May 2020 News
A word from our Chair
Hello to all our CKC supporters, and we sincerely hope you are keeping safe in these challenging times. As Australia’s chief medical officer said recently, “…..there is no place in the world I would rather be than in Australia”.
In April this year, around 200 Australians were evacuated from Cambodia. Outside of a very small number of hospitals in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, the availability of suitable medical facilities for treating Covid-19 infections are almost non-existent.
The Cambodian government has closed all schools and universities until further notice, and which coincided with the mid-year break when students return to their homelands for Khmer New Year. Students at Mekhala House and our Alumni attending universities are now back with their village communities. We certainly hope that they will remain safe and healthy during this challenging time.
Apart from the frightening health impact of Covid-19, there is also an enormous economic impact, and CKC is certainly not immune from this effect. All CKC expenses in Cambodia are in US dollars, and the massive decline in the value of the Australian dollar against the US dollar has added almost 20% to our cost of operating.
Furthermore, our major fundraising events which rely on social gatherings, including the annual gala dinner, are on hold for an indefinite period of time.
With our students back in their communities indefinitely and given the adverse funding scenario we are facing; we have taken the decision to temporarily close Mekhala House and Mekhala Learning Centre until the end of August. We will continue to lease these premises and maintain security in the interim, so we are able to quickly ramp up operations when Government advice permits.
We have funding available to support the university girls returning to their studies as soon as permitted, so this part of the program will continue unaffected by funding constraints.
In other news, our team in Australia has evolved and we are busy revamping CKCs website and social media channels. We look forward to introducing new team members in the near future and continuing this journey with you through various means of communication.
In the meantime, if you are in a position to financially support CKC beyond your current generous level, this would be sincerely appreciated.
A word from our girls: Thank you for your continued support
In 2007, support from CKCs generous followers enabled Vuthy to commence her studies at Mekhala House.
Today, she is in her final year studying an English for Business Major at Cambodian Mekong University and has recently landed a job in HR and office support.
Watch her video to see what she has to say.
If you are interested in sponsoring a talented young woman through their university years- please get in touch.
Stepping up to the challenge in June
CKC supporters are hitting the pavement this June to raise US$5000 and we need your support!
COVID-19 restrictions have meant Mekhala House students have been sent to their village communities and access to online studies may be limited.
Many of our students are using their mobile phones to complete their studies and need our help to ensure they have access to equipment such as laptops, and the internet, to allow them to continue their lessons.
As the health and safety of our students is our priority, we are committed to providing education in an agile environment which is greatly aided by your generous support.
We welcome you to join us in our challenge and encourage you to share with your network, as we give disadvantaged girls the chance to improve their life.
Visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/step-up-to-the-challenge to get involved and donate.
How you can help
Make a donation to us. It can be a one off or a monthly donation – any amount is welcome. Find out if your employer participates in donation matching through Good2Give, which doubles the amount CKC would receive.
Donate your birthday! If you’ve got a birthday coming up, consider setting up a fundraiser online / on social media to encourage your friends to donate to CKC.
If you're now making more meals at home, consider ordering our cookbook, which contains recipes for simple yet comforting Cambodian dishes you can try at home.
If you normally eat out at restaurants, donate the cost of one such meal that you cannot enjoy due to Covid 19 social gathering restrictions
We understand not everyone is in a position to make a donation. You can still make a difference by posting on social media about the work CKC does, the challenges we’re facing, and encouraging your networks to support us. Tag us in your post!
Check out our fundraising toolkit for more ideas and resources on how you can support CKC!
Look forward to hitting the pavement with you!