Update – Kidshelp New School, August 2024
A lot has happened since the last update on the new Kidshelp School.
To keep the costs to an affordable level, whilst ensuring that all teaching and community objectives could be met, the Project Board took the decision to go ahead with the infrastructure for the ground, first and second floor but only build out the ground and first floors with 6, 7m x 5m classrooms, toilets and hand washing facilities. The development of the second floor will be at a later date when requirements are better understood. The second floor will be reached by staircases at each end, will be fully tiled, have safety rails all around and electric supply and overhead lighting. It can be used for community or school events such as openair teaching, sheltered playground during the rainy season or if fitted with additional nets, a sports area.
Planning permissions for revised design and build was granted by Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport as required by Kidshelp MOU, and by the local Kandal Planning Authority and endorsed by the local Village Chief.
After consultation with the local monks, it was determined that the official groundbreaking could be at 08:42am on Friday 13th September 2024, following an official blessing service at 07:00 by local Buddhist monks and nuns. Following the local traditions is obviously important to all, as the local community is predominantly Buddhist and follow religious customs. We had earlier consulted with the local monks to determine the highwater flood levels, as there are nearby rivers, and they hold the most accurate records on the local area. The proposed timing was ideal from a construction point of view as it would mean the contractors could complete the piling and initial groundworks at the end of the rain season.
Invitations have been sent out to a few local sponsors and it is hoped some of our scholarship and past students may be able to attend the groundbreaking ceremony but being a normal workday during the university term, will limit numbers. We are pleased that Steve Wells, a member of Kidshelp for several years and regular participant in the annual Graduation ceremony, will fly from Singapore to represent the Kidshelp Board and Marie-Anna our new volunteer will attend on her third day in Cambodia.
The fixed price contract for the adjusted design was signed on 21st June 2024 for an amount of $244,279. The contract requires handover of the completed building on 30th June 2025 and as expected, in a construction contracted drafted by one of the leading law firms in Phnom Penh, there are detailed delivery schedules and penalties for late completion, but the generous timeline should all but guarantee a timely completion.
Now for the important bit about finance. Through kind donations by members, community organisations, schools and several corporate donations, we have funded the land purchase and preparation, design, all legal costs and have available funds covering all but $30,000 of the construction cost. We have recently also received funding for the school desks, furniture and books as well as a play area. The construction costs do not include the hard surfacing or landscaping of the site once the school construction is completed, school sign and outside lighting. We estimate that we need an additional $10,000+ to cover these and any unexpected additional costs. This means that thanks to massive efforts of a few, and generous financial support of a few corporate donors, we are nearly there but do still need to raise between $40,000 and $45,000 between now and September 2025.
Hun Tharith who will operate the school plans to recruit students from September 2025 with an official Grand Opening in early January 2026, perhaps in the days immediately following the annual Khemara Kidshelp School Graduation, which traditionally happens on 7th January every year. We are happy to confirm that the British Ambassador to Cambodia, an ardent supporter of Education and especially the education of woman in Cambodia, has tentatively indicated his acceptance to attend the opening. The 150 sq m second floor space will be the perfect venue and Tharith is already compiling a potential guest list.
In our newsletter in October 2023, we estimated, we needed to collect $102,500 (€93,500) to make the school a reality. Now one year on we know that with a further $40,000+ we will be able to commit to an official opening in January 2026. The amount we need is not trivial and the Project Board continue to reach out to identified potential donors, but we ask everyone over the next year to think about asking for donations in lieu of Christmas or birthday gifts. Maybe your local school, church, company or village is thinking of a small donation to an overseas charity. 200 donations of $200 would result in $40,000 and remember in Germany and UK these may be tax deductible.
If you are able to donate in Germany:
Kidshelp Kambodscha e.V. – using reference “School Building”
VR Bank Bergisch Gladbach
IBAN: DE84 3706 2600 0503 5030 18
Or by PayPal as a friend to: info@kidshelp-kambodscha.org.
If you are a UK taxpayer, please contact patrick@kidshelp-kambodscha.org for payment details.
And the new school will not be alone on the site. Hun Tharith our current Student Director will be operating the new school, and he plans to start building his new home on the site in October 2024. And not to late as his current home is close to the bank of the Mekong River and it has again this year, claimed a little more of the river bank.
