Letter -Introducing new teachers: Long Chantou & Radi in Special education program from [Story] banteay -25 years with Banteay Prieb: Story of newly assigned school principal, Vuthda prieb -Reflecting on 2 years in BP as a volun[Interview]
teer: Somin’s diary
[Photo] -2015 Graduation day
[News] -News in and around Banteay Prieb
Vol.22 December to February Issuer. Ohchang Kwon S.J. / Editor. Somin Yang / Copy right. JSC, Banteay Prieb
NEW FACE: Interview Introducing new teachers in Banteay Prieb
Interview 1. Long Chanthou intellectual disability. Actually, I was majoring in accounting at a university in Phnom Penh, but I had to work for my family. What do you feel when you are with students with intellectual disability? At first, I was curious about myself how I became a teacher for intellectually disabled people. But the more I spent time with the students, the more I become curious about where they could go if nobody helps them. My friends ask me when I will change my job. But the important thing is that I feel happy when I see my students getting Please introduce yourself. better. I think I will continue this work beMy name is Long Chanthou. I am 25 years old. cause I feel happy and fulfilled. I’m from Kampot, and I have 3 younger brothers. I heard that you worked at an NGO that provides special education for intellectually disabled children before coming to Banteay Prieb. What kind of work did you do there? I’ve worked at an educational organization for children with intellectual disability for 5 years. During those years, I gave special education to the children with intellectual disability, conducted trainings for teachers, prepared IEP (Individual Education Plan) which differentiates the learning contents for each student by their characteristics, and I also went home-visiting once in three months. You are continuing to work at an educational NGO for people with intellectual disability. How did you get to start working with students with intellectual disabilities? I came to know about this work by my friend who lives in my hometown and works at an educational organization for children with
Interview 2. Radi
In fact, it is more difficult to live with them in a dormitory than teaching them farming. But it’s alright because they are getting better than before little by little. What do you do when the special education students do not understand what you say? Students may not understand well at first, but I repeat again and again so that they can get interested in what I am trying to say. I try to explain slowly one by one.
Please introduce yourself. My name is Radi, I am 23 years old. I’m from Kampong Thom which is 3 to 4 hours away from Banteay Prieb. I have 9 brothers, and I am the youngest. You studied in the agriculture class in Banteay Prieb last year. How did you become to join the special education class? There are many more students in the special education class this year, and since they are teaching farming to students, the special education teachers like Ms. Phalla and Mr. Sopheap suggested me to join them. How did you feel when they suggested you to work here as a special education teacher? When they offered me this job right after my graduation last year, honestly speaking, I felt I wanted to go back home. But I also felt I wanted to stay here for some more time. Both sides have good points and bad points. But since my desire to help the work here was slightly bigger, I decided to join the special education class team.
You’ve just graduated last year so I guess you still remember well about your life as a student here. How did you get to know Banteay Prieb, and how was your life before coming to Banteay Prieb? I came to know about Banteay Prieb from Sophia, a sewing workshop staff who lives in the same village with me. Before coming to Banteay Prieb, I spent most of the time at home helping with house chores and taking care of my cousins. What was it like when you came to study at Banteay Prieb? I studied hard since I came to Banteay Prieb in order to study, not to play. During my stay at Banteay Prieb, I was busy studying more than I ever did before. There were times that I missed my cousins at home as well. What does Banteay Prieb mean to you? Banteay Prieb is my second home and second life. Before coming to Banteay Prieb, there was nothing I could do by myself. But now I can do many things such as growing vegetables and vaccinating the livestock. In fact, when I first entered Banteay Prieb, I was enrolled in the electronics class. But it was difficult for me to follow the class, so the teacher suggested me to switch my major from electronics to agriculture. After switching the class, I got interested in raising livestock and could study better than before.
What kind of work do you do in the special education class? I live in a dormitory with the male special educa- Do you have any dream? tion students and I support their daily life. I am Yes. I want to raise livestock and be a veterinarian. also in charge of teaching them farming. From this year, I came to live with 8 special education students, and I am helping them to cook, do laundry, and maintain cleanliness. Students can do the basic things by themselves such as changing their clothes. For the agricultural education, I mainly teach how to grow vegetables. We will plant tomatoes soon.
STORY People in Banteay Prieb -Their deep life stories-
The First Story
25 years with Banteay Prieb -Story of Vuthda, a new principal of BP
I’m Chrek Vuthda, I was born in April 12, 1968, in Koki thom village in Kean svay district of Kandal Province. Now I’m living in Tropeang chhuk village, Teuk Thla, Sen Sok district of Phnom Penh City. I majored in Repairing Industrials Tools, which was a 2 year-course at Preah Kossomak Polytechnic Institute from 1984 to 1986. After that, I started to work at the Department of Industry in Kandal Province from 1986 to 1991. Since July 3, 1991, I have been working here in Banteay Prieb until now. It has been almost 25 years! At first, I was a teacher of the welding class from 1991 to 2001. But since 2002, I was changed to teach the electronics class until 2015. I recall that I had to face many problems when I was a teacher of the welding class. At that time, our school received only the people who got injured and disabled by the war. Some of them had the good sense of understanding and were relaxed, but some did not because they felt hopeless and even tried to commit suicide. So it was really difficult not only for them but also for the teachers. What we could help and give them was love and mercy, and we tried our best to make them understand about the value of life and we helped them to find their way towards a better future.
During class, I repeated explaining the same thing for many times. I often asked them to redo their work again and again, so that they could understand the lesson. We are using this teaching method until today, because the educational capacity of most of our students is still limited, and we should still make sure that they are following us, giving them hope and a sense of inclusion in general society. The greatest challenge for us is to see the skills-gap among the graduates. When students graduate, the skills they have learned and picked up greatly differs between one another. While some students with good scores can get good jobs, others find it hard to find a job because of their low skills. Since we are teachers, we feel unhappy when we see our students having no job or no salary.
On Oct 19, 2015, the director of Jesuit Service-Cambodia assigned me to work as a school director of Banteay Prieb. I felt uncomfortable to accept the offer, because I felt I was not ready to work as a school director. Although it was not my dream to be a school director, I finally agreed to work at this high position for the future development of Banteay Prieb. I will try all my best for Banteay Prieb to move forward towards an even better future.
“What we could help and give them was love and mercy, and we
tried our best to make them understand about the value of life and we helped them to find their way towards a better future.” “I will try all my best for Banteay Prieb to move forward towards an even better future.”
The Second Story
Somin’s Diary (A Letter to BP)
-Reflecting on my life as a volunteer in BP It was towards the end of my sophomore year at university in 2011 when I first met Banteay Prieb. I came here through a program of my university called ‘A Field Trip to Cambodia’ which allowed us to experience Cambodia for 3-weeks. It is not easy to explain exactly what it was, but I felt like a ‘light’ came into my heart. I was so much inspired by the people in Banteay Prieb. The disabled students were helping each other, the teachers looked at their students so kindly and the volunteers worked with warm and open hearts. This changed the stereotype that I had - I used to think volunteering was only for special people (not for me). After my first visit, and upon returning to Korea I had to suffer from that so-called ‘Cambodian fever’. And so I knew that Banteay Prieb was a place that I had to go back to. Later, after graduating from university I indeed found that opportunity to come back, but this time around to work here. At first, I thought living here would be no problem since I had already experienced Cambodia before. However, I later realized this was arrogant of me! My first year at Banteay Prieb was full of unexpected struggles such as writing the reports, and making newsletters with an editing program that I had never used before. Also, community life and the language were other struggles, while the various uncontrollable feelings were inside me.
Nothing was easy. Ironically though, that difficult first year turned out too short. It flew by so quickly just as I was already getting used to the work, the language, and meeting a number of new people. So I felt I wanted to stay one more year, and thankfully, I could. I still think this is the best decision that I have ever made in my life. During the second year at Banteay Prieb, I enjoyed a lot more since I gave up my exaggerated desire to do well and relieved myself of too much tension. That way, I was able to focus more on the blossoms of Banteay Prieb --- our students. If I were to mention what we do here in one sentence, I would say we are here to offer the students a better learning environment, and also make them realize they are worthy enough to be loved.
Now I can remember the names of every single student. Kim Choon Soo, a famous Korean poet, wrote in his poem entitled ‘Flower’: ‘When I called his name, he came to me and became a flower.’ Here in Banteay Prieb, I experienced exactly this: as I called the students’ names, they came to me and became flowers. The students shared not only their joys, but also their stories of family circumstances, and the worries for the future. By sharing them, these were no longer just their stories but became my story as well. We now could think together, laugh together, and cry together. Two years at Banteay Prieb have unlatched doors inside me, one by one, and drawn me to the outside world. I have grown a lot through the time I have spent here. Life at Banteay Prieb has planted ‘happiness’ in the center of my heart, which will give me power to overcome any further struggles that I may face in the next chapter of my life. Banteay Prieb and Cambodia have empowered me. I will miss Banteay Prieb so much because I can say I devoted the best of my twenty’s here. Thank you so much, Banteay Prieb!
2015 Graduation Day On December 22 of 2015, Banteay Prieb was very crowded with people who came to celebrate the graduation of the students. It was the biggest event of the year. Government officers, including the Kandal provincial governor, were also invited to the graduation ceremony. The ceremony started from 8:30 in the morning. First, there was a congratulatory speech by the teachers, and then graduation certificates were given to the students. There were two certificates – one issued by the government and the other issued by Banteay Prieb – both were given to each student. We put a lot of effort in preparing the certificates since these will prove the students’ skills and make customers have trust in them when they start a new business. After the graduation ceremony, there was an exhibition prepared by each class, which showed their year-round activities. We took time to look around each booth and congratulate the students’ accomplishments for their year in Banteay Prieb.
After looking around each booth, the most fun part of the graduation day begun – the race! Many students participated in the race that included wheelchair part, non-wheelchair part and relay part. The cheerful dance music added more excitement to everyone. We cheered for one another, and it was just like a festival!
Later, we had a special dinner with a whole roasted pig that we had just caught and cooked. Then we had a dance party which was the highlight of the day. Students dressed up with their best looks and enjoyed the party. In the middle of the dance party, there was a fashion show by students wearing tuxedos and dresses that were made by students of the sewing class. This fashion show has been the tradition of Banteay Prieb’s graduation ceremony. With the help of the teachers from the sewing class and the make-up class which just started this year, students could dress up very nicely and we all gave them a big applause. The party continued until 11 pm. In the next morning at 5 am, before dawn, students who live far from Banteay Prieb begun to go back home. Teachers and volunteers said good bye to students with encouraging words for their new start, and the students left one by one for their new life. Many students embraced each other crying. They promised to meet again and cheered for each other. 103 graduates, 28th batch, in the year of 2015. Please remember them in your prayers.
NEWS Various activities in and around of Banteay Prieb December 12, Christmas Concert at Peace Cafe There was a special Christmas performance at Peace Café last December. Jesuit fathers, brothers, and volunteers held a Christmas concert for the staff members of JSC and Banteay Prieb’s production workshop. This concert was held for the JSC members who worked together for one year. They enjoyed a lot and were very happy together. After the well-prepared performances of playing the piano, guitar and singing a cappella, we spent a joyful time singing Cambodian songs together. We could also enjoy snacks and fruits that were specially prepared by Peace Café for this occasion.
January 12, Entrance of the 29th Batch of Students
February 14, Mr. Sopheap, Special Education Teacher, Visits Korea
The new students of the 29th batch entered Banteay Prieb at the beginning of January. There were 110 students in total: 23 in agriculture class, 24 in electronics class, 10 in phone repairing class, 22 in machinery class, 24 in sewing class, and 7 in make-up class. Also, 5 more students came to the special education class and started to study with 8 second-year students. Let us warmly encourage the 123 new students for their new beginning!
Mr. Sopheap, our special education teacher went to Korea for about 2 weeks. This schedule was set up for him in order to visit and see the organizations for people with intellectual disability in Korea. We hope he sees and feels many things through this visit and shares good things with his students when he comes back. More stories of Mr. Sophiep’s visit to Korea will be uploaded in the next volume!
Special Thanks to...
Katholischekirche Lonsee
Kongju University Industry-University Cooperation Foundation Santa Maria Highschool, Austrailia
Mercedes College, Adelaid, Austrailia
St. Ignatius College, Adelaid, Austrailia Korean Jesuit Scholastics Ewoo School
England laid people
Chinese Jesuit Province
Cambo Handsome, Ltd.
Philippine Community
Xavier Volunteer Group 12(Sogang University, Korea)
Br. Hakjoon’s parents
ACTS Singapore
Fr. Ohchang’s friends
Kelly Ting
Jeon Subin John Mace, S.J.
Banteay Prieb, founded by the Jesuit Refugee Service(JRS) and currently
run by Jesuit Service Cambodia(JSC), aims to help those victimized by war, land mines, polio and accidents achieve independence and find dignity in themselves through vocational training and psychological support.
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