Helping Students Develop Confidence in Cambodia

This past May, WFWP volunteers visited some of the students in Kratie Province, Cambodia supported by the Cambodia Foster Care Project and shared a wonderful time together. Each year generous donors in the US give annual support to help the students defer the costs of their education. Students coming from low-income families are able to attend school and can use the money toward books, school supplies, uniforms, and more. WFWP New Jersey partners with WFWP Cambodia to provide this essential aid, and this year we are proud to have sent $8,460 which will support 54 students.

In Cambodia, the hottest months of the year are from April to May. During last year’s spring, Cambodia enjoyed cool temperatures but this spring has been extremely hot; the temperatures consistently reach up to and over 100°F in the daytime.

During the visit to the students, the WFWP volunteers created an activity to help the students develop their public speaking skills. This included a presentation by the students to their peers. The students, following a theme or topic, used this activity as an opportunity to practice conveying their thoughts in a concise manner to their fellow classmates. Because many students had no experience with in-class presentations, many of them were unfamiliar with how to proceed with the activity. Students were divided into smaller groups—where the students could present to their friends— so they could express their ideas without feeling nervous. The students were encouraged to share their thoughts, even for a minute, so everyone could have a chance to participate.

Themes of discussion included recent news, the beauty of the island and the Kratie province, Angkor Wat, why people litter, what happens when trash is thrown into rivers, why canned juice is harmful to the body, etc.

To start, a theme was assigned to each person in the group. After the first student finished speaking, their classmates were encouraged to ask questions one by one. Then, each group created a presentation to discuss with the entire class by incorporating their collective ideas and answers to these questions. Many students were challenged to think about and develop their ideas; however, each group ultimately presented their fantastic presentations in front of the whole class. The high school students gave excellent, well-structured presentations; they set an amazing example and are great role models for the younger students. 

WFWP will continue to provide and improve upon these programs that enable children to grow and become the best they can be!

If you’d like to become a foster parent to a deserving student, please learn more here: Cambodia Foster Care Project