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      Newsletter Fall 2015      
A Note from Bill and Nancy

Of the many things the Cambodian Village Fund does, our Reach for the Sky scholarship program is the most rewarding for us. With a grant from Voices of Women we are adding four new girls, making a total of 26 scholarship girls.

In August, Chanthy, our first scholarship girl to attend college, completed her bachelor's degree in Banking and Finance from the National University of Management in Phnom Penh.

Not only do the girls work hard at school, they also think of others. Vanna, one of our 11th grade scholarship girls, wrote an article for this newsletter about how she and other scholarship girls helped patients in a local hospital. (See below.)


College Graduate Chanthy
Prey Touch Secondary School

The new classroom building at Prey Touch Secondary School will be finished in mid-December. With increasing enrollment the school needed more space, but was unable to secure funding from the government. This is the middle school our scholarship girls attend so we stepped in with $31,000 to pay for the building, half of which came from one of our donors who contributed $15,000. The new building will be used for a library, school office and a classroom.

11th Graders Move to Battambang

Last July five of our scholarship girls completed 10th grade at Sanke High School near their village. We gave them the option of attending a better high school in Battambang. They all choose to leave their families and move to the Cambodian Village Fund house in Battambang. Moving was hard for these 16 and 17 year old girls, because they have never been away from their families before. But going to a better high school will improve their chances of passing the 12th grade exit exam, which is required to attend college.

The girls decided to move to Battambang in August so they could attend summer classes, even though school didn't officially start until November. During August through October they studied chemistry, physics, biology, math, Khmer and English. When not attending school, they help with household chores such as cooking, cleaning and laundry.


Clockwise from lower left: Samy, Dany,
Sroem, Vanna and Seyha.
New Media Center/Language Lab for English Program

The Cambodian Village Fund's English language program has 250 students. Classes are held after school (from 5-6 and 6-7) at the Kaun Khlong Primary School. We just opened a media center and language lab at the school so that the students will have access to technology such as computers, CDs and DVDs, as well as books, posters, maps and globes. The Media Center offers the students an opportunity to listen to native English speakers.

In February 2016 students from San Diego's Francis Parker School will visit Cambodia. Francis Parker selected the Media Center as their project. They will purchase additional materials, help set up the Center and give English lessons while they are in the village.

New Reach for the Sky Girls

We are grateful to Voices of Women, who gave us a $3,000 grant to add 3 new Reach for the Sky scholarship girls. Middle and high school girls from Kaun Khlong and Prey Damry Villages are eligible. School officials identify students who come from poor families and have exceptional academic ability. Selected girls and their parents must submit applications and parents must promise to support and encourage their child to study until they graduate. Each girl writes an essay explaining why she deserves a scholarship. This year we received 6 applications. All 6 girls who applied were worthy of scholarships so it was very difficult to choose. We intended to choose only three girls, but decided to add a 4th girl. We hope one of our supporters will step forward to sponsor one of the girls.

The new girls are:


Sokny, Grade 7

Sreyneang, Grade 8

Sreyneth, Grade 9

Sovanna, Grade 10
Helping Patients in the Hospital
by Vanna Vanny, grade 11, Preah Monivong High School, Battambang

One month ago my friends and I went with other people to help prepare some food and other things for the patients at the government-run PORPY Hospital in Battambang, where I live. We think that it is good charity work and that the patients need greetings. The food that we prepared for the patients was fried pork, oranges and drinks. I hadn’t helped the hospital before, but I have done other charity work, like offering gifts and helping elderly people.

In the hospital I asked the patients why they were there and they told me about their symptoms and things that they need. This charity work makes me happy and is a good experience to learn how to look after the patients. I will do it again and again. I would like everyone to know how to help each other when there are problems and to understand how to care for sick people. And I wish all the patients get better as soon as possible.

Thank You for Your Support

Our work is made possible by donations from friends and supporters. New schools, road repairs, the English language program, water filters, and scholarships for 25 girls are not free. Last year we spent over $76,000. Less than $400, or .5% went to overhead. Both Nancy and Bill work for free. If you are able to help, we will put your support to good use. And remember, a little goes a long way.

Donate on our website cambodianvillagefund.org paying by credit card or PayPal. Or send us a check.

The Cambodian Village Fund
c/o Bill and Nancy Bamberger
4376 Argos Drive
San Diego, CA 92116-2330

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