Cambodia Multi Project SCHOOL Plan</p>

EDUCATION, SAFETY, CONSERVATION & WILDLIFE PROTECTION

A plan to build 3 new schools in deeply underprivileged rural areas of northern Cambodia. The areas already have academic infrastructure, but are seriously lacking in safe and appropriate school buildings. The 3 proposed projects lay within some of the most important wildlife and conservation areas in Asia.

We want to tie the support for education in with the conservation work going on in the region in a way that gives more support to the livelihoods of the community and interaction between the children and their environment.

We are working with a network of Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) community liaison officers, who work with communities to engage them with conservation and safeguarding.

We plan to use more sustainable materials (non-timber forestry products) bamboo and lime stabilised earth in the construction, further supporting the conservation of the forest and natural habitat of critically endangered species.

In this way we can show that development does not need to come at the cost of the natural resources that the areas are so rich in.

Our school sites fall in between two conservation projects in a belt of rural Cambodia made up of subsistence farming and remote forests and lakes. In the map above there are 3 red squares marking the proposed project sites. Across the border to the north is Thailand.

THE SCHOOLS & TEAM

There are approximately 40 children in each of the schools, slightly more girls than boys, age 6-13 and teaching grade 1-5. It is very likely the number of children attending will increase once our projects are complete.

We will once again be working with the architecture firm Building Trust International (BTI) who have a great track record of completing projects in Cambodia and are responsible for our school project in Varin Cambodia, our school in Mae Sot and our nursery in Mae Sot which is currently under construction.

By building 3 schools in quick succession, we will benefit from economies of scale in purchasing materials and also labour retention which at times can be hard to maintain for relatively small projects.

BUDGET:

Each school will cost approximately £16,300

TOTAL BUDGET

£48,900

THE DESIGNS

With an emphasis on eco-friendly construction and functionality, we have come up with the following design options, utilising bamboo tiles, grass roofs and other local materials. These designs are the initial concept, the villagers and school teachers are assessing them at the moment and will offer us feedback. There will be some adjustments to the overall design once we have worked with the communities.