A gallery of images, reflecting our work over the years.
The first bicycles donated in 2012, at Srey Vibol Ke School, Siem Reap, Cambodia. We purchase 2nd hand bicycles from Vietnam which are refurbished in Cambodia. This can make such a difference to a child attending school - we have had small children in the past who have had to walk 7km barefoot to attend school.
Rai Kanha with the neighbourhood children, enjoying the first water to come our of her new hand pump.
English classes at Srey Vibol Ke school - 3 of the students in the front row joined our scholarship program. Hoky (far left) is studying 3rd year History at university in Phnom Penh, Hoeurn (2nd from left) is now studying English at university in Chiang Mai, Thailand. She was awarded a Royal Thai scholarship - a wonderful opportunity for her. Key (2nd from right) was teaching in a village school and now is married with a beautiful baby daughter.
The majority of the students, to this day, don’t own school bags and resort to a plastic bag - if they own one. We have supplied hundreds of back packs over the years to children in the village
Our first ten scholarship girls, being fitted for school uniforms, to attend senior high school in Siem Reap in 2014. These young ladies have blossomed in the last five years…we are so proud of their achievements.
At the beginning of 2013, we replaced the house that Choun Saro’s family lived in. It was the first substantial task that we undertook when we started the charity. With the assistance of the people of Manly Warringah, we were able to make a huge difference - and raised enough money to also add an additional room to the house, supply a pen housed with ducks and chickens for the family to farm, dig a pond for catfish to breed in, which supplemented the families diet and created an income. A very rewarding outcome to assist this single mother and her five children.
In the western world, we see child labour as a negative. In Cambodia, it is often a necessity to either supplement the income of a poor family or provide the only income in a poor family. This young boy is digging out the cassava in the fields - he wears no shoes and has no protective gloves. The earth is hard and dry, the weather is hot and unforgiving and the work is back breaking. At the end of the day, he is helping his family to survive. It’s reality in rural areas of Cambodia.
Tong Pach (far right) stands with her family in front of their humble home. Pach received a scholarship and has lived in our scholarship home in Siem Reap for the last four years. She completed senior high school, is currently studying English at university and is teaching English at the Kinglory International School. She is already giving back to her fellow countrymen, helping to make a difference and giving others the opportunity that she has been gifted.
Another family who were the recipients of the generosity of Happy Days sponsors. The mother was the first person that we had met, who had suffered from Tuberculosis. A third world problem and the number one killer in Cambodia.
In this humble kitchen, the family are preparing a meal that we will enjoy together. For us, it is important to share quality time with the villagers and such a simple act as providing food and sharing a meal is a special event in our lives and theirs.
We owe our sincere gratitude to Dalign Seng, Chhun Sophorn and their extended family for enabling us to make our dreams a reality in Cambodia. They welcomed us into their homes and hearts and they will always hold a special place in our Cambodian journey.
Through our work in the village areas, we are always warmly welcomed to religious festivals at the monastery, enjoying the trust and friendship of the village families, although we are not Buddhist. It’s these special moments that we cherish, a learning experience where we are immersed in Cambodian culture.
It is moments like this when we are reminded of how lucky we are.
The donation of a hand pump for one family can make such a difference. A place to access drinking water also becomes a place to do your laundry, wash your dishes and have a shower.
Part of our work in the rural village areas is about providing new experiences for children to learn through play. Art and craft is not a part of the Cambodian syllabus and the village children immensely enjoy visits by our Australian school groups, who bring activities with them for the children to enjoy.
Many clubs in the Manly Warringah area donate their discontinued uniforms for us to distribute in Cambodia. Valued volunteers donate their time and energy to assist us at our inter-school sports carnivals.
Some of the younger children at Srey Vibol Ke school enjoying a banana roll at one of our inter-school Sports carnivals. Lots of food, lots of fun and lots of laughter are the order of the day.
Such simple acts of kindness like washing hair with shampoo and a nit treatment brings the most beautiful smile out in a child. Things that we take for granted….
One of the many excursions we have provided - Kulen mountain is a special place to visit for the students to pay their respects at the reclining Buddha. The location is the birthplace of the ancient khmer empire and is a very sacred site for Cambodians. A swim in the waterfall, fully clothed, is a fun part of the day out.
Kulen Mountain excursion - swimming in the waterfall is such a joyful experience. Cambodian children are quite shy and very few would dare to wear bathers and expose so much skin in public.
During our visits to the village area, we have often organised a theatre troupe to come in the evening to perform for all the villagers. Families arrive in the dark, with pieces of cardboard or old rice sacks to sit on. It is a wonderful community event and its our way of saying thank you for making us so welcome in their community.
The first “Happy Days” hut at Srey Vibol Ke School became a canteen area, providing business opportunities for several sellers over the years
The rainy season creates much fun on the Srey Vibol Ke School oval during a Sports Carnival, sponsored by Happy Days Cambodian Village School Inc.
The young boys having fun with the marker cones at one of the Sports Carnivals
Young novice monks from the monastery in the village. The monastery has always given Happy Days Cambodian Village School Inc their blessing to operate in the village areas. We have a wonderful relationship with Loak Nom Neam, the head monk and we thank him for his support.
