Weaving Centre and Toilet will be built in December!

The Leaders in Training group (from RSIS) will be building a Weaving Centre and toilet.

In 2011, their first Leader Training Project, which was designed to offer team members a 2-day workshop on Project Planning, Leadership and Safety; combined with a 10-day Project during which team members could put all their newly learned skills into practice, and get more experience of developing world service work. All the candidates were put into leadership teams, having to lead a day each of the trip. They had to brief the team, prepare risk assessments, run the whole day and run the de-brief session each evening.

On this project... The Banyan Learning Tree Weaving Centre will be built at the old "Big Love School" site not far from Banyan Learning Tree School, consisting of a 6m x 8m brick and cement one-room building with metal roof, having one door and 8 windows. It will also include a one-stall toilet building with a metal roof.


The present bamboo, wood and metal roof construction will be taken down and these materials will be used to provide housing for a local poor family.

Landfill is needed to level the land before construction and cannot be done during the rainy season. It will be done in October/early November 2013, when the worst of the rainy season is over. The site already has a well.

Thank You...

To Mary Martin Woodall (of Muskoka's newstuff.biz).

Mary donated many Canadian souvenir gifts to our Rotary and A Mine Free World Cambodian volunteers this past winter in Cambodia.

Six families in Khan Dangkor which will receive village-based businesses which include 2 pig-rearing businesses including sties, 1 breeding calf and 1 tailor business and a mushroom growing business. To-date, four of the six families have been interviewed and assessed. UPDATE: 20130511 - All families have now been interviewed.

1. Chan Tha with wife and daughter. He has 3 other children. Left leg lost to landmine. Tha learned to sew in the Thai refugee camps after the war. He will be provided with a sewing machine, iron and supplies to conduct a village level sewing business. His house is located on a busy road near a junction. UPDATE: 20130419 - Chan Tha has received his new Sewing Machine, Table and Supplies

2. Ney Poeun with mother who lives with him. Right leg lost to landmine. Poeun will receive a breeding pig and all the materials to build himself a pig sty with cement floor.
   UPDATE: 20130419 - Ney Poeun is now building his Pig Sty

3. Nav No,wife and one of his 3 children at their house. Left leg lost to landmine. No will receive young breeding sows. UPDATE: 20130406 - Nav No picks out his two piglets

4. San Touch and wife. Left foot lost to landmine. They have 2 children. Their family will receive a breeding calf. UPDATE: 20130326 - New breeding calf received

5. NEW: 20130327 - Seang March - Received Mushroom (farming) growing business

6. NEW: 20130503 - Un Sarin - Now being interviewed.

Landmine-affected families in the rural areas live far below the poverty level and need self-sustainability to provide for their families.

Project is conducted by Om Chamnap, Director of Banyan Learning Tree and A Mine Free World Foundation board members Lisa McCoy and Pauline Johns. Special thanks to Sophea for his help.

While enjoying the sites of Phnom Penh, Sophea provides a guided tour speaking through a microphone around his neck which is amplified through a speaker located at the back of the tuk tuk.

Audio Driving Tours include:

• Phnom Penh City Tour
• Choeung Ek Killing Fields
• Tamao Zoo
• Chiso Mountain
• Tuol Sleng
• Genocide Museum

To reserve a tour, book a ride near or far, please contact Sophea

Phone: 015 262 261 Email: FACEBOOK: Visit sophea keo on Facebook

This family is very unique as it is the first landmine-affected family that we have ever come across where the husband AND wife have both lost a leg to a landmine.

They live in remote Tanout village in Battambang province - one of the most heavily-mined provinces in Cambodia. We could only access their village by motorcycle when we visited them last month with our Cambodian interpreters/project managers. They have seven children and live in a small hut.

A breeding calf is a prized possession for many families in developing countries. When this calf reaches maturity and has a calf - the calf can be sold locally for $400 - that is enough money to sustain a family for a year! The cow will continue to support this family for years to come.

Thank you again for your most-generous support!

A few days ago, when Lisa was in Koas Krala to see and photograph all the finished CLMF projects there, Nil Noy had MORE new landmine families he found that needed assistance and she had to tell him that we would be able to help them sometime this year, but was not sure when, because all of our landmine survivor project money had been used up.

BUT...with your blessing, they can now be helped by ERC with this new donation! Pauline and Lisa will be back in Koas Krala on the 23rd, 24th and now can visit their homes and tell them we can help them and get Nil Noy and Ra started on these right away.

These three families are located in remote villages in Koas Krala district, Battambang province, Cambodia. Battambang province is one of the most heavily-mined provinces in Cambodia, where demining teams still work daily to remove the thousands of mines that plague the countryside and cause many casualties yearly.

• Pan Sambat (whom Nil Noy was 'scolding' for not going to Battambang HI to go get her free leg - the medical facilities are quite a way from Battambang) will receive a new house and transportation costs to be fitted with a prosthetic leg

• Kleang Rotha (21 years old, lost an arm due to landmines, has a 3 year-old daughter and is expecting another child and they live on her brother's land, which her husband farms) will receive a breeding calf and cow shed

• Noun Vat (47 years old with 5 children) will receive a breeding calf and cow shed

Earlier this season, A Mine Free World Foundation, visited a very poor widow with 3 children in remote Battambang province. Chen Borei's husband was a landmine survivor who died a year ago and now Borei takes care of her mother and the children. They were given a small shop business through AMFWF.

The son and daughter (Lyda and Setad) now have new bicycles, school uniforms and school supplies - something that the widow would have never been able to afford. The third child is an infant, so too young to go to school yet.

· Lisa McCoy (in Canada)
  705-687- 8538
  email:

· Pauline Johns (in Australia)
  email:

Barbara Seagram is back in Cambodia!

What a fun-packed day we had at Banyan Learning Tree School!

She arrived at the school in grand style on the school tuk tuk with a bag-full of English lessons and boxes of school supplies including:

• notebooks,
• pens,
• rulers,
• pencil sharpeners,
• paper,
• toothpaste and toothbrushes.

After preparing for the english lesson, Barbara began to teach a vocabulary lesson, which the student really enjoyed.

After, during Story Time, Lisa 'jumps' over Barbara, illustrating a point in the story to the children.

SAVE THE DATES and PLAN TO ATTEND THESE CAMBODIAN FUNDRAISERS
Seminar and Bridge Game Fundraiser Thursday, September 26, 2013 Gravenhurst, ON Barbara Seagram and Patti Lee will be back in Gravenhurst, Muskoka on September 26th, 2013 to hold another spectacular Bridge Event for Banyan Learning Tree Schools in Cambodia. In 2012, $4,369 was raised at the event! More about the 2012 Bridge Fundraising Event Photos from 2012 Bridge Fundraising Event Registration form coming soon!	Seminar and Bridge Game Fundraiser Friday, June 14, 2013 5 Glen Park Ave. Habonim Synagogue, Toronto ON 9.30 am-11.30 am: BRIDGE SEMINAR by BARBARA SEAGRAM & ALEX KORNEL 11.30 am-12.30 pm: Light luncheon & presentation 12.30pm-3.30 pm: Duplicate Bridge game TAX DEDUCTIBLE RECEIPTS WILL BE ISSUED Minimum donation: $35.00 per person for the day (+ $10.00 at the door to cover expenses). Larger donations also gratefully received!

13 Landmine-affected Families Receive Self-sustainable Village-level Businesses

Phase One of the project has been completed with the provision of four breeding calves and cow sheds, one barber shop, one small roadside shop and three chicken-rearing businesses, including chicken houses.

Phase Two of the project was completed in April 2013 (see below), with the provision of 2 breeding calves and cow sheds, 1 bicycle repair business and 1 chicken-rearing business.

Local Project Managers:
Sara Ra, landmine survivor Nil Noy, and Om Chamnap from Banyan Learning Tree.

Thanks to Rotary Club of Battambang members for their assistance.

UPDATES ON PAST PROJECTS

A year ago, Landmine Survivor Heang Sareoun received a basket of live chickens with which to start a village-level chicken-rearing business (Original story here...). Since then, his business has been supplying his family with much-needed income that has vastly improved the quality of life for his family.

In October, he sold 40 of his full-grown chickens! He still has over 40 full-grown chickens and countless chicks. To meet the demands of his increasing chicken population, this year the Rotary Club of Etobicoke Canada, has supplied him with a third chicken house with a metal roof to ensure his chickens stay healthy during the rainy season. Extra chicken netting will also be supplied. Many Thanks to Banyan Learning Tree, the Cambodian Red Cross and the Battambang Rotary Club for their assistance in this project.


January 4, 2013 - Battambang's Womens Centre in Cambodia Tuk Tuk

Lisa is back in Battambang and had an opportunity today to take a ride in the Battambang Rotary Women's Centre Tuk Tuk, now with sponsorship sign!
(Original story here...)

Many THANKS to the Cobourg and Whity-Sunrise Club's for supporting this much-needed vehicle for the Women's Centre.

The Women's Centre has plenty of room... and there are plenty of single, under-privileged and landmine-affected women who would sure love the opportunity to learn a vocational course at the Centre - they just need a sponsor! Details to contact us if you'd like to sponsor a landmine-affected women in a vocational course, can be found below.


January 4, 2013 - Nil Noy - Bike Repair Program

Three years ago, landmine survivor Nil Noy received the tools required to run a village-level bicycle repair business. Not long after, he started building bikes from scratch, giving some of these bikes to children from landmine-affected families.

His business has turned into a HUGE SUCCESS... but Nil Noy keeps giving back! He has volunteered for numerous Rotary Wheels for Learning bicycle distributions by fine-tuning all the bikes and pumping up tires. (Original story here...)

UPDATE: February 24, 2013
Nil Noy has now taken on the task to help 5 other landmine survivors start their own village businesses sponsored by the CLMF.

In this video, he has gathered the 5 families at his home for their initial interview with Lisa McCoy, Om Chamnap from Banyan Learning Tree and Sara Ra, local project manager. With thanks for the assistance from the Rotary Club of Battambang.

Our amazing landmine survivor, Nil Noy is invaluable to helping so many other landmine survivors like himself here in Battambang. He is now working with Sarouen's brother Ra in trying to find 5 cows, build 4 cowsheds and build one house for five other landmine survivors in Koas Krahlor. It's great to see Nil Noy taking on the role of a project manager for other landmine-affected families. This project was conducted by A Mine Free World Foundation and Banyan Learning Tree.

RSIS CAMBODIA PROJECT - Round Square 2012 Student Team
Phnom Penh Highlights

The morning ceremony included the distribution of 80 bicycles to area children, 10 village-level chicken businesses and Women's Hygiene course books to the first 10 women who will receive instruction at the first program undertaken at the centre.

The ceremony also included the distribution of over 100 tubes of Toothpaste and toothbrushes after a dental hygiene education session provided by Dr. Chho Sontary of Arunreah Dental Clinic in Phnom Penh.

Cambodian children also had the opportunity to play at their new 'Dan's Playground' onsite which was also constructed with help from the Round Square students.

Day 6 of their international service project here in rural Takeo province.

They are erecting the walls of their two-room Family Care Centre building and have started construction of their secondary project - a playground for area children built in memory of Dan Blix.

The team completes construction of both projects in an amazing 8 days!

UPDATE: December 21, 2012
It's the last day on our project site here in Prokeab village, Takeo District as the team of 21 international students put on the final coat of paint on their Family Care Centre project.

In the past 2 weeks, the students have put extraordinary efforts into the construction of this 2-room brick and cement building that will provide valuable programs for the rural people in this community.

They also completed the Playground Project (Dan's Playground), which was built with funds donated in memory of our very dear friend, Dan Blix.

The students have also had the opportunity to visit Siem Reap and it's famed temples of Angkor Wat and the Cambodian Landmine Museum. A morning boat journey there took them to visit the Kampong Phluk stilt village. In Takeo, they took another boat journey to the hilltop temple of Phnom Da. The students have also prepared 80 bicycles that will be distributed at a special ceremony tomorrow (December 22).

December 14th - Beginning Construction
The team's first few days in Cambodia were spent visiting many of Phnom Penh's cultural highlights including Choeung Ek Killing Fields, the Genocide Museum, People Improvement Centre's school and orphanage near the garbage dump, Banyan Learning Tree School, Wat Phnom and a special lunch enjoyed at Friends Restaurant which trains Phnom Penh Street youth in the service industry.

Now the students are off to Takeo to start building a Family Care Centre in rural Takeo province. The student team is achieving amazing progress with all columns up by the end of day two of the construction project.

Many Thanks to Free the Bears (www.freethebears.org) for our fantastic VIP tour of their Asian Bear Rescue Centre located at Tamao Wildlife Sanctuary and Rescue Centre. This "A Mine Free World Foundation (www.aminefreeworld.org) project" is funded and built by Round Square www.roundsquare.org.

At the end of week one - Construction of the Banyan Learning Tree Family Care Centre is way ahead of schedule, with walls up and rendering in progress!

21 international students from Round Square begin building a Family Care/Women's Centre in rural Takeo province, Cambodia. They will build a brick.and cement two-room building with metal roof that will provide educational and vocational programs to rural people in Trapeang Thom district.



Our team of 21 international students on a Round Square International Service Trip to Cambodia visit the People Improvement Organization School and Orphanage on the outskirts of Phnom Penh's main garbage dump. They enjoy a morning of dance presented by the PIO students and then join in the dance craze. PIO was founded by CNN top-ten hero Phymean Noun.




Grade 12 student Rebecca Gross talks about the Round Square International Service Project she participated in December 2012, in Cambodia.

About Glenlyon Norfolk School
At Glenlyon Norfolk School, our mission is to challenge and support our students to do their best through truth and courage in learning and in life. Glenlyon Norfolk School is at the forefront of international education. It is one of three schools in BC and one of seven in Canada that is an International Baccalaureate school from junior kindergarten to Grade 12.

Thanks to Duncan O'Brien (Pier 10 Media) for not only creating this video, but ALSO granting Banyan Learning Tree permission to post it!.

3 Month Training Course Update: December 2012

These five landmine survivors lived at the training farm and learned all aspects of chicken-rearing including inoculations, vaccinations, natural feed production,construction of a sanitary chicken house and incubation. They also were taught pesticide-free vegetable farming. They now have taken this knowledge back to their homes where they are operating successful chicken rearing businesses. They have had resounding success in their Chicken-Raising and Vegetable Farming productivity.

This project was sponsored by the Canadian Landmine Foundation and conducted by AMFWF and Banyan Learning Tree.

3-Month CLMF Agriculture Course for Landmine Survivors to Begin January 2013

UPDATE: Course Completed - March, 2013

A Mine Free World Foundation and Banyan Learning Tree Members visited the homes of five landmine survivors that have been chosen to begin a 3-month Chicken-Rearing and Agriculture Training Course starting January, 2013. Participant Ron Phea was taught at his home location, instead of at the model farm, due to his blindness. This was the second course held for landmine survivors!

This course is again sponsored by the Canadian Landmine Foundation and will be held at the Agriculture Training Farm of Ban Ven in rural Takeo province, Cambodia. Ban, the instructor, has received 9 months of rural empowerment training in Japan and now passes along his knowledge to his native rural people.

If you would like to sponsor a landmine survivor in this valuable training course,
please contact AMFWF,