About CCH
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The Organization
CCH is a non governmental organization officially formed on April 22, 2002 and recognized by Cambodian Ministry of Interior. Ms. Osanai Mieko, President of Japan Team of Young Human Power (JHP) is its founder, Mr. Mech Sokha is also its co-founder and director. Mr. Oum Hoeung, Director of Phnom Penh Department of Education, Youth and Sport, sits on CCH’s Board of Directors together with Sokha. CCH is a member of the Cambodian NGO Committee on Rights of the Child and receives support from the Phnom Penh Department of Education, Youth and Sport. JHP provided initial construction and operating costs for CCH. The construction and expansion of a second facility, known as CCH/CDCC, was undertaken in May 2005, with financial support from the Cambodian Dump Children's Committee UK (CDCC), Bridges Across Borders (BAB), 100 Friends Project, and Claire V. company in the USA. Wild Geese Foundation in the Netherlands, and Rotary Clubs International have supplied recent financing to expand the CCH/CDCC facility, which houses about 90 children. In August, 2006, a third facility was constructed called "CCH 2" which houses 24 boys. the original CCH facility now houses about the same number of girls.
Since 2007, Friends of CCH in the USA has provided funding and consultation for establishment of innovative programs such as the CCH Road Show, in which children at the orphanage dramatize social problems such as trafficking and domestic violence. Friends of CCH, USA, also funds the new CCH Library. 100 Friends Project of the USA has inspired the CCH Youth Angels, where CCH youth provide support for elderly impoverished people near to CCH.
CCH I
CCH I is located in southern Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. CCH I consists of one large building with a courtyard and a dining area in the middle on the ground floor, flanked by dormitory rooms. On the second floor, there is one large room, which is both classroom and library. In front and along one side, there is a garden. In back, a new dining/cooking facility is under construction. At the front, a three story structure provides classroom space, Director's living quarters, and ground floor commecial spaces for job training.
CCH 2
CCH 2 is located 400 meters away from CCH 1. Children can come by foot from CCH 1. The construction of the 2 story CCH 2 building was wholly funded by The Japanese organization, JHP, which also helped CCH to get started in 2002. CCH 2 is used as the dormitory and skill training center for sewing and computers. As of August 19, 2006, CCH moved all boys over from CCH 1 to live at CCH 2, but these boys come to have meals and study at CCH 1 .
CCH/CDCC
CCH/CDCC is located in southern Phnom Penh as well, however more towards the center of the city. There is a traditional wooden house and a small yard in front. In the house there are classrooms, office space, and some rooms to play. There are tables outside and also in the classrooms that are used as desks during lessons, and during meal time as dining tables.
The Staff
CCH I has over 10 staff members, including live-in personnel, teachers, cooks, a driver, and a sewing teacher. But these staff members provide far more than these services, as they are also the children’s main source of adult attention.
CCH/CDCC has over 10 staff members as well, performing similar tasks to the staff at CCH I.
The Children's Education
The children attend the local public primary school, about five minutes away by foot for CCH 1 & 2 children and 2 minutes away by foot for CCH/CDCC children. They go to school in three shifts. One third of the children go in the morning from 6:30-10:00, another group goes from 10:30-2:00, and a third group attends school from 2:00-5:30. Public education in Cambodia is still quite poor. Only 45% of children attend primary school, 19% attend secondary school, and 60% cannot read and write. Class size is large, usually in the vicinity of 50 students. CCH students, due to their high motivation and extra tutoring, routinely score at the top of their classes.
When the children aren’t at public school, they get lessons at the centers in Khmer, English, Japanese, Mathematics, and sometimes the Arts and other subjects (depending on the current volunteers). In public school, English isn’t taught until grade 7, so CCH provides the children’s first exposure to English. Mathematics and English are taught daily, a Japanese volunteer comes to teach Japanese once a week, and volunteer university students tutor in Khmer.
Older children often get vocational training in cooking, hairdressing, car and motorbike repair, and computer repair. Sewing is taught at CCH 2, and a few of the older girls are sent to a local NGO to get additional lessons in tailoring. Computer skills and website development are also being taught to interested children. It is not realistic for all the children to complete a formal academic education. CCH believes they should get skills with which they can eventually earn a living. However, two funders, Japanese Team for Young Human Power and Bridges Across Borders, have set up endowment funds to help CCH students who aspire to higher education within Cambodia.
The Children's Ambitions
The children’s career ambitions run the gamut from tailors and farmers to engineers and doctors. Some want to be auto mechanics; others want to work with computers. Others want to be accountants, nurses, journalists, child caregivers, hairdressers, dancers, electricians, cooks and drivers.
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