Life in Cambodia
Grassroots, Scalable, Sustainable
Grassroots, scalable, sustainable Social and Economic Development . . . It is a very big statment. Together we will accomplish it. What follows are comments from Patrick Ali Javid as he visited Cambodia and CORDE in the Fall of 2006.
“When I arrived in Cambodia, I did not know what I would see, hear, and feel. Knowing the scar that Cambodia's genocide had left on the country was deafening to my senses. Seeing twenty blank faces go to sweat labor was all too real. Yet, meeting a son of a survivor of the genocide and previous sweat shop manager and having him explain to me what ‘service to the community’ meant was unreal.”
“His words were fresh air. He related his service with CORDE to a simply profound model of education that addressed one of the foundational causes of poverty. My friend taught moral education in English in the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Phen.”
His students were young. Perhaps at the age of 13, the children lived in the street or in dilapidated shelters. Their parents most likely had come to the city in their twenties to make a ‘good’ living. Later, they found that making clothes in a sweat shop only spun themselves down an endless spiral of worsening living conditions. With very little money, the children have no money to go to school. Yet, because of CORDE and my friend, their kids were receiving free education two hours a day, five days a week.”
Grassroots: CORDE trains teachers who then start up classes in their own villages and cities across Cambodia. The classes originally start in someone's house, under a tree, or in a public school.
Sustainable: The non-governmental organization provides the materials and a stipend for the teachers. As the demand for the classes increase, the classes offered by the teachers also increase and more teachers are trained to support the process.
Scalable: When there are a certian number of classes in an area, a center of learning is built to suupport the education of the children. A center of learning is essentially a cement building with electricity, plastic chairs, tables, and a chalkboard. this means that infrastructure is built in an organic process that encourages growth and rests on a firm foundation of human resources.
Social and Economic Development: The curriculum is centered around moral education. Morals are the foundationf or the advancement of a civilization, for self-confidence, for equality of mena nd women, and to give back and serve one's community. The classes are all taught in English because it is a marketable skill thathelps students provide for themselves.
“Do you see what was unreal for me? With all my possessions as an American, with all my education, everything I have does not amount to one grain of this man, this friend. I am very grateful for him and the opportunity to continue to support his noble pursuits by supporting CORDE through the Mona Foundation.”
Glimpse of Life
This is a photo essay on children attending the CORDE program. Patrick Ali Javid and Kristina Gillis traveled from the United States to visit Cambodia on a grant from the Mary Gates Foundation. This visual essay provides a glimpse of life here from the eyes and hearts of outsiders deeply touched by the children and the program.
These children are conducting the bamboo train in Battambong, Cambodia. Train tracks were laid so that villagers could transport their goods to markets efficiently and for little money by putting a bamboo crate on the tracks with a small motor.
With the help of this teacher, a Cambodian child learns moral values through English literacy.
These two children were hiding outside of one of CORDE's classrooms trying to figure out what was going on.
In a village in Cambodia these children peer into the class to hear the lessons being taught in CORDE's classes.
Both of these children were so eager to learn, their faces just shined in the light.
No matter where you go, a child is a child and a smile is a smile.
In the villages of Cambodia, most children do not have a chance to be in a classroom. Thanks to CORDE this child is happy to be in front of a class.
Many learn English to get a well paying tourist job, but for this child, English is a language of food.
These children were biking to their evening CORDE class. Perhaps the bike is a bit too big, but they wouldn't tell you that!
Some things are universal. Hopscotch is one of those things. Hopefully, in the future, education will also be universal for these children.
Scenic. Beautiful. Definitely not easy to live in. A nice hut in the villages near Battambong, Cambodia, this house is much nicer than the ones most children live in.
topCambodia Reconstruction
“In today's world what is real? In our lives what is important? Here in Cambodia, life revolves around the only real and worthwhile thing, life. Now, if life is the most important, what is wealth? Is wealth possession of property? Is wealth possession of a livelihood? Perhaps, it is simpler than this. Cambodia has been trying to teach me that wealth is people's well being. Now well being has seemed to be one's health, a house, a motor cycle, but most importantly the empowerment of an individual to improve one's life. So yes, money is important, but more importantly is the belief that one believes in themselves.” Patrick Ali Javid shares his heart as he searches his soul to blend his understanding of life in the United States with life in Cambodia.
“In a country where 3,000,000 people died in the Asian Holocaust under Pol Pot's regime almost thirty years ago, where destitute poverty is a reality, where prostitution is a career, and where a pedophile is a tourist, Cambodians have been suppressed. . . . What I have seen in a mere sixty hours since my arrival here in Cambodia is an organization called CORDE, that irrespective of physical means has empowered, enabled, encouraged, developed, and inspired thousands of children, junior youth, and adults to live a more meaningful life.”
“When we think of development, we tend to think about what we want for ourselves. What I normally want for myself is possession of different material objects. Yet, what would I want for my child? Would I want my child to have great toys? Would I want my child to be the nicest dressed student? Yes, I would. I would also want my child to understand life, be happy, be polite, and be progressing in maturity and acquiring virtues. Hence, our conception of development should reflect that of our desire for a child. Finally, the best way to teach a child is to teach the child the ability to learn on her/his own and be inspired to do so. . . . I am writing about this tonight because this is the number one lesson CORDE has taught me. A development project is about enabling. It is not about me serving you. It is not about who has more knowledge. It is about helping one another, no matter the race, religion, and social or economic class.”
“CORDE is a beautiful organization. They currently serve 1,000 students. They have plans in the next five years to serve 40,000 students. Their education is offered for free in decentralized locations in many villages and rural locations where education is normally not available to the local population due to monetary fees. CORDE's classes are free because people like you and me offer them financial help. . . . Financial help is another intersting concept. Paying for someone else to go to school sounds like charity that does not help . . . Do we ask our own kids to work to get themselves through elementary school? School is not a priviledge; it is a right. But in today's world this right is not yet free and it is our job to help shrink the gap in between the rich and the poor.”
Kristina Gillis shares her feelings about the journey in Cambodia, “For the last three days Ali and I have been in Cambodia; we've seen some of the worst and best aspects of humanity. I have honestly never seen anything as horrific as I did at the killing field and museum in Phonm Phen. Several mass graves can be seen where thousands of people, including children, were brutally murdered. Pictures of victims are on display at the museum. You look into their eyes at the same time you realize that where you walk is where they were murdered. In some places, their blood can still be seen on the floor. It is unbelieveably horrible. To imagine that human beings could be so cruel to other human beings is hard to grasp.”
“This sad time in Cambodia's history lasted into the 1990's. Not surprisingly, the Khmer Rouge regime destroyed Cambodia economically and socially and the country is still suffering from the consequences. Cambodia is, in fact, one of the poorest countries in the world today. Prostitution; crime; corruption; landmines; a lack of clean water and food; a lack of adequate education, transportation, and healthcare; exploitation of workers; and one of the highest rates of HIV/AIDS worldwide are some of the current problems. Facing these difficulties, Cambodians are rebuilding their society from ground zero. This is where CORDE comes in. Recognizing that education was severely lacking, CORDE was formed to provide basic, supplemental education for communities with a particular focus on literacy and empowerment. ”
“By empowerment is meant that CORDE classes assist individuals in developing the skills, the language, and ways of thinking that will enable them to serve their communities. It has been inspiring to see the tremendous devotion to the program and hope the CORDE directors, teachers and students hold for the future. Hope, love for your fellow man, love for your community. . . in one of poorest areas of the world. The people here seem to understand true wealth.”
Patrick Ali offers thoughts again, on another blog entry, “CORDE makes my heart cry. I cry for love of what they are doing and for the pain they are conquering. Ronny, a teacher of CORDE, explained to me today that Pol Pot's regime committed the worst act ever committed in the world. He explained that what happened in Cambodia is different than anywhere else because there were no sides. In a war you have your country vs. another country. Pol Pot aimed to kill every Cambodian by turning every Cambodian against each other and then importing another race to populate Cambodia. They killed all intellectuals, killed all foreigners or anyone that looked like a foreigner. Everything belonged the government: from the food you grew, the clothes you had on your back, to the girl or boy you would marry. Your life was to work from 5AM to 10PM all day with a small spoon of uncooked rice to eat. If you complained you were killed. If you suggested it was not fair you were killed.”
“Children were taken away from their parents and trained to watch their parents and report anything. The kids would report their parents and have them killed. Now when I say killed, what I mean is: buried alive after digging your own grave, to have your neck cut with a palm tree branch to bleed to death over 30 minutes, to have your child's head banged against a tree, to have a baby thrown in the air and bayoneted (knife attached to the rifle). Is this horrible? Yes! But, you have to stop and accept it, do not pass it on for a movie. I have met the children. I have seen the pictures. I have seen the torture tools. I can feel it, see it, and breathe it. This is why I cry.”
“I smile in my tears though because about 50 teachers, mostly volunteers, have decided to give their time, sacrifice their jobs, and care for the next generation to counteract the suppressive images left from these horrible acts. These teachers are teachers of CORDE. Their mission is to build capacity through supplemental moral education to kids and junior youth. The classes happen after the academic school programs end and are offered for free to anyone who wants to come.”