Cambodia Project Update


Filming at preschool

Capturing every angle

When we’ve found the strength to tear ourselves away from devouring Kampot’s impossibly delicious jackfruit, the CSM team has been working hard to produce a variety of videos for our partner organizations.

We shot loads of footage of the great work underway by the Cambodian Children’s Advocacy Foundation (www.ccaf-khmer.org), including rural pre-schools and organic chicken farming. It was a blast to spend two days with an adorable group of four-year-olds. Our project manager, At, and our part-time translator, June, have gotten everything transcribed and translated, and we’re putting in vast amounts of screen time editing a trio of videos for CCAF.

Interviewing the preschool teacher

Interviewing the preschool teacher

The first is an English-language video to let the world know about CCAF’s amazing pre-school program, which provides rural children with the building blocks of education, along with nutritious meals and medical checks.

We’re also putting together a Khmer-language training video for teachers, featuring footage from class and tips from a top teacher. It will provide CCAF and other teachers with best practices ranging from storytelling to promoting hygiene.

Our third CCAF video project will provide a meaningful volunteer opportunity to visitors to Cambodia. We plan to post an electronic file of English-Khmer vocabulary flashcards that volunteers can download, print, and laminate. That file will be accompanied by a downloadable Khmer-language video giving teachers or parents directions on how to use the flashcards effectively. The volunteers will be able to share the video with Khmer educators and families, and leave them with valuable resources.

Class photo

The CCAF preschool

We also shot a wealth of footage from a training session for organic farming practices. Most of that has been transcribed, and we’re planning to cut a Khmer-language video that will teach farmers how to use a natural product to raise chickens.

Finally, we’re in the pre-production stages of a video to help Khmer educators and officials understand the importance and uses of a well-developed resource library. Our amazing hostess in Kampot, Charlene Bredder, has been volunteering for over three years to build simple but effective resources for local elementary school teachers. We’re excited to highlight her organization’s work.

Since our arrival, we’ve been introduced to many organizations doing great work, including Hong Kongese volunteers who will build their second Cambodian pre-school facility this summer (http://www.ideaproject.org.hk/); a band of land mine victims who play beautiful music to support people in need (http://herocambodia.webs.com/); a network of hospitals that provides completely free medical treatment to any child who shows up (http://www.beat-richner.ch/); and a group that provides an array of services including dental work and water filters to rural children (http://www.buddhistlibrary.org.au/). Being in Cambodia has given us phenomenal opportunities to be inspired by people, Khmers and foreigners alike, who are committed to breaking the cycle of poverty here.

Now, it’s time to do our small piece. Back to work!