and staff of Sunrise past and present - Geraldine and all those who have shared our vision to make Sunrise what it is today.

All items that you wish to be included in the time capsule should be received by Monday, June 1.

HOW TO SEND IN AN ITEM FOR THE TIME CAPSULE POST: Attention: Chrissy Tuigamala P.O Box 1113, Unley BC South Australia, 5061 Australia EMAIL: sinan.sezen@scv.org.au Subject line: Time Capsule 3.

HOMELESS, WIDOWED, UNEMPLOYED How $100 helped a family of four back on their feet When Phen Lim’s husband was diagnosed with cancer, the family rallied, selling their home and land in a desperate bid to raise the funds needed to make ends meet and pay for specialist medical care.

After he passed away, just two months later, 38-year-old Phen Lim and her three children were left homeless.

Through the generosity of her family, Phen Lim’s sister and brother-in-law allowed them to live in their small kitchen.

However, due to a bout of ill health, Phen Lim was unable to work and generate an income to support her children.

Phen Lim and her children, 9-year-old Thu Siev An, 8-year-old Thu Siev Ey and 6-yearold Thu Siev Mey, were

referred to Sunrise in January 2014.

Sunrise stepped in

immediately and provided the family with a series of emergency support packages which included food, school supplies, medical assistance and $100 equity to start a small business harvesting lotus plants.

Thu Siev An, Thu Siev Ey and Thu Siev Mey are now in Grades 6, 4, and 2 respectively at Irohar Primary School.

As well as attending school regularly and achieving good grades, Thu Siev An recently completed an assessment at Sunrise to start attending additional Khmer, English and IT classes free of charge.

GIANT PUPPETS SEE SPIRITS SOAR

A sense of passion and heart filled the streets of Siem Reap in February when hundreds of disadvantaged children channelled their creativity and paraded from the Old Market Bridge to the Royal Independence Gardens as part of the annual Giant Puppet Project.

Children from Sunrise Angkor joined more than 150 kids from a host of other NGOs and schools to complete a series of workshops over three weeks where they worked in teams to construct 10-metre street puppets before taking part in the massive parade on the final evening.

The Giant Puppet Project aims to encourage children to develop a greater sense of self confidence, pride and understanding of community through art. Head to our Facebook page to see more pictures.

4.

The

INSIDE WORD With ACF Chairman Kevin Tutt Dear Friends of Sunrise,

US$180 water pump key to greater health, education Until February, Toul Krosang Village resident Chhem Chan Tha used the river behind her house as a back-up water supply.

The river water is contaminated with pesticide residue and is home to snakes which often bite the children from the village while they bath.

The same water that the villagers use to wash their clothes is then used for cooking and drinking causing many of the children to suffer chronic diarrhoea and stomach illnesses.

Ms Chhem said the children are then unable to go to school and their overall health suffers in the long term.

Thanks to a group of generous Australians, Sunrise has been able to install two new water pumps at either end of Toul Krosang Village.

Though the pumps only cost US$180 each, they have given 36 families - more than 100 people access to clean water and helped them save money that would have otherwise been spent on buying tanks of filtered water.

ABOVE: The construction of the Macquarie Group Foundation Learning Centre is almost complete. It will be officially opened on May 27.

I am very pleased to take up the position of Chair of the Australia Cambodia Foundation and pay tribute to the work of my predecessors, David Perkins and John George.

We welcome new members of the Board, Judy Myers and Rob Brown, who bring a breadth and depth of relevant experience and share a passion for the work of Geraldine Cox. Continuing members of the Board include David Perkins, Peter Davies, Peter Winkler and Geraldine – they have given enormous service to the board over many years and it is good to still have them on board!

Recently, on 14 March the ACF Board held its first ever meeting in Cambodia.

We were pleased to join with the management team for a Planning Day on Sunday 15 March where we took the opportunity to review 21 years of successful care for children and communities in need, and also to think about the next 21 years for Sunrise.

The future is promising and includes a consolidation of our existing programs and the development of new ideas to better serve the needs of Cambodian children and their families. I look forward to sharing this with you in the next newsletter.

Sunrise is indebted to its many supporters individuals, groups and corporations – who contribute to our fundraising.

Thank you sincerely for your financial support – we can be incredibly proud of what Geraldine, the Board and her staff have achieved since establishing in 1993.

On the 27 May we will open the new Macquarie Group Learning Centre, an exceptional space for teaching and learning, which will support a new approach to education for Sunrise kids and children from the local community.

As Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” And he is so right.

Thank you again for your commitment to Sunrise.

5.

Reuniting Families SUNRISE’S KEY FOCUS

Keeping families together and ensuring the children who are referred to Sunrise maintain strong relationships with their extended families and communities plays an important role in Sunrise’s model of care.

We’re proud to say that the Sunrise family got a little bit bigger in February when we welcomed Srey Vy’s older siblings, Sreyrit, Kea and Dy. Srey Vy was referred to Sunrise about six months ago.

Though she was initially separated from her siblings, Sunrise’s case workers worked hard to locate Dy, Kea and Sreyrit who were being cared for by another organisation and bring them back together.

The children’s mother passed away within days of giving birth to Srey Vy from birth complications.

Initially the children went to live with their grandfather in a small house; however, their grandfather was very old. He requested help in looking after the children.

Unfortunately we recently learned that the children’s grandfather had passed away in January.

Sreyrit, Kea and Ty have yet to be assigned to any sponsors.

If you would like to learn more about being a child sponsor phone 1300 894 591 or visit www.scv.org.au/ sponsor-a-child/

How Sunrise is helping its local community Communities surrounding Sunrise Angkor

Number of children

Communities surrounding Sunrise Phnom Penh

Number of children 6.

Over the past three years Sunrise’s Community Outreach Program has helped more than 500 disadvantaged and impoverished children from villages and communities near its centres in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.

This help includes providing the children and their families with: • emergency food parcels • access to healthcare and counselling • education and school supplies • bikes to travel to school safely • no-interest loans to repair their home or start a business

SUNRISE SIHANOUKVILLE Less than three years after opening its doors, Sunrise Sihanoukville is eyeing off its first major expansion thanks to a generous $200,000 donation from Computershare Australia.

New Hope for Cambodian Children (NHCC) founder John Tucker, who manages Sunrise Sihanoukville, said NHCC hope to use the funds to build new classrooms and houses for the teachers.

The structure of the new classrooms will be based on NHCC’s existing residential facility in Kampong Speu Province, which has proven to be a great success.

Since opening on World AIDS Day, December 1, 2012, Sunrise Sihanoukville has become home to 99 children - including 74 who are HIV positive.

Sunrise Sihanoukville is fully funded by Computershare Australia through its staff giving

Vichet family home given warm welcome

program.

Mr Tucker said originally, it was anticipated that new children would be accepted into Sunrise Sihanoukville at the rate of one per week—the rate that new children were coming to NHCC. “The HIV epidemic in Cambodia has changed with most adults with HIV now able to access the lifesaving ARV drugs, thus fewer parents are dying or abandoning their children,” he said.

“Currently, new children are coming, who meet the intake requirements of NHCC, at the rate of one per month.” Sunrise Sihanoukville is located on four acres of land about 10 - 15 kilometres from Sihanoukville and includes 12 houses and four kitchens, an administration building, medical and dental clinic, four classrooms, a computer lab and large dance and music hall.

The Vichet family live below the poverty line. Until this year, their one-bedroom house was so old and worn that when it rained, water flooded through the roof, making the home uninhabitable for long periods of time.

The Vichets became the first family to benefit from Sunrise’s Community Housing Program.

After the Vichet family saved up $100, Sunrise partnered with our supporters from Australia, Wendy and Mark Bennett, to help cover the costs of building a new three-room home with a sturdy tin roof and toilet. Sunrise looks forward to helping more families improve their quality of living through its housing program this year.

FUNDRAISING IN FOCUS

Have you got a great idea of how you’d like to raise funds for Sunrise?

We are grateful for all our supporters who rally together to raise funds for Sunrise. We love seeing the photos from your ventures!

Instead of hibernating this winter why not take part in a fun run and raise much needed funds for the children of Sunrise?

• Sydney Morning Herald Half Marathon Sunday, May 17 • Brisbane Times City to South Sunday, June 14 • The Age Run Melbourne Sunday, July 26 Thank you to Gary Fitzgerald, Andrew Embley and Ron Adams (pictured above), as well as the Kalgoorlie Football Club and Kalgoorlie community who raised $3000 as part of an annual fundraiser for Sunrise in March.

For more fundraising ideas, log on to the Everyday Hero website (http:// www.everydayhero.com.au/charity/ view?charity=1504) or email admin@scv.org. au to speak to our Sunrise staff today.

7.

The perfect gift for Mother’s Day Scarves / table runners - $10

YES, I WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN A CHILD’S LIFE STEP 1: REGULAR MONTHLY DONATION

• • • •

We Can Be - $8

Coffee table-style picture book with quotes from Sunrise children describing life at Sunrise.

Home Is Where The Heart Is (book) - $38 Home Is Where The Heart Is (audio book) - $38

Geraldine Cox’s deeply moving recount of how she founded Sunrise and found her life purpose caring for Cambodian children.

My Khmer Heart (DVD) - $22

Documentary. Based on the story of Sunrise. It won the Hollywood Film Festival Documentary of the Year Award in 2000.

All prices include postage MERCHANDISE ORDER FORM ITEM:

QTY

I would like to sponsor a child for $50 a month I would like to make a monthly donation to Sunrise: $50 per month

P RICE

Other: $____

AND/OR A SING LE DONATION I would like to make a single gift of $20

$100

$500

Other $ _____

STEP 2: MY P AYMENT Direct Debit Australia Cambodia Foundation SCV Operating Account BSB 085—005 Account Number 54 952 3845

PAYMENT Cheque Payable to: The Australia Cambodia Foundation Inc.

Mastercard

Visa

American Express

Card Number: _ _ _ _ / _ _ _ _ / _ _ _ _ / _ _ _ _ Expiry date: _ _ / _ _

Cheque Payable to: The Australia Cambodia Foundation Inc. Debit my credit card

Debit my credit card

Today’s date: _ _ / _ _ / _ _

Cardholder’s Name: ________________________ Signature:________________________________

Mastercard

Visa

American Express

Card Number: _ _ _ _ / _ _ _ _ / _ _ _ _ / _ _ _ _ Expiry date: _ _ / _ _

Today’s date: _ _ / _ _ / _ _

Cardholder’s Name: ________________________ Signature:________________________________

STEP 3: MY DETAILS

DETAILS Title: ______ Name:_________________________ Postal address:________________________________ ____________________________________________ Home phone: (

Please fill out the form below or call us on 1300 894 591 to complete the sign up process.

)_____________________________

Mobile: ______________________________________ Email: _______________________________________ Date of birth: ____/_____/________ Please return completed form to: Post: PO Box 1113, Unley BC, South Australia 5061 Fax: +61 (0)8 8232 2080 Email: admin@scv.org.au

Title: ______ Name:_________________________ Postal address:________________________________ ____________________________________________ Home phone: (

)_____________________________

Mobile: ______________________________________ Email: _______________________________________ Date of birth: ____/_____/________ Please return completed form to: Post: PO Box 1113, Unley BC, South Australia 5061 Fax: +61 (0)8 8232 2080 Email: admin@scv.org.au

BEQUESTS AND MEMORIAL DONATIONS You can help Sunrise Children’s Villages continue the amazing work of Geraldine Cox and the team in the future by leaving a gift in your will or by encouraging your friends and relatives to make a gift in lieu of flowers. Being named a beneficiary in people’s wills forms an important part of our income and enables us

to continue to transform children’s lives in Cambodia.

It may be as simple as adding a codicil to your existing will. Capital gains tax relief may be available to your estate for bequests made to certain charities including Sunrise. For more information visit www.scv.org.au/ bequeathing or email admin@scv.org.au