How Can I Help AP?

The success of Aziza's Place to date has been solely due to the generous commitment and support of our donors, who provide the necessary funds, and our staff and volunteers, who dedicate their time.

In order to ensure that Aziza's Place continues to provide the loving home and environment to our incredible resident children, we need your financial support. A donation of $40 per (£30) a month from100 supporters is sufficient to cover our monthly operating costs, including food, living expenses, medical supplies, and school supplies. Of course, we request that our 100 friends and supporters pledge to provide the $40 (£30) per month for the year so that our annual operating costs can be covered. Please consider giving generously: We need your contribution! You can contribute directly by wiring funds to the applicable US or UK accounts listed below or via PayPal (http://www.azizafoundation.org/donation.html). All US donors will receive a Tax receipt and UK donors will get the choice of electing the Gift Aid option so that the tax-gross up is received by the charity.

US Bank Information:
The Aziza Ghori Charitable Foundation
Comerica Bank
ABA / Routing Number:072000096
Account No: 1851432573

UK Bank Information:
The Aziza Foundation
(UK)HSBC Bank
Sort Code: 40 05 30
Account No: 72815559

If you need further information, please contact missy@azizafoundation.org

February / March News

Hello Everyone!

As winter draws to a close for many of you, we, in Cambodia, are hitting the apex of the “hot/dry” season and the accompanying heat! This past month tested us in so many ways; first, through the heartbreaking loss of our Director, Nader Ebrahimi who unexpectedly passed away on March 2nd, and, in the wake, the emotional upheaval experienced by the resident children, staff, volunteers and supporters of Aziza’s Place all around the globe.

As we find ourselves at this very important juncture in our short history, the resilience of our remarkable children and the tremendous love and support we’ve received from the greater family of friends and supporters has provided us the strength to march on. We have new staff members who have gracefully accepted the challenges, we have new exciting ideas to implement, and we have new resident children who bring their own sunshine and energy. The future is very bright as we keep the past, the memory of Nader and all that he created, close at heart. We are moving forward and welcome you all to be a part of it.

Thank you all for your dedication and support this month! We appreciate it more than you know.

Wishing you the best!
Aziza’s Place











Sparklers at night

New Residents

We welcomed sisters, Chanty and Channy to Aziza’s Place in mid-February. Both are from the Steung Meanchey dumpsite and immediately made Aziza’s Place their home.

Chanty is really a strong outgoing girl and has an unusual ear for English. She’s a fast learner and has already shown leadership skills and incredible athletic skills. Channy is quieter than her older sister but never far from the action. She is very affectionate and playful. Both are open, loving and energetic and a very good fit for Aziza’s Place.

>February and March Activities

Tie-dye

Last month the children started sewing with our volunteer, Bonnie Cohen. This month, Jane Heng picked up where Bonnie left off. Before coming to Cambodia, Jane was a fashion designer in Australia, so she was able to help the children design their own custom bags. First the children shaped their bags with newspaper, then cut the fabric and, finally, sewed relentlessly until their bags took shape. The final touch—Tie-Dye! It was a wonderfully fun and messy workshop. Keep your eyes open for all the truly unique bags around AP!

Phnom Penh Waterpark

As the season for blistering heat is upon us, volunteers from Outreach International pitched in to fund a field trip to Phnom Penh’s water park. Volunteers from Outreach have been an enormous support system for us this month. Ben and Maria Mays and Simon regularly dropped in to play basketball and other games with the kids or to even just hang-out and keep them company. In addition, Laura Mountcastle, one of our supporters from the USA, took time off from her visit to Vietnam and visited Aziza’s Place for our day of fun in the water.








Lim delivers the floats



Simon plays lifeguard, while Ben and Somlay slide






Laura and Amjad

Studying Planets

Coverage of science is very limited in the Khmer public school curriculum. As part of our raison d’etre, we make a concerted effort to offer basic concepts in the Sciences, Art, Geography, among other topics at Aziza’s Place, primarily because the children have expressed such an interest in these subject and because they supplement their learning. This month all of our English classes have been talking about Outer Space! We even had the fortune of having Julie McEnery, a NASA research scientist come and give a presentation on her research mission in space.

The advanced English class made travel brochures for each planet, detailing some of the features of each planet, why you’d want to visit and precautions for travelers from outer space.

Space Brochure by Sengkri
"Earth’s attraction — “Look at the Humans.”

Football Tournament - March 14 and 21

The children are involved in a football program sponsored twice a week by the Indochina Starfish Foundation. Once a year they hold a tournament for all the children that participate in their programs. Our boys’ and girls’ teams went up against 12 other teams with each of our squads winning one out of three matches and enjoying themselves to the utmost. AP was well represented by the large group of supporters consisting of friends, staff and volunteers. We were all hoarse and sun-burned by the end of a fantastic and very well organized event by ISF.












The whole group at the Old Stadium



Little ones riding back with Momphat

Karate Championships March 28 and 29

Six children from our karate class participated in the Cambodia Karate-Do Shotokan Academy Championships at the end of March. The children performed well under some pretty fierce competition not to mention the intense heat. Our star, SreyNy placed second in her division!


Aziza's Place front and center with our friend's Chibodia peeking out over the sign from the end.


Somlay in action.


Karate Champ!


Looking thrilled with the promo shots

Nader’s Birthday - March 20

We knew we wanted to celebrate Nader’s birthday, but we were a little unsure of the best way to approach it. The children really wanted to sing happy birthday and have a small cake for him. Naturally, the activities turned into a special celebration; we played games and gave thanks for what we have. All told, it was a very uplifting day. Earlier in the week we had a counseling group come in for some sessions with the children. This was well received especially by the older boys who have been at Aziza’s Place since the outset. We are very fortunate to have such a great support system with so many caring volunteers, staff and friends who continue to send their best wishes and encouragement.

Thank you all for you many blessings and wishes.

Resident Highlight - Chanty

from February / March Newsletter 2009



Age: 14
Place of Birth: Kompong Cham, Cambodia
Home: Kompong Cham, Cambodia
Came to Aziza’s Place: February 2007
School: Tuol Tompong
Grade: 4

Chanty is originally from Cambodian Light Children's Association (CLCA), an orphanage in the Dey Krahom area, where Nader first volunteered. Through art, the two formed a quick bond. Nader brought Ty sketchbooks and talked about his passion for art and Ty filled up his sketchbooks with tons of drawings. When the Dey Krahom slum was razed for development and CLCA had to relocate to the outskirts of Phnom Penh, Ty joined Nader and became the first resident at Aziza’s Place.

In the two years that Ty has been here he has grown-up quite a lot while facing some formidable challenges. Ty was always recognized as the “artist,” quickly showing off his sketchbook to new visitors. But as the other children continue to develop their talents, he has been forced to find his own identity outside of art. Though visibly difficult at times, Ty has developed a strong sense of self and maturity and become much more rounded all of which will serve him well. Yet, now more so than ever, he continues to reaffirm his interest and goal in becoming an artist and an art teacher….just like his beloved Nader.

Ty is attentive and helpful in class, though he prefers art and sports. He loves to shoot baskets in his free time and is especially good at soccer and karate, earning his blue belt in the most recent Karate test. He also enjoys music, quickly picking up the banjo and guitar.

Ty’s greatest asset is his solid character. Aziza’s Place holds a strict code of conduct and works hard to instill solid values. Ty has been a good leader in representing the fundamentals: honesty and truth, humility, integrity, and bring true to oneself. Ty can always be counted on to help out and uphold those values. The next step with Ty is to help him prepare for his future with viable job skills and direction.

Staff Highlight - Soy Socheat

In a typical day at Aziza’s Place, Soy Socheat seems to be in seven places at once. You’ll see him: teaching a class, reviewing the budget and paying bills, playing basketball with the kids, checking the schedules and ringing the bells, or reading the newspaper and joking with staff. Somehow he manages it all seamlessly.

Socheat, formerly the house manager, has taken on the increased role and responsibilities of Assistant Director. Much of the character and stability of Aziza’s Place is a result of the tireless work and dedication of Socheat.

He first came to Aziza’s Place in June of 2007 after answering an ad in the newspaper for an English teacher.

“I thought it was a nice place and I was eager to work here, but assumed it would only last a year or so,” he says. He taught English for 2 or 3 hours a day, but before long he was translating for Nader, the director. “He came to me and said you can be the manager. I was surprised, because I never intended to have that level of responsibility in this place. But by August of 2007 Nader and I were working so well together and I felt like this was the right place for me.”

Socheat graduated high school in Prey Veng Province and came to Phnom Penh to study computers and IT. Phnom Penh is the only city with universities and a job market, he explains. So even though he loved being near his parents, he had to come to the capital to attend school and look for work. He entered school, but found the classes, which were taught in English too difficult with his limited language skills. He took two years off to go on a mission around Cambodia spending three weeks in the Philippines. His English improved drastically and when he returned he was ready to look for work.

After a short time at Aziza’s Place, it became clear that Socheat and Nader made a good team. “Nader was full of ideas and Socheat was able to implement them,” says Missy Washington, the Communication Director, “Socheat’s judgment is spot on; you can just trust things will get done when they are in his hands.”

Socheat eventually took on the day to day operations of Aziza’s Place, including making sure classes were kept on schedule, handling extra-curricular activities, and handling the finances.

He currently attends school for business and finance in the evenings and focusing on Accounting to fully understand and take the lead in the system implemented at Aziza’s Place. I am also trying to get better at writing and speaking English. I want to speak like a native. He says with a grin. Volunteers that come to Aziza’s Place are immediately at home with Socheat. “He was very welcoming and cant do enough to help you,” says Davina Clay a volunteer English teacher from London. “He is so professional, yet so approachable and good with the children.”

“I like him when he gives me advice. He tells me something good,” says Sengkri, 12. “He’s a good teacher. He is very kind. He works hard like Nader.”

“He has learned a lot of responsibilities through working here past two years and is filling a vital role in keeping the place together,” says Dan Haney the new Director from Virginia. “Good majority of his thoughts and life revolve around the kids here at AP. He’s a positive role model for them and certainly a parental figure.”

Socheat and Nader often talked to the children about important subjects. “We always encouraged them and told them that they can be whatever they want. I will continue to say that as well. It is all possible. They have to have the desire and make the right decisions,” he says. “I know the kids will graduate and be trained as good men and women. I expect they will be the ones to help our country develop. I am sure they will help their communities, not just Stung Meanchey, but wherever they go.

Volunteer Highlight - Missy Washington

Missy Washington came to Aziza’s Place in October as a volunteer to primarily teach art and English. Over the past six-months, she has morphed into an invaluable full-time staff member while expanding her role to include communications and promotional duties as the Communications Director of Aziza’s Place.

Missy Washington
Age: 27
Originally from: Axton, Virginia (USA
Living in: Los Angeles, California (USA)
Occupation: Artist
Fun Fact: She’s really good at Etch-a-sketch.

What brings you here?
I taught art and English for two years at a homeless shelter for teens from Central America when I lived in Los Angeles. The shelter was the spooky old mansion of Charlie Chaplin, who happens to be a favorite here at Aziza’s. I was also working at an art and education non-profit developing art curriculums and handling project coordination. I came to Aziza’s because of the focus on art and I enjoy working with children. I like to act silly, so working with children is an acceptable way to do that. Plus I know that I had teachers and mentors when I was a child that were able to change the way I saw the world and gave me the extra push or confidence to do what I thought was impossible. Children deserve to have those kinds of role models, because we all learn so much from observation. I can only hope that I show the most integrity in my life.

What are you doing at AP? Teaching art and English, doing the newsletters, working on the website, playing badminton, trying to fish cats out of the rafters…


What preconceived ideas of Cambodia did you have before that have been changed since being here? I had no idea what to expect. The only thing I can think of is chopsticks. I expected chopsticks.

What advice would you give to new volunteers?
I suppose it’s just helpful to know what to expect. I got millions of mosquito bites, millions! But there’s no help in fretting about Malaria or Dengue Fever. I hear there’s a 99% chance that you will get sick a month or so into your visit. I came here very healthy, but finally succumbed. I imagine it’s just acclimation. Also the air quality in Phnom Penh is not great.

What is something unique about where you come from? I come from the Appalachian area of Virginia. I brought my banjo with me, some of the kids have picked it up, so that’s been fun to share.

What are among your favorite memories from your stay at AP thus far?
One of my favorite memories is Sokty asking me to help him look up big mosquitoes on the internet. Teaching art and having kids get excited and throw out ideas is great. Another highlight has been meeting all the amazing people in Cambodia: the staff, friends who live here, volunteers that have become dear friends, and of course the kids. It was particularly meaningful to see where they’ve grown-up at the rubbish dump. Knowing people and being invited into their homes brings a whole new dimension and understanding of those conditions. I am thankful for those insights as well as the true kindness and generosity of the people here.