Project L.O.V.E Eclairs Sale

Thanks for the generous support from all NTU students and staffs for our 2nd fund-raising project - Eclairs Sale! We managed to raise $500+. We had our booth at the linkway between of LT 1 and MAE office during the NTUSU Welcome Week. For every cent earned, we will use them to help the earthquake victims during Project L.O.V.E 2009 at Wen County, Gansu Province!

Hope the yummy creamy chocolatey eclairs melt your heart! Await for our next fund-raising event!

Sherri

Convocation Charity Sales raised...

We've ended the charity sales with a big big thanks to the LDPians and friends who volunteered their time to help out and those graduates and family members who came forward with their charitable hearts to purchase the flowers and graduation bears from us!

Another big thanks for Assemble Happinest as our partner for this sales. Without them, we would be able to provide the beautiful bouquets of flowers and cute cute graduation bears!

We managed to raise a sum of S$3800+.

We'll be having out next fund raising event up soon!

The 3 ICs - Bao Shin (Overall IC), Aik Ling, Sherri (from right to left)
Florists from Assemble Happinest - Chelsea & Lydia
Volunteers - Kiran, Yee Teng (Project LOVE 2009 Team Leader), Keng Fei, Bao Shin
Volunteers -Kiran & Susan

Volunteers - Soo Lim, Shah Kiat, Yong Wah, Keng Fei & Adrian

*LDPians who helped out are Dennis, Kheng Hiang, Rudy H, Rudy S. R, Yan Li, Kee Kiat (Project LOVE 2009 Asst Team Leader), Guo Qiang, Wei Soung, Wei Shin, Daryl, Serene, Di Ming, Kelvin, Kok Hou, Veera, Boon Kiat & my friend, Grace

Sherri

Convoction Charity Flowers Sales from 23/7 to 30/7

We're selling

Sunflowers
1) single stalk (non bouquet) with water tube & ribbon
2) single stalk (bouquet) with fillers
3) 3-stalks bouquet with fillers

Gerbera
1) single stalk (bouquet) with fillers
2) 3-stalks bouquet with fillers
*Choices of Gerbera (subject for availability): Orange, Red, Purple & Pink

You may add any little graduation bear to your flowers or as a keyring

We are also selling Graduation Bears in the sizes of 6", 10" and 12".

Visit us at the booth outside Nanyang auditorium with lot of loves!

Sherri

We're going to Wen Xian in China!

Anyone interested to make donation/sponsor Project L.O.V.E 2009, you are welcome to contact us via email at the sidebar.

We're up in NTU Tribune!

Visit this link to see the online version:

http://su.ntu.edu.sg/tribune/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=257&Itemid=26

Project L.O.V.E past articles links:

http://su.ntu.edu.sg/tribune/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=45&Itemid=27

Sherri

Project L.O.V.E 2007 still featured at @NTU magazine!

See the online version at:

http://www3.ntu.edu.sg/CorpComms2/Documents/atNTU/2008/1208.pdf

Sherri

We're spotted at OMY site!

We sent in our article and OMY posted it up!

Check it out by clicking the picture below!

Media link:
http://fun.omy.sg/common/media/popup/?section=yzone&artID=10816&type=image

Sherri

Thank You!

A Big Thanks to:

Our Sponsors:

NTU, School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

NTU, Alumni Affairs Office

NTU, Student Affairs Office

Barclays Capital

Social Development Unit

NTU Students' Union

Singapore Tourism Board

Honsei (HSC International Pte Ltd)

NTU, MAE Club

Our Donors:

1. NTU, School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Professors
2. NTU, School of Mechancial and Aerospace Engineering Alumnus
3. Prof Chui Yoon Ping & Prof Edmund Lee

Support from:

1. Khmer Life Homestay
2. National Youth Council & Youth Expedition Program
3. National Library Board
4. South West CDC
5. AIG Insurance
6. Jetstar
7. Straits Time (SPH)
8. Nanyang Chronicle
9. NTU Tribune
10. Perpetual Motion
11. NTU students

Sherri

We're at Cambodia!

Sherri

Ending the journey at Siem Reap - Day 10 to Day 12

Time Fly... We had ended our journey at Baray and we are moving to Siem Reap at Day 10. Definitely, we were not very willingly to leave Khmer Homestay. Such a nice place for us to bond with each other, set us off for our community work and receive us back after the tiring trip to the various places for community work! And Auntie Esther! She had been with us from the very minute we got off the plane at Phnom Phen airport! Her support for Project L.O.V.E is indeed enormous from the start of our planning for the 2008 trip.

We went to the the well pavement we built and a few houses where we got them new zinc roofs. And there we goes...GoodBye to Khmer Homestay! We'll never forget you and all the wonderful memories there!

After 3 hours of bus ride to Siem Reap...We had finally reached!

Day 10: We went on a boat ride on Tonle Sap (the largest freshwater lake in Asia) to observe the people living on the sea. Their lives are so simple yet make us envious! If we want to enjoy sea breeze, we had to make our trip to East Coast Park or West Coast Park(nearer to NTU). They get it every minute! Not to mention...the beautiful sunrise & sunset by the sea! Next stop, we visited the Artisan'D Angkor, a centre to train artists. There was a guide who brought us around the centre to join us the different genres of 'art'. Our hands started to 'itch'...and it was time to shop! We were sent to Old Market to start our shopping spree or last minute shopping to grab gifts for our family, relatives and friends! Last stop of the day was to watch a traditional khmer dance while eating at a restuarant. Guess what we have? Finally, we finish to eat all the food of Cambodia cuisine in a buffet that cost less than SGD 10!

Day 11: We spent our day at the magnificent Angkor Wat. The amazing structure made using boulders (should be without any adhesives/nail?) by the people in the past using simple tools and mostly bare hands? As engineering students, we were indeed impressed by how the people create that! No wonder this is one of the 7 Wonders of the World! In the early night, we spent our time walking around the hotel vicinity to the night market and enjoying the street food!

In the late night, all of us gathered for our last meeting to draw an end of Project L.O.V.E 2008 in Cambodia. In this long meeting (which lasted 5 hours), Adrian (team leader) led us to through the pre-trip and post trip activities done and the members expressed our opinions as well as giving our suggestions.

Day 12: We set off early in the morning to Siem Reap Airport. The flight back was on Jetstar where the plane will transit at Phnom Phen before flying to Singapore. And here we were...reaching Changi Airport at 12+ noon...

Although we had left Cambodia physically, the wonderful memories from the past 12 days will be with us forever and ever. As well as the friendship forge!

Treasure what we have and continuing to render our assistance to the needy in the society!

Again, we had made a difference in others' lives. Ours too!

Our Pages on the Khmer Homestay GuestBook! On the Tonle Sap Lake!
At Angkor Wat
We're here!

Watching the Sunset at one of the highest peak in Angkor Wat!Heading back to Singapore via Jetstar at Siem Reap Airport!

Sherri

Day 4 - 9 : Sight-seeing!

Besides spent quality time on the community work, we also gave a short portion of our time to relax and have fun!

Just to share some of the beautiful scenery and fun stuffs we did through the photos!

The roll of threads to weave the cloth'The 'weaver' that run through the weaving machine
the shop that sell all the handmade handicraft items

let's learn!The Beautiful Scenery!

ering about?
The vast fields and sky!
Picture with the kids!
Closer one!
The Blue Blue Cloudy Sky!
More Pics with them!
Ain't they schooling at this time?
See their innocent smiles when they see us!
The young sister got to take care of her baby sister...
Horse Cart Ride!
ing around the white 'Price Charming'!
Who's more handsome?
On the move on the horse carts!
*just like Chingay Parade in Singapore*
This is how we sit!
Next, Ox Cart!
Come On!
Alighting from the Ox carts; waiting for Sunset!
Picture!
Guys Only!
Group Pic before the Sunset!
More!
Forming the Character - L.O.V.E!
PROJECT L.O.V.E
Couple's pic!
More...!
The Sun setting soon!
And! The moon 'rise' up!
'Pray to the moon'!
Goddess of Moon!
Give us Power to help more people who are in need!
Trip to the Dam site!
Picnic Lunch by the Dam!
Hmmm...Yummy!
Eating snails!
Getting cold drinks!
*1 can for US 0.50*
Resting on the Hammock after lunching!
Waiting for the next activity...
This is how the picnic huts look like!
On the Dam!
Our Shadows!
Matrix 1!
Matrix 2!
Visiting the Boat Making site
The manual machinery to help get thin firm bamboo strips for weaving
Onboard the boat!
2 boats are tied up and powered by motor
Coconut tree half submerged in the lake?
Watching another sunset!
Sun setting!!!
So animated! Group Pic!

At night, when we are on the le-mok back to Homestay, we got to 'take cover'!
Know why?
The little bugs and dust will get onto our faces as the vehicle move!

Sherri

Day 4 - 9 : Food Rations & Old Clothings Giveaways

To us, the old clothes that we brought to Cambodia didn't come easy. The clothes were donated by the ntu students and the public. We had sorted the branded ones out for flea market sale as we are not allowed to give to the Cambodians given that they might face being robbed of branded clothing. Next, we needed to take out those skimpy clothings as the locals were very conversative. The last step is to categorise all the 'accepted' clothing into men, women, children. Besides old clothes, old bags were donated as the children's schooling bags.

As there were too many of the old clothing, all of us decided to choose those which we could wear during the trip to bring over as our personal clothing. After we were done with the clothes, we will wash them locally and donate them.

Besides that, some of us brought unused stationary, pencil cases and small toys over. One of the alumnus Yuan Man brought a big box of stationary and schooling materials given by her colleagues and herself too! Same goes to Prof Chui. She brought some cute small toys and stationary over. Auntie Esther provided us with new school uniforms for our visit to Chom Trak School and Village.

As for the food rations and hygiene packs, the materials are brought locally. This was done so to reduce our baggage capacity (in order to bring more old clothes over) and to generate income for the locals.

This is the plan for preparing the food rations, hygiene packs & old clothes giveaways.

Day 3: Pack Food Rations
Day 6: Pack Hygiene Packs
Day 7: Pack old clothes and other 2nd/unused bags, stationery and small toys.
Day 8: Distribute Hygiene Packs in school after Hygiene class
Day 9: Distribute Food Rations during Home Visits
Day 10: Distribute old school uniforms, old/unused stationary and school materials in Chom Trak School & balloon sculptures & old clothes in old/unused bags in Chom Trak Village

We did Home Visits on Day 9 to get to know the villagers as well as giving them food rations. All of us were being spilt into groups of 4 (including a senior) to visit 10+ households with a translator attached. We took the opportunity to communicate with the locals that we visited. We realised the culture there was not as what we expect.

Take marriage for instance, the guy and the girl could only get married at the age of 18 and above. If the girl is getting education, she could only get marriage at the age of 21 and above. Same applies to the guy, he will get married at age of 25 and above. Unlike the chinese culture of betroth the girl to the guy, the local culture requires the agreement between both parties. The couple will stay with either side of the family which is more poor. After the guy has earned enough to build a house, the couple will move out to create a family of their. Divorce is common too if the parents find either party incapable of supporting the other party especially financially.

Besides having a chance to communicate with the locals, we could see with our own eyes the living conditions and lifestyle that the villagers are leading day-to-day. Some are jobless or critically ill that they can't afford any food or even proper housing. They were grateful that we came to visit and gave them food rations. The food rations to us are just normal items that we need to take everyday. To them, they are so precious that some of them cry out of joy to receive that.

Day 10, we went to Chom Trak. Chom Trak is a very poor village as it was very far away from the town area. Being remote, we took 45 minutes on le-mok (motor with a long carriage behind) to travel there from Khmer Homestay. We stopped by the Primary School to distribute the uniform, stationary and schooling materials to the students. Those kids, that were not schooling, we gave them balloon sculptures. This goes to their mothers, who are hanging around the school, we gave them hair accessories provided by Prof Chui.

Then, we moved on to do home visits to distribute the bags of clothes. Each bag contain 4-5 pieces of clothes regardless of gender and age. As noted from the conversation of Auntie Esther, the families will exchange their clothes within themselves if any unsuitable piece is spotted. So, this made our packing task simplier.

None of us could realise how precious our unwanted clothing or daily food items. Now, we could. We will really treasure what we had.

Packing the big sack of rice into small packs The volunteers start to organise themselves to help
Some went to sort out the coffee bags and instant barley we brought over
Besides rice pack, we have another bag of foodstuffs and daily necessities eg. sauce, towel...
Prof Chui helping out!
The completed packs
Come on! Left a few more!
sorting out to that we could slot into the indivdual pack fast
The Foodstuffs and Daily Neccesities Pack
Putting the rice packs into the big sack
while those left behind...we got to carry them into the storeroom one by one!
The Day for Home Visits!
Loading the Food Rations up the 'le-mok'
It's all up!
And now is our turn to 'load' ourselves up another 'le-mok'
at every stop, a group of 4 will follow a translator to go for home visits in that area
they will carry with them 10 sets of Food Rations
There it is!
Walking to the 1st house
More to go!
The 'breathing-taking' scenery as we go visiting!
Is this bridge 'cross-able'?
one of the houses on the plains
beware of every step!
The stairs up the villagers' houses are very 'fragile'
One of the houses that we go visiting
see the condition!
they don't even have a proper cupboard to contain their clothes and belongings
is that their kitchen?
welcoming us to their house!
Our shoes by the stairs
this is their door!
The house will be 'wet' when rain come...
the living conditions of a very poor family
the kids crowded at the stairs when we are doing visiting at the house
examining the conditions in the house
another house...beware of every step taken!
when we are in the house, we could communicate with the owner by telling the translate what we want to talk about
Thanks!
This is the gesture of thanks/appreciation that all Cambodians practise
Passing the owners theFood Rations
Passing....
we even help them to see how we can do to repair their sewing machine!
This is ripe rice grains (with the husk on)
One of the local food that the locals treat us
*It's fried rice balls with potato filling inside)
One of the unique fruits offer to us!
Pic with the family!
Group pic with the family
Group pic with the family
group pic with the family

Visit to Chom Trak Village
Packing all the old clothes and bags that are donated by kind Singaporeans
Such a skinny pig!
From this, we can see how poor is the village.
The classroom
their flag raising ceremony
singing their national song
some are without shoes!
the uniforms (donated by auntie esther), schooling items and stationary
Receiving the school uniforms
Distributing in progress!Pass pencil cases one by one
See their smiles on their faces!
Who still don't have uniforms?
Gathering the group of us in front as they show their appreciation to us
innocent looks into the camera
*they should be wondering what that we are holding on our hands*
smile!
The group pic of us at the school
Next up, distributing balloons sculptures to the non-schooling kids
they should be wondering what's that we are holding our hands
The bags and bags of old clothes in the 'le-mok'
They are too shy to take!
Doing Home Visits now...
This is for you!
This is for you!
This is for you & you're Welcome!
The houses in Chom Trak are in a very bad state
Appreciating the gift from us!
For you too!
The puppies that are wondering around & they eat them!
*check this out here!*
No lighting in their houses
Going further...
This little girl is camera-shy!
But glad to receive the bag!
Waiting for instructions
Taking more packs with us
The street hawker?
The kids that follow us around...
They are very happy to receive this little gift from us
*they should be wondering how to play with this*
Going more houses...
Each group follow the ' local ICs' to go to the different houses
They rear cattles to help them out in the padi fields
Yea! We've new uniforms!
Should we go up the houses?
I think we should just pass them at the ground level
Treasuring the balloon scuplture while pumping water
the bad road situation

Sherri

Day 4 - 9 : Interaction of Cambodia Youths

In the night time, some Cambodians Youths will be coming to Khmer Homestay to learn English. In which, we got to interact with them as well as giving them a chance to practise their English speaking capability. Besides culture exchange, we showed them the Singapore dollar notes and coins. Some of us even picked up a few more Khmer Language phrases from them. Different topics are being talked about in the different groups that we are spilt into.

This was done concurrently with the night teaching; those members, who were not involved, will be interacting with the youths. We also taught them our 'Friendship Dance' in exchange of their local tradition dance.

Some of the Youths are our Translators!

He own a IPod!

Outing with them!

Having a dip at the Dam Pool!

Chatting with them while the night teachings were conducted

Teaching them friendship dance!

Come on! Let's dance!

Hi! I'm Bao shin!

With a Big Hug!

Finding out more about Cambodia

Chatting over dinner?

Teaching them more dances!

Let's go!

A 'sit-down' formal interaction with the Youths

Weisoung's group!

Swee Leong, Sherri, Chung Seng & Pui Mun 's group!

Playing London Bridge with them!

What's you all talking about?

Teaching Khmer dance to us!

Invitation by the Youths to join in the village Wedding
*Let's join them in to dance!*

Sherri

Day 4 - 9 : Hygiene Teaching

The Cambodian kids are not well educated on personal hygiene which results in a slightly high mortality rate in the children.

The kids play with soil and animals which contain a lot of germs and bacteria. The next moment, they might grab food with bare hands and eat it. Here it goes, all the germs and bacteria went down the oesophagus to the stomach. In the tiny stomaches of theirs, worms are being bred. This disallows the nutrition in the stomach to be abosorbed well and causing the child to be malnutrition although food is being consumed.

With that, we made our mind to teach Hygiene to the local children.

The topics covered are:

1) How and When to wash hands
2) How and When to brush teeths
3) How to lead a healthy lifestyle

We are spilt into our teaching groups to conduct the hygiene classes on Day 8 at Don Ton School. See Prof Edmund's post here! We demostrated the steps to wash hands and brush teeth (with a teeth model). Wondering how to lead a healthy lifestyle? Do the hokey-pokey dance! The lessons conducted were indeed interactive! We also attracted a lot of parents and kids to observe the classes outside the classroom.

Hope they will take in the knowledge we imparted and practised with the hygiene packs given!

Inside the Hygiene packs...
(will then put in the toothbrushes)

Packing...
(soaps 'dept')
More join in to help!
Final Stage of packing into the plastic bags
The 'le-mok' that we are taking to the school
On 'le-mok'
you sure this vehicle can take us there?
YES!
The nice scenery on our way there
stop by for a group pic while the vehicle top up the fuel
rusty bicycles...
The vice-principal & prof chui!
The outlook of the school
another classroom that are rent from the nearby temple
briefing
with the students
sitting on the huge sleeping pigs?
innocent looks
the non-schooling kids crowding around the school to learn outside the classroom
Having the 'gift' from us!
teaching-in-process
distributing the hygiene packs
Showing his friends the Singapore postcard
opening up to see what's inside
learning to wash hands properly
there's dirt in between of our fingers
who has not taken the hygiene packs?
excited to have this simple toothbrush where the packaging can be use as a ruler
guiding the students sitting at the back
how to brushing your teeth properly
show the rest how you wash your hands clean!
volunteers, pls!
classroom situation
learning about healthy lifestyle by doing a dance!
Don't be shy...join in!
Having a translator to help us translate
Same here....
come on! answer our question?
"Put your right hand in..."
"put your left hand in"
Okay with the demostration?
then...*twists* as you sing "and you do your hokey pokey..."
"and that's what is all about! *jumps"
Higher!
Down!
See we can jump very high!
Glad to receive the hygiene packs?
2nd lesson....
Let's out for some exercise!
Before that...we shall go into proper lesson 1st
They are very attentive
okok...let's form a circle
2nd class renting a monk's hut
See the flooring with 'huge' gaps
the kids stay at the stairs to watch the lesson conducted
let's begin!
learning how to wash hands by doing it themselve too!
Can manage?
Let's out for some fresh air & learn "hokey pokey"
Okay? Let's go!
End lesson.... Beware of steps
The Colours & Fruit Teaching Group!
De-Brief by the Vice-Principal

Final group pic!

>

Sherri

Day 4 - 9: Science Exhibitions

Like Project L.O.V.E 2007, we decided to continue with this activity as it will really benefit the students; to gain their interests in science. Unlike Singapore schools, in Cambodia, there are not science laboratories for the students to practise and visualise their science theories.

We carried 2 science exhibitions out in Baray Primary School and Baray High School on Day 7 & 8 respectively.
This year, we had planned several exciting and useful experiments:

Water Rocket Launcher (the highlight of the Science Exhibition)

Buzz Wire

Optical Illusions

ElectronStatic Balloons

Automated Boat

Suckling Plate

Orange Sparks

Water Fireworks

Anti-Gravity

Cartesian Diver

Siphon

Non-Bursting Balloon

Writing without ink!

Let's see how they go...

To Pri Sch - Day 8

Walking to the venueThe road to the school
Preparing for the exhibitions...
some non-schooling kids and their parents came to visit us
The students running to us!
Come visit our booths!
Oh? Look at the camera!
They are rather shy to come near to the booth to look at the exhibits close
So we got to stand up to 'invite' them to stand closer
wow...i think they love balloons
the translator translate what we are trying to convey to them
such a busy sight of us!
Optical illusions booth!
Siphon Booth
the backview
Oops! Catching eating the oranges!
Oh...the skin of the oranges are used for the experiment (orange sparks)
Cartesian Diver Booth
Suckling Plate + Writing without ink Booth
see how we do it!
Piercing through the balloons...
see how many all of you can go...
Ooops! the balloons burst!
try that out!
Don't run with the balloon!
Anti-Gravity Booth
Fireworks Booth
drop the detergent into the 'blotch' of pepper

Can you see the fireworks!
Water Rocket Launching Session
Buzz Wire Booth
Counting 3, 2, 1...GO!
Ahh...where has it gone?
Returning to Base!
See! The wishes written on the rocket?
We are sending our wishes up to the sky!
Birthday Boy with his wishes on the rocket
Servicing for the next launch
What are they looking at?
Bad Landing into the pond!
He has to jump in?
Oh! Someone down to rescue...
And it's him!
*reward him with some gifts*
Finding out how is Singapore like...
The innocent kids
Looking at the Singapore postcards
She's so cute!
Group Pic!

Baray High Sch - 7 Day

Carrying our 'equipments' with us!
Their school canteen
Waiting for instructions
Setting up!
Crowds coming!
Wow..indeed a big group of them!
*What's with the 2 candles and oranges?*
Orange Sparks + Anti-Gravity Booths
Working hard...
Oh? No crowd here?
Optical Illusions Booth
ElectroStatic Balloons Booth
They are shy too! Stand so far away to watch the exhibits
Explanation through drawings!
Each experiment has one
Siphon + Fireworks Booth
Anti-Gravity Booth
Trying out writing with juice!
See the orange sparks?
After 'brushing' the balloons with your hair, try 'sticking' up the small bits of paper?
explain to them how Optical illusions work
Buzz Wire Booth...look like they are having a lot of fun!
Even the teacher came to assist us in explanation!
Wow...overcrowding!
Try that out!
Can you see?
Even the teacher trying out
Prepare for the 1st launch
Waiting...& Waiting...
Ready?

Okay...going to be launched! Keep your eyes on it!

Sherri

Day 4 - 9 : Night Teachings

During the planning for Project L.O.V.E, we did put emphasis on teaching as we knew that increasing the child's knowledge will benefit in the long run.

We developed 3 sets of topics: Colours & Fruits, Numbers & Animals and Our Body. The basic guidelines of conducting lessons and the materials were been preparing by the teaching dept to serve as a base for the groups to start off. The whole team is spilt into 3 groups to handle the 3 topics.

After the exam and before the trip, all of us practised the flow of our teachings many many many times! This was done so to get all the 'teachers' familarised with the flow of how they going to deliver the lessons. I guess we did... close to 15 rehearsals?

Colours & Fruits: Swee Leong (IC), Kee Kiat, Kok Hou, Sherri, Veera & Yee Teng

Numbers & Animals: Daryl (IC), Bao Shin, He Shu, Pui Man, Shiyu & Wei Soung

Our Body: Serene (IC), Kelvin, Chung Seng, Kee Jin, Xinxin & Chong Chin

Adrian & Boon Yen will be helping to coordinate and help-out.

The teaching lessons are done every night. Each night, 2 topics will be presented to the local children. The Homestay dining area will be transformed into a temporary classroom for the 5 nights. In this rotation system, 1 group would be free for the day and shall devote their help to students; if they encountered any problems since there might be 40+ of them.

Day 4: Numbers & Animals and Our Body

Day 5: Our Body and Colours & Fruits

Day 6: Colours & Fruits and Number & Animals

Day 7: Revision

In each topic, we incorporated simple words teaching, a small exercise and a song & dance. All the topics had teaching aids in order to faciliate the lesson more efficently. Add on, Colours & Fruits had a stack of small colour papers while Our Body had handouts for the students to refer to. The kids enjoyed the Animals song the most - 'Old Macdonald has a farm' and they even sang the Khmer version for us.

As none of us could speak Khmer (Cambodian Language), we managed to get a translator to translate what we wanted to convey to the class, phrase by phrase - sentence by sentence. We ourselves had learnt the very basic Khmer Language taught by Prof Chui & Prof Edmund:

1) Numbers from 1 to 20 eg. one is muŏy
2) Hello - chumree-uhp soo-uh
3) Goodbye - chumree-uhp lee-uh
4) Thanks - Aw kun
5) Water - teuk

&& more... http://www.bongthom.com/akonline/SelectChapterEK.asp to learn Khmer Language

In the 5 days of teaching, we can really feel the strong desire of the local children to learn. From the translator, 20% of the children and teenagers who came might not have any chance to receive education given their poor family background. To them, learning english (a foreign language) is impossible. And here we were...realising their dreams and hoped that one day they do have the chance to get educate.

Let's us show you what we did:

Lesson Time!Let's show them how Singapore like?
Proper lesson begin! 1st lesson is on 'My Body Parts'
Explaining...
Pre-lesson discussion to improve coordination between 'teachers'
Let's sing 'My Body Parts'!
"Head-Shoulder-Knee and Toes..."
If you can't see the teachers, see the other NTU students too...
Point to your eyes....
My Body Parts Game
- Placing the card on the right body parts -
Let's help out!
Numbers & Animals Lesson
Come on! Stand up and dance!
Colours Lesson
Demostration of colour mixing
Show us your colour cards when any colour is being mentioned!
Sing-a-long time!
Translating...our lesson content sentence by sentence
volunteers' turn to show us what you have learnt
Can you get the colour right?
The teaching location is not brightly lit so Bao Shin got to shine his bright torchlight at the teaching materials
Listening attentively!
Show time!
Giving out balloon sculptures as rewards...
Pics with our 'students'
teaching her how to mix
Learning the translation of fruits
Show us the colours of Durian - They are Green & Yellow!
Sing the Colour Song with us!
The Prepared Primary Colours before the Colour Mixing Magic
Distributing colour cards
Volunteers, pls!
Let's sing Old Macdonald Has a Farm with me!
With Action!
Good Job! Let's do again!
Even translator is learning from the 'teachers'
Show the picture of the pig, "Oink!"
Let's sing again with actions!

Say after me: "Red!"

Sherri

Day 4 - 9 : Roof Repairing

Wow! "We want to go up!" That was what all of us said... Our task for Day 5 was to repair roofs for the poor. We got a few zinc rooftops to replace the torn straw rooftops and even provided our service to take off the old one and put up the new one.

In the morning, we were just assisting the carpenters to do ground work of like cleaning up and having to shift tools up.

Should we be given a more challenging task like climbing up the roof?

Yes! In the afternoon, we were sent up the roofs to help out! We were all so excited but never have we neglect our safety in the midst of fun. See Prof Edmund's post here & here & here!

Reflecting upon this task, we are very fortunate to have a roof over our head which is not leaking!

We're spilt into 3 groups
(one of the groups on tuk-tuk to the furthest location) See how bad the roof is...
Imagine when rain come...
When rain come, a lot of pails will be needed for the massive leakage
One of the beneficiary families
The woman and her 7 children (2 more out in the fields to work)
Finding the house that we are helping
Sawing the wooden plank to be nailed onto the roof for the new zinc roof Learning how to make the 'dried coconut leaves' wall
Climbing up the roof
removing the strings that hold the tattered roof
Can you handle it?
How is it? Can manage?
Examining how much more to be done
Be careful!
We're doing fine!
Coming down to grab more zinc sheets for the roof
Waiting to pass the zinc sheets
cleaning up the 'debris'
the old planks too?
I think we've dirtied their cooking area?
Waiting for someone to pass them the zinc sheets
Beware!
Hold on to tight!
Climbing up!
Able to sit on the slim support!
Able to manage?
Holding the crowbar for?
The shiny new roof!
Taking with the beneficiary family
We too!
Reconstructing the whole house

The Group Pic!

Sherri

Day 4 - 9: Well Pavement Building

We're spilt up into 2 groups to construct well pavements in 2 areas in Day 4 morning. In the afternoon, we went to do the 3rd one.

The well pavements built was actually a platform raises surrounding the well. This will bring convenience for the villagers to do washing by the well.

Firstly, we added in the huge rocks on the base. The dry mixure of the cement powder and sand will be poured onto the rocks to fill up the empty spaces as well as the holes in the rock when the water was poured in. In order to smooth the top surface, an additional layer of wet cement had to be added on. It's not the last step. The last step is to build brick wall around the cement platform to firm the whole structure. The wind and sun will deliver the drying effect and finishing!

Sound easy? The mixing of cement and sand are manual as well as producing the cement paste! Not using the cement mixer we normally see at the construction site! As well as shifting the rocks here and there!

On our way there!

Briefing Time! Adding in large rocks as the base
Let's get started!
The small rocks shall be slotted in between of the large rocks
Next, manual pile the rocks into the soft soil ground
Use more force!
Mixing sand and cement powder together
Using that!
Happy Mixing!
Girls can do it as well!
Work harder!
Pouring the cement powder onto the sand!
Mixing...
the dry mixture is being poured onto the rocks
spreading the dry mixture around
this is done to fill up the small cavities of the rocks and small spaces in between the rocks
let's work together!
Ahh..heavy!
Jia you!
I can carry alone!
Need to wet the dry mixture so that the 1st layer will be done!
learning how to get water from the well!
pouring the water onto the dry mixture
For the next layer, we need wet cement...
hurry up! We need more cement powder!
mixing the dry mixture and water
pouring the wet mixture on top
need more!
spreading the wet mixture and flattening too...
Jia you!
prevent the wet mixture from falling off the boundary
adding bricks by the side to firm the structure
filling the wet mixture into the pail
Tired!!!
Let's rest under the house!
Yea!!! We're done!
Project L.O.V.E 2008 being craved on by Yee Teng!
Group pic!
All 3 groups meeting to go back together!

'Sun-setting'!

Let's hurry back!

Sherri

Day 4 - 9: Road Repairing

In the early morning of Day 4, we headed to the nearby village road to perform repair work.

According to Auntie Esther, the road condition was so bad that no vehicle can drive in. Indeed, we saw with our own eyes. The soil road is wet and soft that any vehicle wheels will just get stucked in, even bicycle!

One by one, the trucks brought in soil. Our tasks are to level up the soil brought in and pile the soil hard. The process was rather tedious and tiring as we got to shovel the soil from the pile to a basket then bring it to the other low areas and using a thick-tree trunk 'pile-r' to firm the soil (close up the air spaces between the soil particles). Before that, we were supposed to remove the long thorny grass at the side of the road. The cutted grass is placed into low areas and piled up with soil. They believed the soil will be more firm with the grass fibres inside.

After a whole day of hard work, all of us were seriously very very tired! Glad that we do our part to construct the road!

On our way to our destination

Small puddles of water are being collected on the road

See how bad is it!

After briefing, let's get started!We need to clear the tall thorny grass as we reconstruct the road!
Shovel...
Shovel...
Shovel...
let's collaborate!
where's the basket?









More 'shovelling'
The girls join in to shovel!

Bringing the loosen soil to the low lying areas...

And we got to manual pile/compact the soil!

Tired!!!
Rest Time!!

Auntie Esther came to see whether we've worked hard enough!

We're done with the road repair!

A Group Pic of us and the complete road repair project

*Apologies as there are some bugs to this blog entry causing the messy position of the pics!

Sherri

Settling down at Baray - Day 3

Setting off to Baray with Prof Chui & Prof Edmund, all of us was wondering how would the place be like that we're staying and is it hard to communicate and get along with the locals...

We went on a 3 hour bus ride to Baray... On the way, we stopped by for toilet break. Never we had expected to get to taste some exotic food! They are fried spiders and crickets. Fried spiders tasted just like soft shell crabs whereas crickets were like cereal prawns.

Arriving at Baray! The bus turned into a area where the fences are decorated with wheels and 'Khmer Life Homestay' is placed high up on the fence. We've reached! Receiving us is Auntie Esther and her team of staffs and pastors.

All of us will be staying in huts on stilts with mosquito netting surrounding the beds. The surroundings around the huts are beautified with plants, flowers, wooden tables and chairs, hammocks...We even had a man-made river with a bridge on it in the middle of the Homestay! After dinner and lunch, we could go to the hammocks to catch a wink. On the other hand, the tables and chairs served as a good gathering place to share our thoughts about the day activities and chit-chat. The serene and peaceful environment made us look forward on our days here!

Besides accomodation, our 3 meals will be settled in Khmer Homestay. The staffs helping out will be cooking for us. The food served was largely Asian style with a pinch of Cambodia flavour!

There was no washing machine in house. With that, we had to use our both hands to pump water out from the well to a large basin. Then, soak our dirty clothes in the soapy water...rub rub rub! Lastly, rinse again with a new batch of well water.

No heater like our halls or homes... We had to bathe with raw cool water from the tap. The toilets used 'manual flush' which means we used the water from the tap and poured down the drainage area.

Hmmm...Not forgetting the dress code! At all times, all of us were to be dressed with sleeved t-shirts and pants/shorts(must not go above knees!). The culture is pretty conversative so we must obey it as guests staying here.

Last point to take note and it is very important as newbies in Homestay! The generator will be switched at 10pm sharp so all of us had to carried our torchlights around. We had never expect how useful a simple torchlight can be! In Singapore, none of us had ever met with total blackout for more than 2 times. Over here, 'light-outs' were practised every night! Luckily, we had car battery in our huts to operated basic lightings and fan.

Overall, none of us had problems to settle down in Homestay!

See our baggages piling up at the back seats?
Half of those are the old clothes & bags!
Sight from the bus!
AHHH!!! Spiders!
And they are fried and went into our mouths
Fried crickets too!
Our HOME for 7 days!
Nice?
The bigger hut is the 9 men dormitory while the huts besides are 2/3/4 person-sharing dorm
One of the nice huts!
Our 'lobby' = dining area +where we can get help/assistance
The kitchen at the back and self-service counter for all our meals!
Basketball!
Swings!
See-saw? YES!
Our beds with thick mosquito netting surrounding
the guys room!
Using car battery to operate the fan and light at night
A little desk to put our stuffs
Mirror!
Unique open bathing experience by cycling to get the water pumped up to the shower head
Toilets!
Treehouse!
Manual pump water for washing clothes
No washing machine
We need to wash our own clothes
Hammocks below our huts
Writing diary on hammock is a totally relaxing and nice experience
studying about cambodia!
Don't see my NTU diarybook!
Reading?
Playing with the little visitors to the Homestay
Having our 1st lunch at Khmer Homestay
(5 LDPians + 2 alumnus)
Full & Satisfied!!
The town
(about 30 mins walk)
Beware!
This is everywhere along the walking paths/roads...!
Group Pic at Khmer Homestay!
'Sun-setting'

Community work briefing at Auntie Esther's house

Sherri

Starting the journey...Day 1 & 2

Finally, the day arrived! We're setting off to Cambodia! Arriving at 4+pm at Changi Airport, we all were very excited as many of us are flying there for the our very first time!

For Day 1 & Day 2, we are touring at Phnom Penh before setting off to our destination, Baray!

Arriving at Phnom Penh Airport, we were received by Auntie Esther and the tourist guide of the day, Pixel.

Day 1: We went visiting at Khmer Life shop for our 1st stop. This is the handicraft shop set-up by Auntie Esther to provide employment for the handicapped and unemployed locals. Since it's a shop (which directly tell it's a 'selling' place), most of us starting our shopping here! We visited the Central Market and Russian Market to explore the building structure characteristics and local culture. Our last activity of the day is to take the boat ride down the Mekong River in evening. We managed to catch the sight of beautiful sunset on the boat and having a fantastic buffet dinner with the cooling 'river' breeze.

Setting Off from Changi Airport with our heavy baggages
(each of the members are supposed to carry a big bag of old clothes & bags)

Group Pic at Departure Gate

The back of Project L.O.V.E shirt

See our flight time?
6:45am - Phnom Penh

The nice view at the side window on the plane

We reach Cambodia!
Before we board the bus...

Our 1st breakfast!
Meat with baguette

Visit to Khmer Life shop

Purchasing handmade handicrafts A handicapped artist craving the coconut shell keychains
This is 1000 riels (equivalent to 0.37 SGD)
Total? Petrol Station!
Lucky Burger outlet
Fantastic! Balancing a basket full of lotus flowers!
Roasted Bananas?
Central Market
Inside Central Market Weaving through the crowds
Selling mechanical parts in Russian Market
Can assemble our own motorbikes?
Going for a boat ride
Group pic on the Boat
Relax and rest well....
Sunset!
Boon Yen's Birthday!


Day 2: In the early morning, we set off to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and Killing Field to find out more about Cambodia history. The history that put their lives on threats and took many innocent lives. The 2 alumnus, Hwee Ting & Yuan Man joined us during our visit in the Museum. The last place-of-interest we went was the Royal Palace. Most of us fall in love with the awesome buildings and the serene environment! We had our last dinner at Phnom Phen with Prof Chui, Prof Edmund and friends at a steamboat shop. This steamboat dinner indeed gained most of our thumb-ups attributing to the sumptous soupbase, handmade springy beef, pork and fishballs and the nice noodles.


The pictures tell you more!

Sunrise at our hotel
Elephant strolling on the road?
Our Breakfast
Visit to Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum


Grave for the last few that perished in the prison
Explanation from the tour guide
Every prisoner will have their picture taken before admit to prison
they are being locked up on the bed
torture grounds
another building of imprisonment
see how narrow each of the prisoners are staying in
only a small window to look-out how the prisoners are being tortured
Killing field
Stupa built to commemorate those who perished in the genocide
the skulls of the dead
the ground where the dead bodies are piled and buried
Visit to the Royal Palace
a gift from the westerns- a westernised building
Group pic at Royal Palace
Oh? Act coolz?
The girls imitiating thousand hands buddha
miniature sight of the Angkor Wat
Stupa
the nine headed snakes that the locals worship
A girl balancing a basket of crackers for sale
At Wat Phnom
Night Market
These are cakes!
Steamboat!
A whole row of us eating!
his hair resembled the noodles
Group pic at the steamboat shop!
lotus seeds! Can be eaten raw!
Cambodia Coke!

Sherri

Again! We're being spotted!

It's there!

Check out at:

http://cambbuildaschool.blogspot.com/2009/01/beneath-line.html

http://cambbuildaschool.blogspot.com/2009/01/home-with-view.html

http://cambbuildaschool.blogspot.com/2009/01/leaky-roofs.html

http://cambbuildaschool.blogspot.com/2009/01/they-eat-dogs-in-cambodia.html

http://cambbuildaschool.blogspot.com/2009/01/don-thom-secondary-school.html

Sherri

We're featured in...

We're featured in Khmer Life Homestay Brochure for tourists and overseas community service teams! One of the reasons that might be the multiple projects undertaken during our stay in Baray... road repairs, roof repairs, teachings etc!

Can you spot us? Check on the image to seek for us!

If you are interested to have a short trip there or going for a community service trip like us, you can contact the person-in-charge, Ms Esther Ding

1. by phone at 855 12635718
2. by email at khmervillagehomestay@yahoo.com
3. through website at http://www.khmerhomestay.com/index.asp

*not publicise on behalf of Khmer Life; recommendation based on personal experience

Adrian

Traits of Project L.O.V.E spotted!

Gotcha! At Cambodia-Build-A-School Project Blog!

Click here to view!

Sherri

We're back!

YEA! We're finally back from the 12 Days Trip in Cambodia! It's a wonderful experience for each and every of us!

Stay Tuned for the further update!

Sherri