Education is a burning issue for Cambodia. During the 1970s the Cambodian education system was largely destroyed – schools were abandoned, and teachers and scholars killed. It’s this heritage that has been instrumental in creating very poor reading and writing skills for Cambodian children, yet education is essential for a country to develop and grow into a prosperous nation.
Many children are still either not allowed or able to attend school, and so, to motivate people about how important education is, Kuma Cambodia School has built a library on wheels, called the Book Book Tuk Tuk.
The aim is to bring a love of literature and learning to the population, starting with the villages on the outskirts of Phnom Penh. When the tuk tuk arrives, laden with books, adults and children are invited to be read to, and to read to each other. The purpose is to create an interest in literature, school and education, and to ultimately motivate parents to send their children to school.
We thought it was such a good idea we purchased a tuk tuk to help get books out into the countryside where they’re needed. We’ve also had a collection around the office to make sure the driver, petrol and maintenance is covered. Would your office or friends be keen to help?
If you’re interested in supporting this project, and have a non-Singapore issued credit card, go to kumacambodia.org to find out more.
