Support Growth Groups for 70 Urban Cambodian Youth

In Cambodia, the last few months have been the rainy season and the exam season for students in Khmer schools. The exams in Khmer schools are stressful and tiring especially when it comes to learning English. 

The students who continue to come to Mission Dove have a lot of fun with their classmates and their teachers.  The teachers here are more relaxed and can help the students with their studies and prepare other study materials for them. Learning is fun as we have games and activities to entertain them. 

Once again, the alumni and the Leadership Club have workshops that teach how to care for and love oneself, both physically and mentally.  We see many of the students have responsibilities in the lives of their families, so we provided a workshop on decision-making. We do this workshop for six months. We have had lessons on Boundaries, Conflict, Stress, Anxiety and Physical Health. We are planning to have a parent-teacher meeting next month to meet and discuss the children's learning outcomes and to introduce the school as well as the other clubs the parents could attend.

Below here is the story from one alumni student from the Leadership Club:

My name is Nimol*, and I’m the second-born in my family. I’m currently a Level 5 student at Mission Dove, I knew Mission Dove through my older brother who attended here in 2020. When I first joined, my English was limited as I had never studied it before. However, thanks to my brother’s recommendation I enrolled at Dove. Learning English here has been a rewarding journey. The school’s vibrant atmosphere, where students engage in activities like Ping Pong, UNO, playing guitar, and chatting, has made my experience truly enjoyable.

As time has passed, I’ve come to love my classes even more. The teachers consistently make learning fun and engaging, which motivates me to continue improving. While I felt a pang of sadness when my closest friend had to leave because of a move, I was grateful for the opportunity to forge new friendships, which helped ease the transition.

Beyond English classes, Dove offers a range of fascinating clubs. In 2022, I joined the Leadership Club, a new venture for me. Through this club, I met wonderful new friends and collaborated in small groups. Initially, I struggled with shyness and lacked confidence, but the lessons and encouragement from friends and teachers helped me overcome these challenges. One quote that particularly inspires me is, “You get in life what you dare to ask for.”

One of my most memorable experiences was participating in the "Social Work" module. My team and I raised funds to buy food for a woman living on the street and learned about her life story. This experience taught me valuable lessons in empathy, teamwork, and leadership. It fuelled my passion for social work and helping others in need.

I am deeply grateful to the teachers at Dove for their care, support, and willingness to share their experiences with us. I hope the school continues to grow and introduce new and exciting clubs that will benefit future students.