Riverkids Weekly Meeting Report: 16 August 2008

On 16 August, Riverkids staff gathered for our usual weekly meeting. Py Sophon, Khin Pheakdey, Yim Sophal, Som Ritthy and Un Sopheak met to talk about the Get Ready Girls, Raffles Junior College’s offer to organize two events for Riverkids, the Chap Dai family forum, our football programme and a few other issues.

Concerning the Get Ready Girls, Sophon enquired about how many girls from the programme would get further training at PSE, how many girls would find employment and how many would be reintegrated into the state school system. According to Ritthy, PSE has interviewed 11 girls from Get Ready, of which 5 will be enrolled for training, 3 will be given jobs as housekeepers and 1 reintegrated into state school. The other two girls are waiting to hear back from PSE. New girls also want to join Get Ready, and Sophon asked the social workers to complete the registration forms of these candidates so the Riverkids committee can decide who qualifies for the programme.

Raffles Junior College has offered to organize a fun fair and family day for Riverkids on 3 December, which Riverkids is able to accommodate but would like to have earlier, if possible. Mr Sophon is coordinating with RJC.

Sophon and Som Ann attended a family forum in Chap Dai on 12 August. Sophon presented a paper game that had been created by Riverkids staff, much to the forum’s participants’ interest. The game was so successful that Helen suggested that it be used with parents during their meetings with Riverkids. Som Ann was assigned the responsibility of implementing the use of this game at Riverkids, starting by introducing it to the staff who will then take it to the parents. We are looking at getting this off the ground in September 2008. Riverkids will attend the next Chap Dai forum, on 8 October.

Sewing training has outgrown its premises at Family House, and so will be moved to Blum where there is more room. Pheakdey and Sinoy are responsible for the move and setting up the new sewing training centre on 18 August.

A football “World Cup” for street children is being held in Australia, and two boys and a girl from Riverkids have so far been selected to go. Their passports are being applied for. Pheakdey, who is in charge of this, has been asked by Sophon to check that the children who have signed up for this project are showing up for its Saturday sessions by making a list and taking attendance.

—Yim Sophal, Administrative Officer