Recently our group of Volunteers were invited to a celebration to mark the opening of a new classroom and centre for the Mekong Kampuchea Kids project. It is a project organised and run by the Buddhism for Social Development Action (BSDA) group.
Have toilet - will travel!
Photo taken on the journey there-steady now!!
The BSDA is a Cambodian run NGO that was established in 2005 after criticism from the villagers around the Wat Nakor Bachey temple west of Kampong Cham City where we are staying.
The locals felt that the monks would preach altruism in theory but hardly ever practise it.
Seven monks founded the organisation financing it privately throughout the first 3 years until their work had been noticed and international donors started to provide funding.
The BSDA’s programmes now cover a large scope including education and vocational training for orphans and vulnerable children, communities and democracy development and work with Drug users etc.
We arrived 6pm and were seated at a table with a good view of the musicians and the stage.
Really nice food and soft drinks were served and 6 performances were given including traditional dance/storytelling and also a play illustrating the need for a centre and how it then developed to arrive at the building we were seated outside that evening.
The fish dish was especially tasty
note the egg and chips plate on the left -bit weird!
The essence of the tale was rescuing underprivileged children from crime and poverty and providing them with an opportunity for a brighter future through self-help and learning.
All these people had a part in the play - very complicated at times and all in Khmer.
We left having enjoyed the evening and the generosity of the monks and the BSDA.
The clippy cloppy coconut dance to plinky plonky music.
Monkey dance
(Bit dark sorry)
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