I am consulting at an NGO in Cambodia called ABCs and Rice.
The mission of the organization is to empower children living in poverty
through education. To keep the kids in
school instead of working on a farm, peddling trinkets at the tourist spots, or
begging on the street, ABCs and Rice provides the students with rice and
vegetables to take home to their families twice per month. This model allows the children to provide for
their families, see the value in hard work and education, and of course offers an incentive to stay in school. I encourage you to read more about their mission on their website. In
my short time here, I have seen how ABCs and Rice is the first step in a
staircase to a prosperous and fulfilling life for these wonderful kids.
Whether in the West, or here in Cambodia, the key to a life
out of poverty is education. We have to be taught about the life that’s out
there and see the bright future on the horizon.
Not everyone can do it all on
their own. To dig yourself out of a
hole, someone has to offer you the tools.
To climb out, someone has to steady the ladder. Most of us wouldn’t have gotten where we are
today if it weren’t for the grandparents, parents, teachers, or friends who guided
us through it. Personally, I have many people
to thank.
I arrived here thinking I knew true gratitude. I had a solid start, at least. My grandfather passed away when my dad was
only four. This left my grandma, Norene,
a single, working mom, to raise two boys on a bank teller salary. My dad
learned to appreciate just having food on the table growing up; a feat only
accomplished by watching every penny that came in and by the help of a
strong community and family network.
Because of his own upbringing, my dad made sure that I never had to
worry about food on my plate, but also that I appreciated all that I had. We all fall victim to envy every day, no
matter how we were raised, though. Like
anyone, when I was back home in the US, I occasionally caught myself coveting
my old neighbor's BMW or my friend’s 70” flat screen. Each day, I remind myself of the lessons passed
down from my grandmother and work on making the most out of what I have.
We all learn at a young age what we should appreciate, and
how to prioritize our values. You might
remember your parents reminding you to count your blessings with sayings like “Be
respectful and eat everything on your plate. Kids are starving in [Insert Third
World Country Here].” Working for a
school in a third world country like Cambodia has put life and all our material
possessions into a whole new perspective for me. For many Cambodian children, running water, a
solid floor, a doorway, and even the guarantee of a square meal are signs of
material wealth. Most of the students at ABCs and Rice come from household incomes
of less than fifty dollars a month.
To share a small example of just how impactful ABCs and Rice
is on the lives of these children, on the first day of school here, Tammy
Durand, ABCs Founder and Director, and a couple of lovely volunteers from New
Zealand, lined up the students who waited excitedly but patiently for something
that you or I likely take for granted every day: clothing.
I sat at my desk looking over my computer
screen as each child filed in not knowing what gift they were about to
receive. Then, Tammy and the volunteers,
without skipping a beat, started grabbing among the stacks of clothes neatly
folded in the cabinets along the wall. Instantly, smiles cracked across every child’s innocent face as tops and bottoms were held up to find the right size. It was like Christmas!
At Christmas as a kid, though, I remember
hoping for a new Gameboy or a sock full of money. The children at ABCs proudly
accepted a set of used clothing that someone else discarded. The angelic smiles on their faces that day showed me just how wrong
I had been about what it means to be grateful.
Despite my upbringing, I remember envying the new Dr. Martens or Tommy Hilfiger jeans my classmates would wear to school. That day at ABCs and Rice, the children couldn’t have been more elated about hand-me-downs. I didn’t see a single child fighting over a certain item, complaining about the colors, or even getting picky about whether they matched. Not one of them compared brands or pointed out small stains here and there. They were just truly thankful for clean clothes to wear tomorrow.
Clothing donated by people from all around the world put
pure joy on children’s faces here. This
is not only proof that donations, whether financial or material, change the
lives of children who don’t have much other than their potential, but it is
proof that the heart remains pure if we provide it with a righteous path.
While children back home certainly learn the value of
appreciating what they have, there is no greater smile in the world than the
one on the face of a child who never expected a thing in the first place.
At ABCs, the kids don’t just get education and clothing,
they get breakfast and lunch, which includes meat and vegetables, important
nutrition that many people in third world countries like Cambodia go
without. ABCs also provides free education
in the English language, a skill that for many in this tourist economy is the ticket to a much brighter
future. And of course, twice per month,
each child goes home with 6 kg of rice to feed their families. But, perhaps
most importantly, the students of ABCs and Rice get access to a bigger world
and learn the ever-valuable lesson that you truly can achieve anything you put
your mind to. This is a taste of all
that life has to offer them, which is just enough to motivate them to push
through all that the world has thrown at them. ABCs and Rice isn’t just a
school; it is THE package of tools that clear a pathway for the kids—tools that
you and I take for granted.
Along with providing operations insight, it is my goal to
raise money for this great organization so they can continue their mission and
these kids can continue to learn new, valuable life lessons every day. To support this great organization, I’ve set
up a donation page linked here and also along the top right side of the
screen. Over the next 6 months,
together, I believe we can raise $5,000, which is less than a month of operating costs at ABCs and Rice.
If you have the means to help ABCs and Rice continue to change young
people’s lives every day, please donate what you can. Any amount is greatly appreciated! (On your cell phone? Clink here for the mobile- friendly site)
If you know someone else who has a passion for education, or who might be interested in learning more about ABCs and Rice, please share this blog with them!
