AnlaDi Matey, construction of a kindergarten in Cambodia

Title of the project

AnlaDi Matey (kindergarten). Construction of a kindergarten in Siem Reap (Cambodia)

Place of the action

Kro Bei Riel, Puok District, Siem Reap – Cambogia

Description of the context

The province of Siem Reap is very poor and the level of school attendance is dramatically low. The rate of malnutrition is among the highest in Cambodia: 63% of children suffer from chronic malnutrition and 47.5 % are underweight . The infant mortality rate is among the highest in the country ( as much as 15 %). The literacy rate , both for children under 8 years and under 16 years of age, is among the lowest in the country , as well as the completion rate of primary and secondary school . The province also has the highest level of adults who say they have never received any kind of education, a signal that reveals a probable lack of interest of families to support the education of their children. Rural areas in the province of Siem Reap , including the District of Pouk, are the target areas of the project, where the life conditions are dramatic. The support from the Government and from NGOs working in Siem Reap is not sufficient to meet the needs of the local population. The nursery school built by Anladi and managed efficiently by the SHCC, the local partner of the project, aims at improving the school attendance rate in the area. Children have also the opportunity to meet peers who live in the surrounding areas; they can learn the basic rules of hygiene, nutrition and can be stimulated intellectually through pre-school education (due to the extreme poverty of the families of the villages of this area, children have no access to books or toys). Snacks administered in kindergarten, together with courses for adults on the proper use of food available in the area, contribute to raising the nutritional level of the community.

The project

The construction of a kindergarten in the village was completed with private funds. The management of the kindergarten is carried out by the association SHCC ( Self Help Community Centre ), our local partner in the project and by the community itself.
These local actors provide the necessary human resources for the implementation of the project, but do not have the funds required for the purchase of furniture, material and consumables. SHCC does not have funds for the recruitment of two teachers, for the purchase of snacks and of materials for the garden ( tools, seeds , etc. ). Anladi, after having constructed the building, decided to provide SHCC the funds necessary for the educational activities for three years. The project also aims at recruiting two teachers, furnishing two classrooms with desks and chairs , and purchasing educational books , games, pencils, notebooks, etc. Anladi will provide the necessary funds for the running costs of the kindergarten in order to ensure that it is opened from 7am until 5pm, from Monday to Friday, with 8 classes per day ( 4 in the morning and 4 in the afternoon ). The beneficiaries of the project are 240 children from 3 to 5 years old belonging to the poorest families in the village and their parents, a group of mothers involved in the management of the center, and all the families living in the village , especially their children. The objectives of the project are:
1) To offer a free pre-school preparation for children in the region of Kro Bei Riel, to buy educational toys, books and creative materials to support the development of pre-school children and to recruit two teachers.
2) To minimize the risk of infection and disease in children living in rural villages in the region, offering them a safe environment during the day and giving children and their families notions of hygiene and nutrition.

Achieved results

The initial plan to build a new kindergarten was downsized, because a classroom in the nearby school belonging to our local partner SHCC became available to us. This was a great opportunity to optimize the costs of the project. In summer 2019, the classroom was finally ready.  We decided to divide it into two areas: a didactic area with desks and chairs, where educational activities could be carried out;  and a “play” area  equipped with carpets, wooden games, lockers etc. The kindergarten started its activities in November 2019 according to the school calendar of Cambodia, at the end of the rainy season. The first months were dedicated to make families aware of the project to start enrolment procedures. In February 2020, the kindergarten reached its maximum capacity, with 50 enrolled children, with 2 teachers and 2 assistants. During school hours, children were taught Khmer and English alphabets. Outdoor activities, board games, group singing, and artistic activities were carried out. In addition, children received a daily snack consisting mainly in fruit purchased at the local market, bread and jam, yogurt. Before and after the snack children had to wash their hands to accustom them to proper personal hygiene. Unfortunately, due to the coronavirus emergency, in March 2020 we had to close the kindergarten, following government regulations. The activities, compatibly with the health situation and with state directives, will resume by the end of 2020.

In 2022 there were 54 children enrolled, divided into a morning class and an afternoon class. The kindergarten program was enriched with extracurricular activities, such as field trips, visits to nearby Angkor temples, and participation in traditional performances.