SeeBeyondBorders

Evaluating long-term impact. After six years of implementing the Literacy Project in Ek Phnom, our Project Manager, Khanchna interviewed some Grade 7 students and their teachers, that had been part of the Literacy Project as Grade 1 students years ago. Lots of positive feedback was gathered, with most students still in school, having successfullly graduated from primary school recently.

The Literacy Project is supported by the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP) Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

[English Below] ខ្មែរជួយខ្មែរ!

កាលពីព្រឹកមិញ យើងបានទៅជួបជាមួយBe Like Khmer - Speak Like Khmer ដើម្បីពង្រឹងគុណតម្លៃរួមរបស់យើងទាំងពីរ។ Be Like Khmer គឺជាសាលាបង្រៀនភាសាខ្មែរដល់ជនបរទេសនៅក្នុងខេត្តសៀមរាប និងរាជធានីភ្នំពេញ។ ពួកគាត់ផ្ដល់ការឧបត្ថម្ភការគាំទ្រប្រចាំខែដល់អង្គការយើង ហើយចូលរួមគាំទ្រវិស័យអប់រំ និងការផ្ដល់សេវាកម្មប្រកបដោយគុណភាពនៅប្រទេសកម្ពុជា។ ការគាំទ្រក្នុងស្រុកពិតជាសំខាន់ណាស់សម្រាប់យើង ហើយយើងរីករាយចំពោះកិច្ចសហការនេះ និងសូមអរគុណជាខ្លាំងចំពោះការគ្រាំទ្ររបស់ពួកគាត់។

Khmer helping Khmer. This morning we visited Be Like Khmer - Speak Like Khmer to strengthen our shared values. Be Like Khmer is language school based in Siem Reap that supports our organisation on a monthly basis and is dedicated to providing quality education and services in Cambodia. Local support is so important to us and we are delighted for this collaboration and truly appreciate their support.

Developing lesson plans is a critical but often time consuming part of effective teaching. Through a recent workshop delivered through the Educational Technology project, teachers focused on creating their own lesson plans digitally, saving time, while also making it easy to incorporate digital resources into their lessons.

Our Educational Technology Project is proudly supported by ElectricAid. EirGrid

[English Below]

"ខ្ញុំពិតជាមានអារម្មណ៍សប្បាយរីករាយដែលបានចូលរួមចំណែកក្នុងការពង្រឹងសមត្ថភាព សិស្សតាមរយៈការធ្វើការជាមួយកុមារ និងលោកគ្រូអ្នកគ្រូផ្ទាល់នៅតាមសាលារៀន។ ការវិនិយោគទៅលើការអប់រំថ្នាក់ដំបូងគឺជាគ្រឹះដ៏សំខាន់ក្នុងការធ្វើឱ្យកុមារមានចំណេះដឹងពិតប្រាកដដើម្បីបន្តការសិក្សាទៅថ្ងៃខាងមុខ និងទទួលការអប់រំប្រកបដោយគុណភាព។" ថុក​ ស្រីរ៉ាត់ - និស្សិតអប់រំ ជំនាន់ទី២

"I’m delighted to be able to contribute in strengthening students capacity, working closely with children and teachers at schools. Investing in early childhood education is key to bettering the quality of education and creating opportunities for the future." Srey Rath, Cohort 2- Changemaker

[English Below]

អង្គការសប្បុរសធម៌ដើម្បីគ្រួសារខ្មែរ (KFCO Cambodia) ជាអង្គការក្រៅរដ្ឋាភិបាលកម្ពុជាតែមួយគត់ ដែលធ្វើការផ្ដោតទៅលើការជួបជុំគ្រួសារឡើងវិញ ដែលបានបាត់ដំណឹង បែកបាក់ព្រាត់សមាជិកគ្រួសារ ដោយសារសង្គ្រាម របបប្រល័យពូជសាសន៍និងភាពក្រីក្រ តាមរយៈការធ្វើតេស្ត ឌីអិនអេ ដោយឥតគិតថ្លៃ និងការជួយជ្រោមជ្រែង និងការអប់រំ ។

នៅថ្ងៃព្រហស្បតិ៍នេះ KFCO នឹងរៀបចំព្រឹត្តិការណ៍ Connect Cambodia នៅភ្នំពេញ។ សូមមើលខិតប័ណ្ណដែលភ្ជាប់មកជាមួយសម្រាប់ព័ត៌មានលម្អិតបន្ថែម។

គេហទំព័រ KFCO៖ https://www.kfco-dna.org

KFCO is the only Cambodian organisation dedicated to reuniting families separated and missing from war, genocide and poverty, through providing assistance, education and free DNA testing.

This Thursday they are holding a Connect Cambodia event in Phnom Penh. See attached flyer for more details.

KFCO Website ៖ https://www.kfco-dna.org

SeeBeyondBorders wishes a Merry Christmas to all who celebrate and a joyful start to 2023! May this festive season bring you warmth, laughter, and cherished moments with loved ones. We look forward to a successful 2024, with exciting changes for our organisation, bringing about positive change to education in Cambodia.🎄🎉

The SeeBeyondBorders Australia Annual Report is now live!

This has been a significant year for SeeBeyondBorders Australia, with successful fundraising campaigns, Connect visits and a number of exciting events throughout. Read all about these and more below!

Read here:https://seebeyondborders.org/uploads/pdfs/Annual_Report_2022-2023.pdf

An article written by Pov, our Managing Director, was recently published online with Pov discussing his time in Ireland and experience studying at Mary Immaculate College, Ireland.

Pov makes some very interesting (and amusing) comparisons between Cambodia and Ireland which can be read in the full article below!

Read here:

Pov Pheung My name is Pov Pheung, and I am from a rural village near the world-heritage, Angkor Wat. I am the first male candidate from Cambodia to secure an Ireland Fellows Programme award. Currently, I am studying a Master of Education (M.Ed) at Mary Immaculate College (MIC), University of Limerick, Ireland....

Listening to, and gathering feedback from the community is an integral part of effectively implementing projects. This week, members of the project team met with the Deputy District Governor, the District Office of Education, and various principals to present project data and to gather feedback and evaluate the various projects being implemented in Ek Phnom District, with a focus on the Literacy project. A lot of valuable feedback was recieved along with many positive comments, which is always wonderful to hear.

The Literacy Project is supported by the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP) Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

The SeeBeyondBorders Ireland Annual Report is now live!

Read all about our successes and activities for SeeBeyondBorders Ireland, via the link below.

We greatly value the relationships we have built up both in Ireland and in Cambodia. We are excited about our future plans and look forward to building our footprint in Ireland to the benefit of children and education in Cambodia.

Read here:https://www.seebeyondborders.ie/wp-content/uploads/pdf/Final_SBBI_Annual_Report-Oct_2023_Accessible.pdf

We were pleased to have staff from SeeBeyondBorders attend this event in Phnom Penh last week. Thank you to the Irish Embassy in Vietnam for the invitation.

Congratulations to Ambassador Deirdre Ní Fhallúin in presenting credentials to His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia. We look forward to working closely with the Ambassador and the Embassy going forward both in Cambodia and in Ireland to bring about positive change in Cambodian education.

Big Give Christmas Challenge 2023 is complete!

The Big Give Christmas Challenge has once again proven to be an incredible week of fundraising. To all those who have donated or shared our appeal, thank you so much. We're beyond grateful for your support.

In total, we've raised £23,830! This will make a true difference to our programmes, bettering the quality of education where it is needed most in rural Cambodia.

Finally, thank you to the Coles-Medlock Foundation for generously matching our donations, and of course to the team at Big Give for facilitating the week.

Thank you so very much.

RunningBeyondBorders.​​ On Sunday several of our staff participated in the Angkor Wat International Half Marathon running either 10km or 21km in the SeeBeyondBorders’ colours. Congratulations to all who participated and to our employees for raising awareness of the work we do.

One of the participants in the half marathon was the UK Ambassador to Cambodia Dominic Williams British Ambassador to Cambodia. The Ambassador took time out of his schedule to meet Colm Byrne in Tevy's Place. They discussed Cambodian Education, the linkages between Cambodia and the UK and why progress in development can be more of a marathon than a sprint. Thank you sincerely to the Ambassador for his time investment and we look forward to growing our links with British Embassy in Cambodia in 2024!

Just 4 days remain of the Big Give Campaign!

SeeBeyondBorders is currently taking part in the Big Give Christmas Challenge, raising much needed funds for our Transform Education Programme in Siem Reap Province. We still have a way to go to reach our target, but thank everyone who has donated so far for their generosity and support.

A reminder that all donations made through the Big Give will be matched- doubling their impact!

For more information or to donate, please visit the link here: https://donate.biggive.org/campaign/a056900002RXqL8AAL

SeeBeyondBorders' campaign as part of The Big Give Christmas Challenge 2023 is now live! We're raising vital funds to support primary school teachers and children in rural Cambodia and expanding our work into Siem Reap Province.

The Big Give runs from today to 5th December this year, and during that time, all donations we receive through the Big Give will be doubled. Please consider donating via the link here: https://donate.biggive.org/campaign/a056900002RXqL8AAL

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ព្រះរាជពិធីបុណ្យអុំទូក បណ្ដែតប្រទីប និង សំពះព្រះខែ អកអំបុក 🇰🇭🚣‍🎇

ពិធីបុណ្យអុំទូក អកអំបុក សំពះព្រះខែ តែងតែប្រារព្ធឡើងចំនួនបីថ្ងៃក្នុងខែវិច្ឆិកា។ ពិធីនេះ បានរំលឹកដល់ការបញ្ចប់រដូវវស្សា ក៏ដូចជាការផ្លាស់ប្តូរលំហូរទឹកនៃទន្លេសាប ។ យើងតែងមានសកម្មភាពជាច្រើនដូចជា ការប្រណាំងទូកនៅមាត់ទន្លេ ការបណ្តែតប្រទីបនាពេលយប់ អកអំបុកសំពះព្រះខែ ការបាញ់កាំជ្រួច និងការប្រគុំតន្ត្រីពេលល្ងាច។

យើងសូមជូនពរឱ្យអ្នកទាំងអស់គ្នាធ្វើដំណើរទៅណាមកណា ប្រកបដោយសុវត្ថិភាព និងរីករាយជាមួយពិធីបុណ្យអុំទូក។

Cambodia Water Festival 🇰🇭🚣‍🎇

Bon Om Touk, also known as the Cambodian Water Festival, is celebrated in November. The festival is celebrated over the span of three days and commemorates the end of the rainy season, as well as the change in flow of the Tonlé Sap River. Some activities that take place at the festival are boat races in riverfront, lanterns floating at nights, moon festival, fireworks, and evening concerts.

We wish everyone celebrating a safe and enjoyable holiday.

Earlier in November, we were visited by Ambassador Justin Whyatt from the Australian Embassy, Cambodia. The ambassador was able to observe a class in progress, and then led a round-table discussion with teachers, principals, government officials, and SeeBeyondBorders staff.

Read more here:

Australian Ambassador to Cambodia Visits SeeBeyondBorders - SeeBeyondBorders Locally driven, internationally engaged. As SeeBeyondBorders continues to achieve greater localisation, our connections across provincial and national borders are of paramount importance. Our international connections promote two-way exchange programs, sponsor research, financially support on-site p...

This week our changemakers focused on teaching fractions for early years, facilitated by our Teaching Development Officer, Sambor. This practical workshop allowed changemakers to understand the use of different teaching materials to develop understanding and examine the misconceptions that children have as well as working together to develop effective strategies for teaching.

The Big Give Campaign is Coming!

From November 28th- December 6th, SeeBeyondBorders will be participating in the Big Give Campaign. This means any donations we recieve during this week, will be matched- doubling the impact for education in Cambodia.

Keep an eye out for more information in just over two weeks time.

A decade of supporting SeeBeyondBorders!

Our Fundraising Ambassador, Carrington, is celebrating 10 years of raising funds for SeeBeyondBorders by surfing for 10 hours non-stop at Bondi this month. Carrington is raising funds to support the Transform Education program in Siem Reap province and all donations recieved will be matched by his employer- Macquarie Bank, doubling its impact!

Click here to donate and support Carrington's campaign: https://carrington-blakes-fundrasing-appeal.raisely.com/

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យើងពិតជាមានសេចក្ដីរីករាយខ្លាំងណាស់ ដែលបានស្វាគមន៍បុគ្គលិកអប់រំនៃវិទ្យាស្ថានគរុកោសល្យរាជធានីភ្នំពេញ ដើម្បីធ្វើទស្សនកិច្ចសិក្សាអំពីកម្មវិធីភាសាខ្មែរនៅក្នុងស្រុកឯកភ្នំ។ ការធ្វើទស្សនកិច្ចមួយនេះ រួមបញ្ចូលទាំងការសង្កេតមើលសកម្មភាពរៀន​ និងបង្រៀនក្នុងថ្នាក់ក៏ដូចជាកិច្ចពិភាក្សាជាមួយបុគ្គលិកពាក់ពន្ធ័នៅអង្គការទស្សនៈឥតព្រំដែនការិយាល័យបាត់ដំបងផងដែរ។ ពួកយើងសង្ឃឹមថានឹងមានការសហការបន្តបន្ទាប់ទៀតជាមួយវិទ្យាស្ថានគរុកោសល្យរាជធានីភ្នំពេញនៅថ្ងៃខាងមុខ។

We were delighted to welcome representatives from the វិទ្យាស្ថានគរុកោសល្យរាជធានីភ្នំពេញ - Phnom Penh Teacher Education College to learn more the Literacy Project. This visit included seeing the Literacy Project in action in school in Ek Phnom district, as well as discussions with key members of the SeeBeyondBorders' team in our Battambang Offices. We look forward to furthering our collaboration with Phnom Penh Teacher Education College in the future.

Recently, our Educational Technology team led a workshop in Ek Phnom for nearly 40 teachers about not only how to use educational technology tools, but how to use them to effectively engage students too — a key element to a successful learning environment.

Our Educational Technology Project is proudly supported by ElectricAid. EirGrid

This week, student testing is taking place across 17 schools, conducting assessments with over 2,500 students from Grades 1-3. These results will be used to compare with both control schools and assessment results collected at the beginning of the school year, to show the impact SeeBeyondBorders' projects have on student academic performance. This process is extremely time consuming and we are so grateful to have many student volunteers give up their time to support us with this.

With an extremely successful annual staff retreat in the books, we've published a new piece on our website's blog. You can read it here:

Annual Staff Retreat 2023 - SeeBeyondBorders What do a game show, discussing pilots in taxis, and shooting arrows at a target 50 metres away have in common? How about playing charades or racing while carrying a ball with chopsticks? The answer – our weeklong annual staff retreat in Siem Reap. Teacher Sophen and Boumy act as tigers in a game ...

Yesterday, meetings were held in Kralanh and Srei Snam districts to launch SeeBeyondBorders' 3-year plan for the new Transform Education program. Many members of the communities joined representatives from the District Office of Education, principals and teachers at this event. Everyone is excited for this journey to begin, and committed to improving the quality of education, not only in Siem Reap province, but throughout Cambodia.