I am having an amazing time in cambodia at Orphans Disabled Arts orphanage. Every morning I wake up and ride my bicycle for a 45 minute ride through the busy streets of Siem reap and then into the parkland of the Angkor Wat temples where the orphanage is located.
Once in the parkland, the ride is idyllic.
My first Cambodian temple; I pass this one every morning on my ride.
Arriving at ODA...
ODA is an art orphanage with 27 children. A wonderful Khmer couple, one program manager and one long-term volunteer take care of all these wonderful kids! The children create beautiful art that is sold in the gallery here in the foreground. They are also branching out now to fund the orphanage with international art exhibitions. Next stop, Australia!
This is the orphanage classroom. Cambodia children go to school for 4 hours a day 6 days a week. Half the children at ODA are at school while the others are at the orphanage getting additional rigorous "home-schooling." ODA teaches the children a variety of subjects: English, computer skills, art, traditional Khmer dancing, mathematics and many special projects.
Leng and his wife Sry On are the founders of ODA. Shirley came as a short-term volunteer a few years ago and never left. They have worked together to build ODA into a more stable organization. Much still needs to be done. Here Leng and Shirley meet with one of the young artists about how to improve his artistic skills:
The girls study traditional Apsara dancing in the morning and afternoon. The teacher sings all the songs as she simultaneously teaches the movements.
The kids at ODA... I am enamored of these amazing young people!
Saturday evening was the annual boat festival here. The children came into town to enjoy the fireworks and set off ceremonial boats to float in the river.
Leng - the founder of ODA- was orphaned as a young boy after he saw his father's throat being cut by the Khmer Rouge. Luckily for him, his Aunt and Uncle took him in.
Shirley has done wonderful things for ODA in her time here. This young boy is the newest addition to the ODA family, having arrived last week.
The children learn life skills so that they can be fully self-sufficient when they are adults. They pitch in with everything: cooking, cleaning, and other chores. Here is our delicious lunch:
We had fun trying on my sunglasses... more my time at ODA soon!
Please click here to learn more about ODA:
No comments:
Post a Comment