Helping Cambodia's Children

Although this website praises Cambodia as a wonderful tourist destination, for most Khmers this country is not a bed of roses.

Cambodia is one of the poorest nations on the planet, and many people here live on less than one US dollar a day. Getting out of this poverty is a long and painful road, but every little drop helps.

There are several organizations working on the development of Cambodia. The frizz restaurant has committed itself to a small orphanage in Phnom Penh: the Cambodian Organization for Learning and Training, COLT. This name may seem strange as Colt is also the name for a handgun, but it was chosen deliberately. Colt is derived from Old English cild=child: "a young, untried person" (Webster's Dictionary).

About COLT orphanage

COLT was originally established in 1999. Back then the name was different: SCCO, Save the Cambodian Children Organization.

In 2006 the name was changed for two reasons. First, there was another organization using a very similar name. Second, two Dutch nationals who came into contact with the orphanage found out the structure of SCCO could be improved.

So, under a new structure and a new name, the organization now works with renewed energy to improve the lives of poor Cambodian children.

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Website and Donations

You can learn more about this small scale orphanage at the website of COLT-Cambodia. There you can also find more information on how to help financially or as a volunteer.

Location and Facilities

COLT is located in western Phnom Penh, not far from the waste dump Steung Meanchey, where many children eke out a living by finding items of some value in the rubbish. A truly depressing sight and very unhealthy as well for these kids. One would hope to be able to help all these children working on the waste dump.

COLT consists of a small new building with a classroom on the ground floor. On the second floor there is a playing room which doubles as a library, flanked by boys’ and girls’ rooms, the actual shelter. Along one side, a small vegetable and vegetable garden has been created. Of course the children take care of this garden themselves.

In a second, older building, the kitchen, dining room, sanitary facilities and staff office are located. This building has recently been painted and the kitchen and dining room improved. There is also a place to wash clothes.

The Staff

COLT has three staff. One is a handyman, Mr. Piep. Mrs. Chanthy is responsible for cooking and day-to-day care of the children. The third is a coordinator, Mr. Seng, who among other things is responsible for the children’s education, both at public school and at COLT. But these three staff provide far more than these services, as they are also the children’s main source of adult attention.

The Children's Education

Besides the formal education at the local public school, the children get lessons at COLT in English and Khmer. COLT is in the process of re-introducing computer classes, tailoring and the beauty and hairdressing courses.

Vision

COLT’s vision is to provide a safe, stable and loving home for a limited number of children (maximum 18), as well as to teach them to be good, productive citizens and to give them an education.

Since the restructuring (see About COLT) the living conditions of the children have been much improved.

First, the orphanage was relocated from the appalling conditions next to the railway in northern Phnom Penh to a much better location in the west of the city. Thanks to generous donations COLT could build a proper shelter. In this new building there are also a class room, a library and a playing room.

Besides teaching the children, volunteers have made invaluable contributions by painting walls, providing a new kitchen and finding the finances for a regular medical check-up.

Last but not least, all children have been financially adopted by foreign donors so they now are able to attend public school. Many of these children never had any formal education, so they proudly posed in their new school uniforms as you can see below:

Although not all of them are technically orphans, these children come from hazardous surroundings, governed by fear — fear of violence, fear of not having enough food, fear of having no opportunity to improve their lives.

COLT wants to give them a safe environment where they can develop as human beings. The children learn to trust other people and have confidence in themselves.

The children learn as a group and share their knowledge and experiences with each other. They participate in all aspects of work at COLT. They clean their rooms and the grounds. They take care of the garden, help to make the food and wash their own dishes. They clean up after themselves.