Aziza's Courtyard - June 2009

Welcome to another addition of the Courtyard! We have enjoyed updating you on
life at Aziza’s Place, and we thank you all for your positive feedback.

In this issue we focus on the education and development of the children at Aziza’s Place. The wealth of classes and activities offered at AP go far beyond the basics of food and shelter. Supporting a small group of children gives us the advantage of adapting our
programs and services to their needs and interests. From sports to the arts, academics to cultural studies, our goal is to shed light on the projects and programs that make AP truly unique and standout from other organizations in Phnom Penh.

As in last month’s issue, we will continue to offer meaningful insights into the realities of our work at Aziza’s Place and in Cambodia. Our newsletter will cover a wide range of
topics including Cambodia’s public education system and updates of our children’s
families confronting forced evictions from the city dumpsite. Along with the progress and development of our resident children, these critical issues provide you with an insider’s view of life in Cambodia.

Thank you for your support,
Aziza’s Place

Creative Writing Workshop Brings Out Imagination at AP
This month’s creative writing workshops reveal that AP may have some future novelists on its hands. We put our two advanced English classes’ originality to the test. Each student in our English level III class, taught by Davina Clay, individually composed illustrated books about their lives, but with a twist; they conclude with “twenty years later,” a glimpse of what the students expect their future to hold. Chiev visits the United States, Sreysros becomes an art and Khmer teacher, Somely becomes a writer, Chanthy becomes a famous artist, and Roth goes to outer space after he becomes the President of Cambodia. See below for Roth’s story in his own words. We look forward to seeing these stories become reality!

In a workshop designed by Missy and Davina, our students put their vivid imaginations into action. The teachers created a giant, colorful map of a jungle island manifest with obstacles such as tigers, quicksand, and even wild boar. The students were given a scenario: their airplane must make a crash landing in the middle of the jungle. To survive, they must overcome these obstacles and dangers. They are equipped with some supplies to help them through their adventure: rope, a lighter, a parachute, a stick, a voice synthesizer, and tiger balm. What will become of them? Only their imaginations can decide. The final product of this project will be a journal highlighting these adventures.

We were thrilled to witness our advanced English students take their English vocabulary and writing skills to the next level. This outpouring of ingenuity will not be their last! A concentrated effort to promote creative writing is a priority in our advanced English curriculum.

Excerpt from My Life by Roth, 11 years old
...Thirty years later…I am 41 years old. I am the President. My friends just invited me to meet them in USA. We talked about space and all the planets. The President of USA asked us “Do you want to go to space?” and we said “yes we do.” He said “Next month I will tell my scientists to make the rocket.” I said “It must take a long time to make it. I will take some of my body guards to help your scientists.” I came back to Cambodia and told my body guards to go to help them...The rocket finished in only five months...Before we got into the rocket we wore the special suit because there is no gravity and we will fly away. Then we got into the rocket and we rode to the moon. We took photos of the moon. We land on the moon. When we came back to Earth we were very famous.

Ali Robbins Returns to Aziza’s Place as Co-Director
Alexandra Robbins, long time volunteer and friend of Aziza and Aziza’s family, returned this month to co-direct Aziza’s Place. She first worked at AP from September 2007 to January 2008 and is thrilled to be back with her friends at Aziza’s. She spent the past year and a half working for a non-profit in her hometown of Reston, Virginia. Ali will manage Aziza’s Place program development and donor relations.

She hadn’t even emerged from the fog of jet-lag before she set to work. For the children it was like she never left. Ali is honored to be working for this exceptional and dynamic group of Cambodian children. She is focused on bringing innovative and sustainable programs to the forefront of AP. With the help of Ali’s dedication and energy, Aziza’s Place is ready to reach new heights.

Aziza’s Place Beach Bums Take a Field Trip to Kampong Saam
After months of sweltering heat, we escaped Phnom Penh and made a trip to the beach! Cambodia, never short on holidays, celebrated the King’s Birthday in the second week of May giving the children two days off from public school. We spent two days at the beach and on the ride back stopped at Kbal Chhay, a waterfall tucked into the mountainside. The waterfall happens to be a favorite hang out for Cambodians during the hot season.
The children came back ten shades darker, each with a smile on their face and a seashell collection; which were unfortunately still in use by sand crabs, as we smelled later.

☼ Aziza’s Place Volunteers – Past, Present and Future
Calling all past volunteers! AP has been extremely fortunate for all of the volunteers who have shared their time, talents, and energy over the past two years. Our extended family has grown substantially and we want to keep in touch. As part of a solution, we are asking past volunteers to join our AP volunteer blog. Write a about your time at AP, a funny or endearing memory, share your experiences with our friends around the world and to provide inspiration for prospective volunteers. We will be collecting them on our website. Take a look!

Learn more about our volunteers - http://azizavolunteers.blogspot.com

Interested in Volunteering at Aziza’s Place?
Summer break from Cambodian public school is just around the corner. We have classes and activities to plan for the months of August and September and need your help! Come and experience Aziza’s Place first hand. It is sure to be an amazing experience and summer break is a great time to help out. Please contact Ali if you are interested at mailto:ali@azizafoundation.org?subject=Volunteering%20at%20AP.

Welcome to our New Volunteers
Aziza’s Place would like to extend a warm welcome to Maude Barrow, Cath Waugh and Premla Krishnan! Maude is from England; she was studying civil engineering in Singapore and has taken a few weeks to volunteer before heading back to the UK to finish university. « Cath is from New Zealand, she will be spending up to a year in Cambodia. Prior to AP she was working at a public health company. « Prem is from Malaysia. She worked as a administrator with Volvo in Sweden before taking a sabbatical. She plans to volunteer at AP for several months. We are happy to have them here.

How to Help: Donate • Volunteer • Share
The success of Aziza's Place to date is solely due to the generosity and commitment of our supporters. Whether through funding, volunteering, or simply raising awareness among your own network of family and friends, we thank you! You ensure that Aziza's Place continues to provide a nurturing home and quality education to our incredible resident children.

We’ve got the Rainy Season Blues and need your help! The rainy season brings Aziza’s Place children many joys including much needed reprieve from the hot and humid weather. Unfortunately, when we say it’s raining buckets at Aziza’s Place, it literally is raining into buckets from the leaks in our resident home. The months and months of rain wreak havoc on our wooden framed house, continuing to cause leaks and warps. Funds for maintenance repairs like these are critical during rainy season.

Click here to make a financial contribution to the Aziza Foundation on behalf of Aziza’s Place.
U.S. donors receive a tax credit receipt for your contribution. UK donors may elect the Gift Aid option so the tax-gross up is received by the charity.
Contact mailto:ali@azizafoundation.org?subject=Donations%20from%20Newsletter for more information.