2008 PEPY Highlights

This year PEPY:

• Coordinated a Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) in Chanleas Dai, engaging the community members in a series of workshops that focused on identifying problems, possible solutions, and resources in the community. The PRA was a key step in strengthening our relationships in Chanleas Dai, while helping us improve our programs based on a better understanding of community needs.

• Conducted our inaugural Khmer Literacy Camp as part of our Literacy Program. The camp trained local teachers in creative techniques for teaching reading and engaged students in literacy-focused projects, games, and songs. The school library is now more popular than ever and often filled with young readers with over 950 books checked out last month compared with an average of 70 the year before.

• Continued the Bike-to-School Program, providing 76 bicycles to graduating 6th graders, who also completed the requisite attendance in our educational video program.

• Overhauled our computer program at the PEPY Ride School. With 100 new XO laptops from the One Laptop Per Child initiative, PEPY’s computer program now focuses on teaching problem solving, critical thinking, and logical reasoning. Students also use the XOs to help develop their skills in mathematics, science, Khmer literacy, and English.

• Established Child-to-Child Clubs in each of the eleven villages of Chanleas Dai. The student-driven clubs emphasize learning through activities and hands-on projects, inspiring children to be the change agents in their community. This year projects included the creation of student-led tutoring clubs to improve education and performing dramas to highlight the use of water filters.

• Facilitated the scholarship selection process for the Asian University for Women.  PEPY helped select and send eight young female scholars to the new university’s Access Academy, which opened in Chittagong, Bangladesh in early 2008.

• Supported eight eco-clubs at primary schools in the Chanleas Dai area. Working with a local partner, the clubs work to increase students’ awareness of the environment around them and inspire students to take action to conserve and protect their natural resources.

Many thanks for all you who have contributed to PEPY this year, we hope you will continue to support us in 2009, or even come back to see us again!

–The PEPY Team