Happy 3rd Birthday Aziza's Place!

For the past three years Aziza’s Place has provided an array of high quality programs for its resident children. Testaments to the impact of our programs include charted increases in the children's height and weight, their conversational English skills, and their outward presentation of responsibility, creativity, and respect. It is summed up best by the kids themselves in the AP birthday slideshow.


View AP's 3rd Anniversary Slideshow on Facebook

AP Looks Back at 2009 Achievements...

Aziza’s Place is moving forward in leaps and bounds. We thank all of our friends and supporters who assisted us this past year. Here are a few examples of our success:

* First student enrolled in a vocational skills program

* Film Education Program premiered five short films created by AP residents

* AP featured in The Phnom Penh Post

* Eight children advanced grades in Khmer public school

 * Nearly 20 volunteers donated their time and generousity in Cambodia

 * Expansion of the boys and girls living quarters

 * AP welcomed 6 year old Lina, our first former street child, with open arms

* Introduced monthly Family Nights, an evening for relatives and children to share and have fun

...and Ahead to 2010

In 2010, Aziza’s Place is opening doors for our resident Cambodian children and their families. AP plans to expand its outreach to families through education, counseling, job training and employment opportunities. This concentrated effort serves to enhance the quality of life not only for our 21 resident children, but also their 21 families. AP will expand its existing support to families by providing new opportunities and connecting them with critical resources for moving ahead. In 2009 we exemplified this by:

* Offering English and computer classes held at AP especially for family members

* Employing two fathers of AP residents as night guards

* Hiring two AP family members for construction and maintenance needs

* Supporting an AP resident’s father with a heath care emergency by connecting him to local services

* Rescuing a sibling of AP resident from a human trafficking scam and providing her with job training and
temporary housing

Renovations Provide New Space to Grow

With over half of our residents over the age of 12, we found their living space bursting at the seams. Due to our growing number of adolescents, it became necessary to divide the boys and girls. Previously in the AP house, the boys and girls lived in separate rooms, side by side. A generous grant from MAP enabled us to expand our facility.

The renovations took place in an apartment next door to the AP house. A wall was taken down between two rooms to create one large sleeping area for the boys. A new, adjoining room was created for our live-in male staff member, Makara. He looks after the boys and ensures they are carrying out their daily chores and upkeep of the new dormitory. AP girls are now spread out between the old boys room as well as their original room. Now there is plenty of space for all twelve girls, and even room for a couple more! The boys and girls are all ecstatic about the privacy and freedom that comes with their new living space.

Aziza’s Place was proud to hire the father and uncle of several AP residents for the renovation project. Relying on family members ensured the construction was of high-quality, and provided them with much needed income. We plan to use them on a regular basis for our maintenance needs.

The opportunity to expand was critical to the growth and well-being of our resident children. We are grateful to have partners like MAP to help us grow.

Sreymom’s Story—Rescue and Support from Human Trafficking Scam

In January 2010, Aziza’s Place took in an unconventional new resident. Sreymom, 23, is the older sister of Sreypov, 13, who has lived at AP for 2 years. Sreymom was caught in the web of a human trafficking scam with a vulnerable and unknown future ahead of her.

AP became aware of the situation when Sreypov said that her sister was “moving to Malaysia.” It is known that women in Cambodia are often victims of human trafficking. They are sent to countries such as Malaysia and Thailand to work as domestic servants or forced into the sex trade. AP staff and volunteers banded together to understand the full story of Sreymom’s situation. She had been living in a “training center” for one month without adequate food, health care, and personal freedoms. She now describes the center as jail-like and estimates at least 500 other women were being held there as well.

It was important to first alert Sreymom's family of the risks of her going to Malaysia. Once they agreed she should not go, releasing her from the center was AP's top priority. Sreymom’s father and Soy Socheat, AP Assistant Director, spent several tedious hours trying to arrange her release with the center and after five hours of negotiations she was released.

Sreymom is now doing well and is living at Aziza’s Place. She is taking English classes, helping with daily chores, and is playing older sister to all the girls at AP. In March she will begin a year long training course with the Open Arms Vocational Training center. This job training program was located by AP volunteer Cath Waugh and will help Sreymom learn the skills to live her dream of becoming a beautician.

Unfortunately, Sreymom’s case is not uncommon. These scams prey on poor communities to recruit young women. They offer money to the families so the girls are immediately locked into debt. To avoid another situation like Sreymom’s, AP has alerted the families of these scams and is encouraging more in depth communication to understand each family’s situation.

Volunteer News: Welcomes, Thank Yous, and Returning Friends

A warm welcome to Janice Juszczak from Middletown, New Jersey and Lani Warsh from Toronto, Canada. Janice has a background in international development and has lived all around the world. Along with teaching and tutoring AP children, she will instruct the sibling English class. Lani Warsh has spent the past year helping to start a small non-profit called Kid Powered Media in Delhi, India. She is AP’s first Program Assistant and will focus on family relations and communications.

Thanks for the fond memories Diana Chende and Stephanie McMahon. Diana headed back to her home and husband in the UK to finish up her teacher training program. Stephanie headed off to Hyderabad, India for more volunteer work. We look forward to seeing you again back in Phnom Penh!

January brought back the familiar faces of Jane Heng and Tim Cavanaugh. Jane first volunteered at AP from January to May 2009 and Tim volunteered at AP in 2008. As always, kids and staff alike are thrilled to see our past volunteers come back to see us.

Stay connected to the AP Volunteer alumni network by visiting our VOLUNTEER BLOG

How to Help: Donate • Volunteer • Share

Interested in supporting Aziza's Place this year? We are asking our previous and new supporters to make a commitment to continue equal support for the next 3-5 years. Why? This ensures our program quality and sustainability. A long term investment in AP means a long term investment in the future of Cambodian children.

Click here to make a donation via PayPal. For donations over $400, please click here for wire transfer information. 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. If you are a perspective volunteer, please take a look at our volunteer needs on idealist.org, or simply contact us.

Aziza’s Place Welcomes Our New Friends

Aegis Mobile - Columbia, MD

Joel Allen - Reston, VA

Amy Bateson - Chicago, IL

Justine Chae - Philadelphia, PA

Stephanie Crampton - Richmond, CA

Martina and Anthony Davanzo - Easton, PA

Equippers Kids - Wellington, New Zealand

Stephanie Fischer - Alexandria, VA

Melanie Haaksma - The Hague, The Netherlands

Julianne Maguire - Boston, MA

David and Barbara McDonald - Grand Rapids, MN

Heather and John Parker - Falls Church, VA

Noreen Powell - Potomac Falls, VA

Lawerence and Susan Scherpereel - Murrysville, PA

Karin Soyster - Annandale, VA

Seth Spitzer - San Francisco, CA

Ranaiah Sunstar - Clarence, NY

Betty Turner - Mims, FL

Kathleen Turner - Reston, VA

Thank you for supporting the children and families of Aziza’s Place