Volunteer Development Poverty Children Association

VDPCS School was first established in early 2005 by two Buddhist monks, Rathana Nn and Togh Main, who wanted to give some of Siem Reap’s poorest children a positive future by offering free education, and thus the opportunity to break the cycle of poverty in which many find themselves. With occasional donations and the help of local and foreign volunteers, they struggled but managed to teach over a hundred children and teenagers in 2 simple, thatch classrooms for about a year. In spring 2006, enough funds were raised to rebuild a very basic new school at a more suitable location with 3 classrooms. Subsequently student numbers jumped, reflecting the urgent desire for education in Cambodia

Construction at this new and hopefully final location was completed at the end of February and cost $20,000USD. The school is now much bigger and better and thankfully no longer made of straw!! This was made possible with the generous support of local and foreign donors, as well as with a lot of hard work from the staff and students.

Most of the children that attend VDPCS are there because they cannot afford the 20cents a day fee of going to the public school; some are orphans and some with HIV. All funds raised give hope to these children of having a future and guarantees the school gates can remain open to make what’s possible for us possible for a small community in a third world country.