Living Values Report from Cambodia – Trainings were held 30 & 31 January and 24—28 March 2010 at the Peace Café, Siem Reap

"Ly Ya told the team about some games she learned which she is already integrating into her kids yoga classes.  I asked them what Values meant and the next three days were spent in group discussion was about self-worth and self-esteem.  Ly Ya, who has grown up in extremely poor circumstances and amidst violence and violation that I cannot even conceive of, talked at length about the idea that her life is worth something and what it feels like to believe in yourself.  She expressed very clearly how her behaviour in the world and towards others can be very destructive when she hates herself, and now that she has a sense of self-worth, she wants to share with others and she feels good about what she can do in the world.  Ly Ya was amazingly articulate and insightful about where she had been in her mind, and spoke so openly and freely to the group about issues that I did not even know she still struggled with. It was truly an amazing breakthrough.  I think much of it had to do with the content of the course that gave Ly Ya a vocabulary she could use to understand and articulate her experiences, and also she found out how warm and loving everyone was. "

Another training was followed by a TTE from March 24 & 25 followed on by a TTT from March 26 to 28, 2010.

There were about 30 participants in this training, again mostly from NGOs.  Shahida Abdul Samad, the Focal Point for LVE in

Malaysia graciously flew into Siem Reap to help facilitate the TTT. However due to an urgent need to unexpectedly return, Qudy and Cham had the opportunity to develop the courage to continue with the well-started TTT. Needless to say, both trainings went extremely well and out of the 12 trained in our TTT, we now have a few more trainers to help with the next training already scheduled for May 14-16.  This time we have trainees coming from Poipet, a border town where children are extremely vulnerable to trafficking and a lot of abuse.  We are so pleased to welcome them to our next training.

We have finally completed our first full translation of the Living Values Activities for Children Ages 8-14 book in the Khmer language (Cambodian) which has been done by our trainer, Cham.

All of this has been possible through the generous support of a woman from Poland who has been financially supporting the LVE trainings and translation in Siem Reap for the past three years.  She is not a very rich lady but she certainly has a big heart for Living Values Education.  We also wish to acknowledge the Peace Cafe Values and Eco Training Centre who have been hosting and supporting these trainings.

The training in Preah Dak Temple was on 23 and 24 September. Qudy, the Focal Point for LVE in Cambodia reports:  “We did our first two days of LVE in April this year for this group. Among the 25 participants, five of them have been teaching LVE activities to children. This follow-up was aimed to give those teachers the opportunity to share their experiences and the challenges faced, as well as giving chances for most of them to practice teaching LVE activities with guided help from us. 

Although the space and materials for training were limited, the pagoda itself was beautiful and peaceful. It was the raining season here in Cambodia. The rain came in the afternoon of first day. The room was leaking water from the roof; we had to use two buckets!!! Participants were all young volunteer teachers from different villages around Angkor area, they were very enthusiastic in practice. Both of us were impressed by the way they engaged themselves in each lesson we assigned. They used the surrounding space as you can see from the enclosed photos Some of the activities were done under the trees when there was no rain! 

Cham and Qudy travelled in a taxi with cramped seats on the afternoon of the 24th.  There were seven adults and one child in the taxi, plus the driver.  Two were in the front seat beside the driver, with the four other adults and the child at the back seat!  It was quite an experience for Qudy to Pror Lay. The guesthouse we stayed was two kilometers from Pror Lay Pagoda. Each morning two participants with motorcycles picked us up. On the second morning there was a huge rain; we were all soaked when we reached the temple.  

Twenty-nine participants turned up for the training.  Ten of them were new ones who did not attend our first workshop. None of them taught LVD in their class/schools. It was a bit more of a challenge than the first group for us to do what was planned as most of them did not remember the first training’s contents.  The participants were less enthusiastic in engaging themselves in practicing and it was noisy the entire time, with a loud speaker blasting music in the pagoda, kids playing outside classroom, and heavy rains. It was difficult for them to concentrate and hear!”