La Muey School, Cambodia
In the far north of Cambodia, at the foot of the mountains and sitting on the Sasam River, is the small village of La Muey, home of the Kavat people. It all sounds idyllic, but the area is riddled with unexploded ordinance. Bombed by the Americans as it was close to the Ho Chi Minh trail and heavily mined by the Khmer Rouge, the people barely scratch a living as subsistence farmers.
The nearest primary school is about 6 kilometres away, but walking along the track is dangerous, especially for young girls who fear assault or abduction. With great support from NTFP (a local NGO who work with minority groups in the mountains) the villagers donated the land and built a small wooden classroom to start their own primary school. The school soon became overcrowded and was in urgent need of more room.
In November 2018, we took a small group of volunteers to build another classroom and a library. We received great support from the locals and especially the children who came to the school every day to help. We had hardly finished painting the library when the children came to read the books we supplied – it was a sight to behold.
With the amazing skills and imagination of our volunteers and some bright paint we completed the buildings and turned them into a very welcoming and cheerful place for the children.
Since the completion of the school we have put in a well, erected fencing and refurbished the toilet block. School numbers have grown and more classrooms will soon be needed. We are truly grateful for the amazing support and direction of Mr Vansak Vay from NTFP.
