|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
CCF1 is the original of the four Cambodian Children's Fund facilities. Founder and Executive Director Scott Neeson opened the facility in 2004 with the original goal of offering safe shelter and education to 45 children.
Today the CCF as a whole has nearly 400 children in its care, 140 of whom live and learn at the CCF1 Phnom Penh facility. The students here include both girls and boys between the ages of seven and seventeen - although the majority of the students are under the age of thirteen.
Over two-thirds of the CCF children once lived and worked as garbage pickers at the Steung Meanchey landfill, where they scavenged through hazardous waste for recyclables to sell and were largely unable to attend school. The remaining children come from very poor rural communities, and likewise have had little access to education.
Children are admitted to the CCF based on a criteria of critical need, and we work as quickly as possible to find placement first for those children who have been abandoned or orphaned, or have been victims of domestic abuse.
All of the children at CCF1 follow our comprehensive educational program, which includes local language reading and writing, multilevel English classes, social studies and math. Students are also integrated into the Cambodian Public School system for additional subjects.
The rooftop cultural center is a unique aspect of the CCF1 facility. We encourage freedom of expression, and are committed to restoring the children's pride in their culture and customs. Each evening the children are taught traditional Khmer music, dance and drama, and regular performances are held using traditional instruments and costumes. The children often write their own plays or prepare their own choreography for these concerts, many of which offer moving testimonies to their lives and struggles prior to joining the CCF.
CCF1 has its own medical facility and resident health consultant to provide around-the-clock care for the children, most of whom arrive suffering from malnutrition and associated health problems. Upon their admittance to the CCF, children are given a full physical exam and any necessary treatments and vaccinations. A physician from the American Medical Center visits twice per week, and those children suffering from chronic illnesses receive expert care.
The CCF1 facility also houses the administrative staff offices, including the Executive Director and Senior Administrative Manager's, and benefits from 24-hour security.
Many thanks to
Jon & Mindy Peters
for supporting CCF1
|
|
|
 |
|
The Cambodian Children's Fund opened its second facility, "CCF- I Pinco Pallino" in March 2006. Originally conceived as a safe haven for children at high risk of trafficking and abuse, today CCF2 continues to be a successful part of the Cambodian Children's Fund, providing shelter, nutrition and education for over 100 girls in a spacious building on the outskirts of Phnom Penh.
Just two miles away from CCF2 lies Steung Meanchey, the landfill where nearly two-thirds of the girls once lived and worked as garbage pickers. Many still have relatives here, and the CCF provides supervised weekend transportation to and from the district for family visits at home.
In addition to a safe and healthy living environment, the main goal of CCF2 is to offer the girls one of the best education programs available. All students here follow the core CCF Education Program, which includes intensive English language instruction, Khmer reading and writing, computer studies, math and art. Students are also integrated into the Cambodian public school system for additional courses in science and social studies. The CCF provides the children with the required public school uniforms and supplies, as well as transport and supervision. We constantly monitor our students’ progress, and hold additional classes for these students needing extra help.
As with all our facilities, CCF2 has an in-house health center with live-in staff, and weekly visits from a physician. Childcare staff and security are present 24 hours a day, every day.
|
|
|
Many thanks to the I Pinco Pallino and Fustiplast for their support of CCF2.
|
|
|
|
As of August 20, 2007, sixty-four new students began living at the Sumner M. Redstone Children’s Center (CCF4), which is now the primary facility for our on-site Vocational Training Programs. Our long-term goal is to give these young adults the relevant skills to eventually enter the work environment, and even set up their own businesses with confidence.
Like so many of the CCF children, the majority of the CCF4 residential students were previously living in the Steung Meanchey dump site and working as garbage pickers.
Now their new home is located on beautiful, spacious grounds just south of Phnom Penh in Ta Kmao, with plenty of trees and grassy areas for relaxing and catching up with friends. The Center's principal building houses classrooms, kitchen facilities, a health center and the children's bedrooms, while a second building accommodates the CCF Star Bakery, a cosmetology studio, and the Sewing Center.
Star Bakery kids are learning all aspects of international bread and pastry-making techniques, and making nutritionally-enhanced bread for distribution in the slum areas around the Steung Meanchey garbage dump.
Students at the Sewing Center study garment design and construction, a course tailored to ensure that the students do not end up in garment factories, but instead have the skills to support their aspirations to design and make their own clothes – and possibly even have their own labels.
Young women who attend the cosmetology classes are receiving instruction in both traditional Cambodia and Western make-up and skincare regimens, as well as hair cutting and design.
All of the CCF4 students supplement their vocational training with general education coursework in English reading and writing, math and computers.
|
|
|
Many thanks to Sumner M. Redstone for his generous support of CCF4
|
|
|
|
Through the generosity of a private donor, Cambodian Children’s Fund opened CCF6 in September 2008 to provide shelter, education and healthcare to children ages 6 – 12. Both boys and girls live and learn at this residential education facility in Steung Meanchey, and their new home features a unique play yard decorated with vibrant murals painted by CCF students. The sunny yellow interior has spacious study and play areas, and will soon host a library with books and audiovisual learning materials.
Nearly all of the children at this facility had little or no access to education prior to joining CCF, and were living and working as garbage pickers at the contaminated Steung Meanchey landfill where they scavenged through hazardous waste for metal and plastic to sell to nearby recycling centers. Most of these children still have families living there.
The students at CCF6 follow our comprehensive educational program, which includes English reading and writing, computer classes, home economics and art education. Students are also integrated into the Cambodian Public School system for additional subjects in Khmer, math, socials studies and science.
As with our other facilities, CCF6 has its own medical room and trained nurse to provide quality care for the children, most of whom arrive suffering from malnutrition and associated health problems. Upon their admittance to the CCF, children are given a full physical exam and any necessary treatments and vaccinations.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
The CCF Community Center (CCF5) opened in October, 2007. Located in Steung Meanchey, the landfill district that is home to an estimated 600 families, the success of our center has surpassed all expectations. CCF5 offers a focal point for our outreach health and social services - including medical, food and housing assistance - and a place of unified purpose and community pride.
In December 2007, we opened the CCF Community Child Care Center for children ages 2 – 6, many of whom roamed the dump barefoot and unattended while their parents worked. Today, 50 young students spend their days in our care, receiving safe shelter, early education in Khmer and English, nutritious meals, and of course, plenty of playtime. All of these children still live with their families in the Steung Meanchey villages.
Through a unique partnership with HOPE Worldwide, area residents are, for the first time, receiving free medical consultations and treatment, health education, post-natal care and counseling via twice-weekly visits from a fully-staffed mobile medical unit. With the assistance of A Child's Right, Steung Meanchey families now have access to free, unlimited safe drinking water.
As part of CCF5's outreach services, in late 2007 CCF opened its first satellite school within walking distance of the Steung Meanchey landfill. Here, anyone over the age of seven can attend morning and evening classes in English, Khmer and math. Regularly attending students receive nutrient-enhanced Star Bakery bread and academic progress awards, and several promising students have already been selected from this classroom for admission in the CCF Program.
Our gratitude to Paul Saunders, and Muffy and Andy DiSabatino, whose compassion, generosity and dedication to the children of CCF have made this center possible.
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
The CCF's Star Bakery vocational training program officially began in November 2006, and ongoing teams of student bakers continue to make delicious, quality breads and pastries for class and for market. Moreover, our 'Fabulous Baker Boys and Girls' are also producing vitamin-enhanced bread for distribution in Steung Meanchey, the dump-site community where the majority of the CCF children once lived and worked.
During phase one of the bakery project, CCF students took part in training with the help of our partner organization, International Relief and Development. They participated in theory and hygiene classes, a six-week intensive training course in the Arun Reas Bakery, and a four-day workshop with a leading expert from the American Wheat Association.
Now the CCF has opened its very own Star Bakery facility as part of the Sumner M. Redstone Children's Center. The Bakery is outfitted with international standard equipment, operates under US hygiene standards, and is managed by professional bakery and pastry instructor Madalin Leang, who has created menu lines for some of the city's finest international hotels and bakeries.
And while he is dedicated to product development and the multi-tiered structure of the training coursework, Madalin's greatest commitment is to the students themselves.
"I want to find more and more financial supporters for the Star Bakery so we can continue to give the children opportunities," he explains. " We're giving them strong employable skills through the vocational training, but they must continue to be given chances like this in order to bring long-term changes to society."
As of 2007, the Star Bakery has begun successful endeavours in commercial product distribution, providing bread for restaurants and catered events, and making special occasion decorated cakes, special order breads, cookies and pastries.
All profits from these ventures are allocated to the Cambodian Children's Fund Star Bakery to continue funding this invaluable vocational training program.
Vocational Training
The training program is ultimately designed to give students opportunities to find gainful employment and to start their own businesses. Training occurs alongside general education studies at the CCF - including English and computers - and many of our students will go on to full restaurant and resort apprenticeships as they get older.
Eventually we aim to see the CCF kids involved in all aspects of a fully sustainable bakery operation - not only baking, but also delivery services, sales, marketing and accounting.
Community Nutrition and and Star Bakery Contributors
Through its efforts in baking and delivering nutritionally-fortified bread to the Steung Meanchey district, the Star Bakery program has successfully combined several CCF goals: Breaking poverty cycles, encouraging tolerance and compassion, and giving long-term marketable skills to the children of CCF.
Our community outreach bread is made from flour that has been fortified with essential vitamins and minerals. In 2007, the CCF purchased this flour with grant assistance from the Lonely Planet Foundation.
The initial training programs and set up of the CCF Star Bakery and training center would not have been possible without the support of International Relief and Development and the Latter-Day Saint Charities, in partnership with US Wheat Associates, the US Department of Agriculture and the Men Sarun Flour Factory. The CCF is grateful for their assistance.
The CCF Star Bakery is indebted to Sharon Mussomeli for her generous introductions to these contributors, and for her kind support of this project.
For orders and information, contact starbakery@cambodianchildrensfund.org
(tel: 011 686356 or 023 223492)
Download Order Form >>
(PDF File)
|
|
|
Many thanks to the Lonely Planet Foundation for its support of The Star Bakery.
|
|
|
Page updated: 13 July 2009
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cambodian Children's Fund is a U.S.-registered 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization no. 20-0764162. Donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law. The organization is also registered with the State of California and the Kingdom of Cambodia.
|
|
|
