Hello friends and supporters of The Cambodia Academy!
We hope everyone's 2022 is off to a good start. It's hard to believe it's almost March, but time flies when you're busy...and we have been busy! We are glad to see a cautious return to more normal conditions, and we are so happy to report that the school continues to grow, thrive and make life better for children and families in Mongkol Borei.
The most important development since our last newsletter is that the school is fully open at 100% capacity. The government had mandated a rotating 50% occupancy last semester, but it is really nice to see everyone back on campus and doing well. The board had its quarterly meeting in early February and can report that the state of the school is strong. We are exploring some fundraising opportunities this autumn, and we'll report more on those plans soon.
The new school uniforms have arrived
In Cambodia, students of all ages from preschool to college wear school uniforms. Since COVID-19 kept us off campus for a large part of the 2020-2021 school year, we did not purchase new uniforms during that period. We did make the purchase this January 2022, and thanks to the efforts of Chenla Saiman, Dara Pei and Sa Sok, we have newly designed and branded uniforms that show the school spirit of The Cambodia Academy! Each student received two uniforms. We bought extras since kids do grow and these outfits receive a lot of wear and tear. Providing uniforms is an important part of what we do, and relieves parents of an expense that can be difficult to manage when deciding whether to send children to school.
New solar security lights installed at the front gate
Thanks to a supporter in Australia who wishes to remain anonymous, we received a donation of two solar security lights that have been installed at the front gate. We send our thanks to this donor with our appreciation for their gift! The lights will help illuminate the front area of campus and will help enhance safety after dark.
5A student Sa Channa places second in district reading contest
Grade 5A student Sa Channa recently participated in a Khmer language reading contest sponsored by the district education department and district governor. Approximately 57 students in grades 4-6 from schools all over the district took part, including 19 students from the Mongkol Borey district. The committee selected the passage to read, and all participants waited outside until their turn was called.
Channa placed second, and we are very proud of her! Congratulations to you, Channa—keep up the great work!
Channa is the daughter of our operations manager, Sa Sok.
Meeting in Siem Reap in 2022?
We continue to hope that travel will be easier by this autumn, which will allow us to meet in person in Siem Reap. To the best of our knowledge, airports in Cambodia are open, e-visas are once again available, and no quarantine is required to visit. According to a variety of government and travel websites, travelers must have a negative PCR test within 24 hours of travel and must test again on arrival.
As of this issue, if you are departing back to the US from Cambodia, you are required to show documentation of a negative viral test result taken within one day of the flight’s departure to the United States before boarding, regardless of nationality or vaccination status. You must show your negative result to the airline before you board your flight. That includes all travelers – U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents (LPRs), and foreign nationals.
The one day test requirement created a bit of a scheduling concern for board member Rich during his December visit when he learned that rapid tests were not available in Siem Reap. This resulted in a early departure to Phnom Penh, where the tests were available at several healthcare providers and results were delivered within 24 hours.
If you are interested in traveling to Cambodia, please check with official Cambodia websites for the latest rules and requirements. We'll continue to monitor the latest regulations and COVID-19 situation in Cambodia, and we'll provide additional details this summer if the board decides to host an official event.
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