Dear Friends and Family,

I hope that you had a very lovely Christmas and a happy New Year celebration!

The year 2011 has just started but we would never forget 2010, which Rudi Boa Center brought so much change to the students, family and community at the relocation site Peace II. Initially, we started with only 3 staffs and 60 students, for classes in January but after one year of operation we're so impressed of our accomplishment and growth. We have the increase from 3 to 6 staffs, from 60 to 258 students and 11 classes. Also we have 8 Khmer regular team leaders and also volunteers from Peace II and 11 short time volunteers from United World College, Australia, USA and other countries around the world.

Our students are age between 5 to 20 years old studying English from the basic level to the Pre - Intermediate level. There were 8 health trainings which were conducted by the professional health trainer Phana and three medical teams, Nary, Sophea and Put Sak from Cambodian Kids Foundation on Reproductive Health and Condom, Medicine usage, Dengue Fever and Diarrhea. They also conducted another 11 trainings to women group from Peace II including First Aid, Birth Control, Nutrition, Fever and rehydrate solution.

We have the amazing team leaders at Rudi Boa who have been volunteering and assisting in different activities of Rudi Boa Centre. We also conducted 11 trainings to the 185 youths at Rudi Boa Centre on Positive Attitude, Life Plan, Leadership Development Skill, Youth Survivor Challenge, Field Trip, Wedding Law, Criminal Law, Learning Habit and Technique, and Domestic Violence. The training were conducted by the staffs and the students from ACE. Thanks ACE! We always request the outstanding students from the training to join the team leaders so that they could make a change to get more involve with the school activities and community. So far there are five former team leaders who have become staffs at Rudi Boa and others are volunteering and assisting in the computer class, Khmer; English classes, sport, art, health and hygiene.

Our young staffs have remarkable improved since they have an opportunity to join numerous trainings on Classroom Management, Child Right, Child Protection, Interactive Teaching Methodologies, Effective School Management, Positive Attitude which are provided by Bridge Across Border Cambodia, Cambodian Kids Foundation and Attitude Centre for Education.

Rudi Boa is not just a building, or a school that provide some important need to the children and youths at Peace II however it has also become a safe place to prevent the children and young adults from moving to the city in order to become: shoes brusher, beggar, gangster, using drugs, robber, selling flower and foods on the edge of the roads, street children and importantly avoid from going into prostitution. Instead many of them are working hard, studying hard and are preparing goals for their brilliant future. The families are not forcing their kids to find the money for them; instead they are working hard to send their children to school because they believe that Education will bring a very positive change in their family.

We, especially the victims of the eviction will never and ever forget the day that they were suffered because of the eviction in the late 2009 from Dey Krahorm and also the sand filing on the Boeung Kak lake. Thousand families were fiercely forced to move out from their houses and started a new life at the relocation site Peace II. However the families have now understood that the company could evict the people from their land but they couldn't evict the knowledge from the people! Stop Eviction! Sent the Children to School!

Apart from Rudi Boa centre, The Attitude Centre for Education (ACE) has also made many accomplishments in the year 2010. Our young and ambitious ACE's scholarship residents have so much opportunity to grow through our dormitory scholarship program, university scholarship program and training program. We offer them the free dormitory to live, provide them the best leadership and positive attitude trainings. They are also provided a valuable opportunities to volunteering and assisting in ACE project, Rudi Boa Centre. Many of them have reach their goals in such a short period of time by becoming project manager, accountant, project officer, project facilitator and others are volunteering and assisting in other ACE activities.

Without ACE these students probably would be working as the builders, farmers, married, working in the garment factory or would have return back to their homeland without job and experience. Instead they have gain so much experience in self-confidence, have a strong personality, strong in communication skill, have a clear goal and especially they can bring back what they've learnt from ACE to their friends, family and community.

In 2010, we conducted 24 trainings to 475 people and 125 of these participants who benefited from our trainings were females. Our trainings focus on: Positive Attitude, Leadership, Child protection, NGOs management. According to our survey, 57.14% of the participants are the poor students from the slum; remote communities; 14.48% NGOs staffs; 21.42% farmers and 7.14% others.

All of the accomplishments at Rudi Boa Centre and Attitude Centre for Education couldn't have happened without the hard work and support from all the Cambodian Kids Foundation, Bridge Across Border Cambodia staffs and our friends around the globe! You are not working in front of us but you’re working with us, you transform us so that we could transform other people . We deeply appreciate your support and very proud of the accomplishments that we have done for the year 2010! We are ready for more new accomplishments in the year 2011! But we also strongly believe that we cannot make more accomplishments without more support from you.

Happy New Year!

Sokchea SAING,

Dear Everyone,

I’m Mien, 23 years old. I was born in a small village of Travkiet, Danron Commune, Soutnikum District, Siem Reap Province. There are eight members in my family, myself, one brother, four sisters and my parents. Every member of my family are farmers. We work very hard in the rice field everyday from sunrise to dawn with our hands without a proper machine to earn money to support the family. I always dream of continuing my study at one of the universities in the city, Phnom Penh. However with the little money we earn from the hardworking in the rice field every day is impossible for me to achieve my dream.

I decided to leave my village after I’ve completed my high school to find a job in Phnom Pen and also to look for an opportunity to continue my study at the university. Initially it was very difficult for me as I don’t have any relatives or friends living in Phnom Pen. I stayed alone in the rented tiny room without proper bed to sleep, study desk, kitchen and restroom. However life goes on regardless of what. I started to apply for a job but I could not find due my low educational background, lack of experience, couldn’t speak English and especially because I have a hunchback. I felt very miserable as I was unemployed and my budget was getting less, I was hopeless and helpless.

One day I decided to go to the temple and ask for a place to stay as I was running out of money and couldn’t rent a room. However they didn’t trust me because I didn’t know anyone there, so I wasn’t allowed to stay in the temple. I then went to ask the Orphanage Center which was located in a slum community. I was very happy to be accepted to stay there. I found it totally new experience for me to stay in the orphanage with many other kids. At meal times everyone rang the bell and lined up to receive the meals. Sometimes when I got back from school I had to go to bed with an empty stomach as there was no foods left for me. One month later I started to study English at AZIZA School which was located next to the Orphanage Center. AZIZA is supported by Village Earth NGO which provides free English class, leadership, and other essential training skills. I was a very committed student because I wanted to learn how to speak, read and write English well like other kids in the center. I went to AZIZA and studied every day.

I then applied for a dormitory scholarship at Attitude Center of Education (ACE) which is an organization providing a free housing for the disadvantaged students from the country side to stay, receiving various free basic life training skills, internet, computer, library. I feel very comfortable living at ACE as all the students here are friendly, easy going and open. We all come from different provinces across Cambodia, we go to different universities, are committed students. I feel motivated to study harder and feel very pleased to be treated equally like other students. Nobody here care about the way I look or my hunchback.

Now I am a freshman and studying at Pannasastra University of Cambodia. My major is in Community Development. What makes me more excited is that I have also obtained a part time job as a data entry officer at Digital Divide Data Organization. The money that I received from my job is not much though it helps me a lot with my daily expenses. It means so much to me.

Thank you very much for spending your value time in reading my background. Your consideration and generosity will make a big change to my life. I will be able to finish my degree and using my knowledge to transform other adults and kids in my village and to develop my village into a better place. I have a strong desire to help others because I totally understand exactly how it feels like when you have nothing as I was there at one point in my life. I remembered everything and I want to be there for those who are in need just like the way I am helped by others! I would like to say thank you very much for helping me and other Cambodians. It really means so much for us! Wishing you and family luck, successful and prosperity in your life! I wish one day you will visit Cambodia and all of the students in ACE again. Thanks!!

Best wishes
Mien

Nob Sorath – ACE Scholarship Resident

Hello everybody!

My name is Sorath. I was born Samroung Tung Distich, Kompong Speu province. I grew up in a poor family in Kompong Speu. I’ve one sister one youngest brother, I’m an oldest brother in my family. My father is a farmer and mother is also a farmer. They work very hard in the farm, including rainy and dry season to be able to support the family. However they don’t earn much from their farming work.
Currently I’m studying at the Western University, majoring in English Literature as a student that study under the loaning system from school and I am required to repay the university once I’ve completed my degree in four year. I am very lucky to obtain the loan as there is a limited number of students can have the loan.
While I was studying at high school it was the very difficult experiences. My home so far from school it about 12-15km. I always went to school with my old bicycle often it had problem. At that time I had not breakfast and sometimes lunch I woke up at 5am to ride the bicycle to school. All villagers in my village rarely have someone reach to study until graduated grade 12. All of them if the girls go to work at the garment factory and the boys go to work as worker in the city and the rest would become the farmers. People in village not encouraged me to study they said to me that “You try everyday but you still do the farmer because you live in countryside..give up your studies..there is no point to study..” except my family they always persuade, encourage me all the time. Sometimes I had no money but I had a chance to teach at student’s house and some Private school in Kompong Speu province by these ways that help me to support me. As the result I passed my examination at high school successfully. After the good thing unfortunately I couldn’t carry on my learning at university in the city for one year as my family was in financial difficulties. I was really upset and stressing out. Then one year later I saved abit of money to come and study at university in the city in 2011! I was really excited and cannot find any words to express my feeling at that time! But one thing that I knew was that I had the opportunity to walk toward my dream! And I wanted to make that dream come true!
When I came to continue my dream in the city the big problem is that I had not enough money for: accommodation, water, electricity and especially daily foods so I was in a difficult situation because I’ve no any relative whom to depend on and who are living in the city. Fortunately, I met my old friend, Mr. Vicheka and then I asked him for staying short time at his place, he agreed with me moreover he recommended me to apply for scholarship at ACE. Incredibly I got the scholarship at there, I’m very happy! I can get accommodation, friendship with others students that living here, improve my knowledge, have a chance get leadership and a lot of more skills. I’m very excited with living in ACE!
In fact, I have two dreams in my way. First one is want to be an English teacher, that full qualify education in order to develop my own self, community and society. The second one I want to be a business man. Because now I’m working in the coffee shop is the international one. So I try to work hard and leaning as much as I can. I hope that one time if I have the ability I’ll run it.
Finally, I would like to thanks all the students at ACE who have welcomed me and have made me feel like home since I’ve arrived in ACE. I also wish to thank all the generous people in the world for supporting Cambodian students in Cambodia, to have a place to stay and study in the city so that we can have enough education and continue our dreams in helping other underprivileged people in Cambodia! I wish that ACE will be successful and will save more poor people like me!

Nob Sorath!

Sun Rathana

Hello everyone! I’m Rathana, 19 years old and was born in Charjrom, Kompong Thom province. I am the oldest of four siblings in my family. My father is a farmer and my mother is a housewife. I graduated from high school in 2010 then I continued to Phnom Penh, studying accounting at Vanda University in year 1.
While I was in high school, I became an active member of Youth Council of Cambodia (YCC) in Kompong Tom province. I joined in many activities to help my team and my community such as keeping the environment cleaned around the market; school and many other places to protect the people from any diseases. Beside these activities, I also grew trees along the road and school. I know how to work with the community, teaching them about health and hygiene, domestic violence and many others. Moreover I used to join many short courses to change my life to be a good child and became an outstanding student at school. I used to join the Leadership course at Leadership Character of Development Institute (LCDI), which has changed my leadership and my attitude. I know what leader means, responsibilities and how to become a good leader. Especially, I now know how to become good role model and how to solve problems.
After I graduated from high school, I always dream of studying at a university in Phnom Penh though I didn’t have the money to pay for the accommodation and tuition fee. I asked my mum to support my study for the first year and I had promised her to look for a place to stay and also to apply for the scholarships in the university. While I was studying in my first year, and also rent a tiny room with other two of my friends. I had to pay money for the electricity; water bills as well as foods and the room has no proper place to study. I feel that I repeated doing something over again and again every day and my life was growing nothing. My parent work so hard every day to send me to Phnom Penh because they wish that if I could get a high education, good job then I could help my other brothers and sisters at home but then I did not think that I could make it if I still kept on staying in the same tiny room without any guideline or direction from anyone. How sad my parent would have been if they knew that I have learnt nothing from school. How could I help my family if I couldn’t even help myself. I desperately need a place that I feel home and could gain experience so that I could use that experience to help my family otherwise I would have to return back to my hometown and do the farming like my parents do however I don’t want to do the farming as I won’t earn much to support my own family in the future.
One day I received information from my friend that there is an organistion called Attitude Centre for Education which provides the scholarship for staying and many short courses to the scholarship residents. The main courses are Attitude Forum and Leadership Development skill to build young people in Cambodia becoming a good leader in Cambodia. I was so excited to hear that and I quickly completed the form and joined the two days Attitude Forum which came as a surprise course to me!
I’ve passed the interviewed and have been accepted to stay at ACE ! I am going to move in on the 06th January 2011. I am really excited and looking forward to spending time with other scholarship residents and also the young potential leaders of Cambodia! I will try all my best to be strong like them and I will change my life to be a good leader so that I will be able to share my knowledge and skill to my family and my country! Thank you so much with your beautiful heart in helping me to stay in ACE!!!

Kimlong-Young ACE's hero

I am 15 years old and was born in the Beoung Kak lake slum in Phnom Penh where more than 4000 families used to live on the lake. My father drunk and drowned in the lake when I was only 8 months. I spend my childhood as the rubbish collector in the city for about 5 years before I changed my business to be the shoes brusher. I started my job as the shoes brusher after my mum become pregnant and have another baby with my stepfather, Pov who is a builder. The baby didn't have milk to drink and my mum didn't have enough food to eat as she couldn't work at that time. So I decided to ask my mum if I could change my business to become the shoes brusher so that I thought that I could earn more money for the family. So my mum allowed me to started the new business as the shoe brusher since then. I was happy with my new job but I didn't get a chance to go to school. My business was going well which I could earn on average $2.5 per day. Initially I could earn only $0.50 a day as I didn't know how to find customers. Eventually some days I could earn up to $5 a day!

Unluckily the government sold that land to a private company. All the residents there were all fiercely evicted to a relocation site to Peace II (where ACE is running the Rudi Boa Centre). My mum's house was one of the 4000 houses and family that were evicted.

My family had no choice but had to move our house to a new place which is Peace II, 22km away from the city. It was the sadness time for me and my family because I lost my job as a shoes brusher and my whole family also lost the job. In the hard situation like that, I decided to borrow one of my friend's bike to use it so that I could come to work in Phnom Penh as the shoes brusher. I needed to wake up at 4 am, ride 22 km to Phnom Penh everyday and ride another 22km back to my home.

I also decided to start my English class at Rudi Boa with the basic English with other younger kids than him. One of our volunteers at Rudi Boa bought a bicycle for me and later on they register me in grade 3to one of the public schools close to my house but the school does not have any quality. They also tried to set up the small business for my mum so that I could go to school again.

Now I have moved to live in ACE with another little boy, Veth and another 12 university students. Luckily, I was given a sponsor to go to a private school. Thank so much to Samuel!

I am so extremely excited to go to a good school, have a good friends, and good teacher especially I can go to very expensive school that I never could dream of.

I am deeply thanks to Sam, Chibodia and everyone that has given this chance to me to have a new life and a bright future! I have transformed from a shoe brusher to become an AIS student! I promise that in a few years from now I am committed and will try my very best to get number 1 at my school!

Best Wishes
Kimlong