Lodge International School prefects on a humanitarian trip to Cambodia.
KUCHING: A group of 27 Lodge International School prefects spent five days and four nights in May volunteering in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
The students visited the local non-governmental organisation (NGO) Savong School where they helped build school facilities and interacted with students.
To prepare for the trip, the prefects raised US$1,300 (approximately RM5,341) in funds and collected laptops, books, toys and clothes to be donated to the school.
Throughout the visit, the students helped build a new block of bedrooms, dug holes for the foundation and assembled metal frames.
The tools and plant saplings were sponsored by the Lodge students themselves, said a press release issued yesterday.
Two Lodgians Ng Tze Chee and Lerena Hong took on roles as guest English teachers which gave them the opportunity to interact with the students.
Teachers-in-charge Alvin Chen and Ilbeth Lim said this trip was a great opportunity for students to see life beyond their social circle, and how they can help those in need.
“At Lodge School, we prize character as well as academic excellence, and experiences such as this are invaluable in educating students.”
Year 11 student Lerena Hong who taught English for a day said: “The Cambodian students were so enthusiastic to learn that I realised we take our education for granted.”
Sky Tan, a Year 10 student who helped with the construction work, admitted that it was tiring to work under the hot sun, but it was satisfying to know that their effort would give the students better facilities.
Savong School founded in 2005 by Savong Svoy comprises five institutions – three schools, a children’s home, and a student centre.
The organisation supports over 1,000 students from kindergarten to university level.
The Lodge prefects visited Happy Sunshine which offers free English and computer lessons to more than 200 impoverished children.
The students went on an educational trip to visit Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm and the National Angkor Museum to observe
the quality of life in Cambodia, as well as learn about fascinating Khmer history and culture.
Lodge International School thanked Savong Organisation Cambodia for the opportunity to help, and hoped to organise more humanitarian trips for students in the future.
They also thanked the participants’ parents for supporting the trip.