The Tak Mao School Continuity Programme has a very special mission with the kids. This Community Service Centre (CSC) is very close to a dumpsite where many families work to cover their basic needs. The same way as PSE started 25 years back, this Project has the objective -among others- of rescuing the childhood of the kids whose pastime is collecting garbage in the dumpsite.
“It is important to teach them about the importance of teamwork”
Jack
This beautiful and wide CSC receives an average of 80 kids from around the area to participate in the School Continuity Programme. Describing it as an authentic, joyful and peaceful place, the thirteen Khmer and five European instructors work their tails off to take care of these children and to teach them the values they need for a thriving future. One of the most important things that the children learn during the Project is teamwork. “These kids are very independent and usually take on individual activities, so it is important to teach them about the importance of teamwork”, explains Jack, a European volunteer.
There are some children that live close to the CSC and walk over every morning. However, near the dumpsite, there are a lot of families that do not have access to a vehicle to take their children. This is why every morning, the same minivan that drives the volunteers from PSE Central to Tak Mao, picks up around 30 children from their homes. Kim, a Khmer volunteer, hops on the van to look for the children if they are not waiting by their homes and finds them so they do not miss off on that day. The same way they are picked up in the morning, they are dropped off in the afternoon. Weekly, other volunteers join on this ride in order to see where these children live, to meet their families and to speak to new ones about PSE.
Increase the impact that they can make, to reach more families and, consequently, more kids.
It is thanks to the PSE Social Services Team that the number of children that are picked up daily has increased notably. Together with other Projects, the Tak Mao School Continuity Programme has started working closely with the Social Team in order to increase the impact that they can make, to reach more families and, consequently, more kids. “The Team went to speak to some families in the morning and, at noon, a mother brought her six children to the CSC on a motorbike and said she had six more at home. That is when we decided to take the van and pick these children up. In only a couple of hours, thanks to the Social Team, 15 more kids had joined the Programme”, points out David, one of the European coordinators.
“To make these children happy, to teach them about love and respect and to show them how important it is to take care of eachother”
Maialen
The role of the instructors during these weeks is, as Maialen, a European volunteer, describes it “to make these children happy, to teach them about love and respect and to show them how important it is to take care of each other”. Some children from Tak Mao take on the roles of babysitters, cleaners and workers at home, but during the Project they get to just be kids. “The objective is to help the kids forget about those things and to just have fun, like the kids they are”, adds Carmen, a European instructor. She is amazed with the radiating smiles that the children wear throughout the whole day, no matter where they come from.
The children that attend this Project vary from six to fourteen years old. The kroms -teams- are made according to the age group, in order to adapt some activities to their capacities. These activities are themed every week, based on subjects like math, geography or history and matters such as environment or teamwork. This way, as well as having fun, the children continue with the learning that they receive during the school year. Marta, the other European coordinator, proposed starting up a vegetable patch. Children and volunteers have begun planting seeds that -as agreed with the teachers that work in the CSC during the school year- will be properly watered and taken care of on a daily basis by the students.
“It is our responsibility as volunteers to make them feel protected and to enjoy this time just like they do, to be an example”
Rajesh
The CSC, surrounded by bamboo, makes a warm and cozy place perfect for these children. It works as the safest environment for them to relax and enjoy with other kids. “The children need to feel safe and to have fun, and it is our responsibility as volunteers to make them feel protected and to enjoy this time just like they do, to be an example”, remarks Rajesh, the Khmer coordinator. Kids spend most of the day in the Tak Mao Programme, during the weeks that it lasts, so it works as a second home for them.
Every morning, as the children arrive, they take breakfast, are checked for attendance, sing and dance to warm up for the day full of activities and raise the flag along with the Cambodian anthem. After lunch and before taking a nap, all the children brush their teeth and take a shower in order to pick up the good habits of personal hygiene.
“The policy of no rush”
David
Like in most Projects, there are special days where, instead of normal activities, they have events such as the Feria, Gymkhanas, Water Parties and Olympiques. When asking Reaksmey, an eleven year-old boy what his favorite activity is, you can see his eyes sparkling of joy while speaking about the Gymkhanas and the Water Parties. David describes this Project as very flexible, “having the policy of no rush”. This means that, if the children are enjoying an activity very much, the volunteers will extend the duration of it, and adapt the schedule for the rest of the day. This way children are encouraged to let the instructors know what they like best.
Children and volunteers have a very good connection. The kids listen to the instructors and the instructors listen to the children. On Fridays, the kids are asked about their opinions and feelings from the week. This gives them the opportunity to speak up and let out emotions. The kids are collaborative and participate with excitement in the cleaning game that takes place once a day and that keeps the CSC clean at all times.
A lot of love is being given and received.
In conclusion, although the biggest challenge in this Project is keeping up the attendance and not losing the kids to worse alternatives, volunteers are doing a great job. They are successful at keeping the children safe, giving them love, helping them enjoy and making them feel important. There is still work to do with these families, but step by step, a difference is being made. It is easy to see that in the Tak Mao Project, a lot of love is being given and received.
