House  building Project

The Cambodia Study Tour was a great experience for both staff and students. During our 16 days away in December 2024 the students worked with local community members to build a sustainable home and toilet block in a village near Bakong, 35 kms north of Siem Reap.  With support from local villagers, the home was created in 5 days by CSHS students digging holes, laying mud bricks, trimming bamboo, sanding back timber and painting the house. A big handover celebration was held on completion. The house will provide shelter for a single mum with 3 children.  The students raised US$2500 which went to the construction of the house. We received a special award for our work, presented by the Governor of Siem Reap Province.

The official house handover to a single mum with her two children. We also donated goods to help her get started.

Working at New Hope Community School, Siem Reap

When not involved in house building, other students and staff were teaching English at New Hope Community School in Siem Reap. New Hope Community School provides English classes so our students were able to model English for the Cambodian staff and students. The school also runs a restaurant staffed by New Hope students as part of their hospitality training. Many overseas tour groups visit here for a traditional Cambodian meal, helping provide funds for the school. We really enjoyed our meal and the service was first class. The Cambodian students spend half a day at Khmer school and half a day at New Hope. Being able to speak English is an important goal for students so they can access better jobs once they leave school. Many other Australian schools and the Lions Club of Australia have supported New Hope Community School over the last ten years. 

Cambodia study Group outside the restaurant at New Hope Community School. Half our group and 2 staff worked in the school assisting with English classes.

Marty Long, Felix Cuturilo, Mitch Horman and Bailey Kraft teaching some songs to the Preps. Check out their dance moves.

Sunrise over Angkor Wat. It was built in 1110-1150 by King Suryavarman II, making it nearly 900 years old.

In our second week we visited Angkor Wat for the day. We also toured local villagers and communities on push bikes, completing two days of bike riding and spent time basket weaving and learning how to make sticky rice. We also participated in a rice harvest celebration and the students went on a bullock. 

Receiving our award for the completed house and English teaching at New Hope.

From left Sokeng Bung Principal, Mya Singleton, Frankie Burke, Marty Long, Soth Kemsour Founder of New Hope, Sidney Richter School Captain, Neave David Stern and Governor  of Siem Reap Prak Sophoan .

Activities at Trei Nhoar Village with our Guide Heung.

We worked at Trei Nhoar community in our second week making chicken coups. The chicken coups were made of bamboo and now support 8 poor families.  We also donated 20 jungle chickens to the community. While in this community we planted over 300 trees. The students raised US$1200 for this community to fund these projects. While working in Trei Nhoar community the students and staff received a special blessing from the monks at the pagoda. We rode there on a trailer being towed by a tractor.

Extra Activities students were involved in.

While on our study tour we visited the Land Mine Museum and Apope Rats Museum. A great deal of the Vietnam War was fought in Cambodia so the rats play an important role in locating land mines.  German Shepherds are also used to locate mines.  We watched a demonstration of them in action and it is amazing how many lives they save.

We also visited the Phare Circus which provides Cambodian youth a pathway to develop circus skills. Their performances were of a high standard and very entertaining.

Our tour also included a boat cruise on Lake Ton Le Sap, South East Asia’s biggest inland waterway. Everyone had a great time sampling Cambodian food in the local restaurants around Siem Reap and shopping for bargains in the local markets of an evening.

Ms Sarah Moss with a Tanzanian Rat used to dig for land mines. They are about 5kgs and it costs Apope Rats $6000 Us a year to look after and manage one of these rats. Once their handler knows where the land mine is they use a metal detector to check and when everyone is out of the way they detonate the mine. These rats continue to save lost of lives. Apope Rats are used in the Ukraine and other war zones around the world.