April 3rd, 2007 - Day Two

We went over the Riverkids figures this afternoon and we’re under budget! under budget! and we have a two-year budget that rocks. Rocks! Rocks with stuff in them!

Woke up bright and early again - as I just explained to someone I just woke up typing this, I don’t sleep well in hotel rooms. We went down and grabbed a quick breakfast by the pool, then Sophon came to meet us. We went first to meet a family friend across the bridge near Psaaar Ampeau, a working-class neighbourhood. At one point we thought we might have to get off the tuk-tuk and walk - or possibly push. The bridge across is very narrow and completely crowded. There was a moment on the way back when we were completely stuck, and I could see to one side the curve of river where I had spent an afternoon watching some of my kids splashing around, the sun glittering on the waves.


While the others went to the Russian market, Sophon and I went to Hagar’s COmmunity Learning Center. It’s been open fifteen months now and is just a beautiful place. There’s a courtyard with a yellow four-story building, all clean and airy but what I mean is the 150-odd children playing in the courtyard, talking quietly over desks and just full of bright smiles and beautiful shining faces. They use the Emergancy Program, a sped-up curriculum that squashes 6 years of primary school into 3, to help older kids get to their age-level and reintegrate into the state schools. They have intensive training for their staff and it was really great to get advice and ideas from people doing great stuff already.


Then we nipped round to the Children’s House again to show some visitors the place. Met one parent - really a sort of aunt twice removed to two orphaned kids - about taking them for a medical check-up, When the kindergarten starts this month, we hope to get her and other parents involved. The little girl was terribly thin and wheezy looking, so I was worried that her aunt was neglecting her - but the room they stayed in was spic and span, their clothes folded up neatly and her little brother ran in for a cuddle. He was chubbier and she said the little girl eats a lot but doesn’t gain weight. Things are always more complicated than first glance, and it’s neat to see layers of trust and ties building up already.

At the slum, one of the little boys in class spotted us and pealed with laughter. Tiny chubby brown bubba with all his clothes off for a quick splash and swim, in a gaggle of other kids, and scars all over him - but oh, the huge smile!

We were going to have lunch with a friend of my mum’s, but that got changed and I caught up with Diana over lunch.



Then there was no other way to delay it further. I had to go tackle the books.

That took about an hour back at the Family House, and came to the rather stunning conclusion that we came in under budget. Sophon stepped me through the local NGO registration process and then we had the real fun - planning!

We took what we’ve learnt so far and came up with a four-stage Children’s House and a three-stage Family House, prioritized and time-tabled and basically made long, long lists and figured out staff to student ratios and all that, and went over what had worked best, what we didn’t need and came up with a two year budget.

That, I think, will be written up when I’m not quite so liquored up!


I picked up my mum, quickly snapped up some shopping, and then dropped by an American friend and her kids, escaped with my spectacles and a promise to return tomorrow with ice-cream, and then back to the hotel for a bit and off to Tamarind, a restaurant on St 240 round the corner from the hotel. We had to climb three flights of stairs, one the khmer-style with tiny deep and very steep steps - how drunk people are meant to go up and down, I don’t know. Dinner was noisy and fun, and the full moon rose up in the sky, that creamy yellow colour it gets and so quietly beautiful.

Also, two-for-one drinks!