Follow-up visits, Rotary from Canada, Read Louder

How is TukTuk's resources being used? 😊

Following up on our first workshop held in February, we visited 15 target schools to continue our evaluation and improvement efforts. In previous follow-up visits, Tukstaff would oversee the children while conducting teacher interviews. However, we opted for a different approach this time.

We began by having teachers answer questions online ahead of our visit, and during our visit, our primary focus shifted to observing their classes. This shift allowed us to witness firsthand how teachers integrate TukTuk's educational materials into their lessons and collect their lesson plans. Given the rarity of such class observations, this experience was incredibly valuable and provided substantial insights for future educational material development.

Moreover, we conducted assessments of the teachers' computer skills to prepare for upcoming basic computer lessons in future workshops. This assessment aimed to tailor support based on each teacher's proficiency level, ensuring a smooth transition into computer-assisted teaching. In the second year, our focus will be on creating resources on computers, so we are emphasizing typing and basic use of computer skills in the first year. 💻

Long-time donor, Rotary Club from Canada... 🫶

The CLIP project, which has been ongoing since 2021, recently welcomed Manon from the Rotary Club of Calgary Downtown, a long-time supporter of TukTuk, for the first time in about six years!

Manon's first activity with TukTuk involved conducting a workshop for the staff, focusing on the theme "Effective Communication with Others." Despite using the same language, communicating effectively with others can surprisingly be challenging. Through several activities proposed by Manon, we learned through practical experience that "everyone has different thoughts" and, furthermore, "how to ensure our opinions are heard." While we may grasp these concepts intellectually, putting them into action can be quite challenging. Given that TukTuk now emphasizes teamwork, this workshop provided an excellent opportunity for everyone to reassess our communication methods.

Additionally, Manon visited the CLIP2 and CLIP3 preschools. Previously, we could only convey to Manon through online meetings or reports how the teachers were faring and how effectively TukTuk's resources were being utilized. However, this time, she was able to witness the situation firsthand, allowing her to grasp the project's effectiveness. Despite changes in the children at the CLIP2 school due to a new term starting, it was heartening to see that they still remembered and sang TukTuk's original songs, indicating continued use of our materials by the teachers.

Moreover, we had the opportunity to engage directly with the staff of POE and exchange opinions about the project. They acknowledged the widespread adoption of TukTuk's educational materials by teachers nationwide through the 'Rermork Digital Library,' our free educational website. They particularly appreciated how the project supports teachers in enhancing their computer skills and how we distribute educational materials effectively.

During Manon's visit, we also gathered with fellow members of the Rotary Club of Pursat for a celebratory party, strengthening the unity of all CLIP project team members. This month's Voluntuker Spotlight shines on Manon! For more details, please check out the link below 😊.

Khmer of the month

Khmer Word: Sievphow Rueng

"International Children's Book Day" falls on April 2nd, aligning with the birthday of fairy tale writer Hans Christian Andersen. This day is dedicated to spreading the joy of books to both adults and children. This month's Khmer word is "Sievphow Rueng," which translates to "storybook." TukTuk is committed to showcasing the diverse possibilities of enjoying and utilizing storybooks in Cambodian classrooms through Tukbooks, aiming to inspire Cambodian teachers and children alike 📚.

Khmer Food: Nom Katam (Palm leaf-wrapped sweet sticky rice) 👇

Visiting preschools in other provinces 👀

In February, Adrian, Mayu and Milly had the privilege of visiting preschools in the capital city, Phnom Penh, and in March, Mayu extended her outreach to Battambang Province, the third-largest city in Cambodia.

Our visit to JISPP (Japanese International School Phnom Penh) in Phnom Penh was quite enlightening. The school, which had recently opened in March, embraces a play-based learning approach now recommended by the Cambodian government. It features a spacious and inviting playground adorned with handmade play equipment and well-stocked classrooms filled with engaging toys. Milly thoroughly enjoyed her time there, and we anticipate that in the future, educators from the Ministry of Education's Early Childhood Education Department and preschool teacher training institutions in Phnom Penh may also benefit from visiting such innovative settings for Cambodia. Experiencing learning through play firsthand will undoubtedly broaden their perspectives.

Furthermore, Mayu had a chance to go along with monitoring a preschool supported by the Shanti Volunteer Association (SVA) in Battambang. SVA has long been committed to promoting early childhood education in collaboration with the government, emphasizing play-based learning. They recently finalized a comprehensive guidebook for teachers, which they generously shared with us. We plan to incorporate this valuable resource into our upcoming workshops.

This visit aligns with Mayu's initiative to explore preschools in various provinces autonomously, and we aspire to provide similar opportunities for our staff and partner teachers in the future. If you have any insights or information regarding grants to support these endeavors, we would greatly appreciate your input!

Thank you to the Rotary Club of Omiya 🙏

The day following Manon's visit from the Rotary Club of Canada, we received an unexpected contact from the Rotary Club of Omiya in Japan. They expressed interest in learning about our activities and graciously visited us during their journey from Phnom Penh to Battambang.

The Rotary Club of Omiya has been a longstanding supporter of the 'Hope Of Children (Orphanage)' in Battambang, an organization deeply intertwined with our own history (we used to travel all the way there by tuk-tuk to perform tuk-tuk theater!). During their visit, they generously purchased and donated numerous Tukbooks and Kamishibai as gifts for the children in Cambodia and also their grandkids.

Operating primarily in Pursat, a region that may not be widely recognized, we often face challenges in expanding our network. Therefore, we are incredibly grateful for such meaningful connections. Our heartfelt thanks go out to all the members of the Rotary Club of Omiya for their support and generosity!

Participated in the event 'Read Louder' ✍

TukTuk recently took part in the 'Read Louder' event organized by World Vision, alongside our newly introduced partner organization, REAN ANN. The event aimed to distribute 10,000 storybooks to children. While our initial plan was for visitors to purchase Tukbooks for donation to World Vision, circumstances didn't unfold as expected. Nevertheless, this experience allowed us to strengthen our bond with the REAN ANN team, and we decided to contribute our books as a goodwill gesture.

It's often a challenge to capture the attention of large organizations like World Vision, so the fact that their staff expressed interest in Tukbooks could be seen as an initial step akin to planting a seed. The question now is whether we can nurture this seed and witness its growth. Only time will reveal the outcome! 🌱🤔

Results from the project kicking off (Dec. 2023 - Mar. 2024) 🎊

During the initial four months of launching the CLIP3 project, we found ourselves swiftly immersed in activity, and time seemed to fly by. Despite the busyness, we managed to accomplish the following results:

• December 2023
  • Baseline survey & 1st classroom assessment
  • Project kick-off meeting & the 0th workshop
  • Participate in a book fair
• February 2024
  • Delivery of project tools
  • The 1st workshop
• March 2024
  • The 1st follow-up visits
• TukTuk's Social Media Status (continues to grow steadily! 🎉):
  • (Facebook) Total followers: 5,678
  • (Teacher's Facebook Group) Total followers: 3,899
  • (Telegram Channel) Total followers: 2,808
  • (YouTube) Total channel subscribers: 6,751
• Number of users on the free educational website 'Rermork Digital Library': 23,801

For those who want to know more about our activities, please check out this report. After the Khmer New Year this month, preparations for the May workshops will begin in earnest! Let's do our best! 💪

Huh... What's this?!?!?! 😲

This is the story of Adrian, Mayu, and Milly on a certain day.

On that day, Milly was in search of a desk for her home, so the three of them strolled through the Pursat market in quest of one. While casually browsing children's desks, they suddenly stumbled upon a familiar image...

"Huh...?" "Hmm...?!" "Wait a minute—!!!! 😲😲😲"

Indeed! Among the designs on the desk they were examining, they discovered illustrations from TukTuk's educational materials!! Even though our materials are accessible online for free as open source, we never anticipated them being used this way! The illustrations adorning the desk were Khmer alphabet cards (both consonants and vowels!). Perhaps the manufacturer of the desk believed that these illustrations would captivate children's interest...? It appears that our materials are spreading in unexpected ways, not just within Cambodia but also beyond its borders.

If you happen to spot TukTuk materials in your surroundings, please do inform us! 👀

Voluntuker spotlight | Manon

We are pleased to introduce our guest from Canada, Manon of Rotary Club of Calgary downtown, who visited TukTuk for the second time since 2018. 😊 It's been a long time since she visited Pursat, so we interviewed her about the city, the project, TukTuk, and more!

What were your impressions of Pursat?: This was my seventh trip to Pursat, and with each passing visit, I have witnessed how much the city has grown. There are so many more businesses, and it seems like there is an evolving middle class. But what I witnessed outside of Pursat City is still the same. People still have difficult lives working hard in the fields to make enough money to feed their families. Kids still attend schools that have no water; we have certainly helped some schools, but there is still more to help. I enjoyed going to the countryside as it is quieter, and parts of it remind me of rural Alberta, where there are many large fields and grazing cattle; of course, our cattle look very different than Cambodian cattle!

How did your visits to the CLIP schools go?: It was great to see the first school where the teachers were really engaged with the kids. For the most part, the kids seemed quite interested in what the teacher was showing them as she demonstrated the different parts of “morning glory”; the kids really enjoyed having each of their own, and they were quite happy to manipulate the green vegetable in many ways. The teacher was keen to chat with the TukTuk staff about what she was doing and what a joy it was to see kids rush to the reading station and pick up books to look at! At the second school, we saw a very young teacher in charge of a class of about 35 five-year-olds. With little to no formal training, this teacher looked through her book of lesson plans to figure out what she was going to teach next. The kids were so well-behaved! They were very patient with her.

What did you think about TukTuk?: I just love what TukTuk does for the community. All the resources are so creative and it’s great to see how they all connect together. The staff is very imaginative and dedicated to making the resources perfect for this age group. It is very exciting to see the number of teachers joining the groups on Social Media, and it speaks to the broader impact Tuk Tuk has beyond the geographic region of Pursat. Congratulations to the entire team for working together to make education exciting for the teachers as well as the kids.

Were there any memorable moments from your trip to Cambodia?: I think in this trip the most memorable moment happened at the first kindergarten. A little girl came up to us and offered each one of us a chair. Then she went to the library of books and picked up three books. She placed them on a chair and then moved the chair up to us. She proceeded to give each one of us a book to read. Oh my gosh, how sweet was that! But most importantly it spoke volumes to what she thought of reading. Here she is at five years old sharing the love of reading with us! To witness the kids who were huddled around the library shelves, grabbing books and flipping through the pages gave me hope that they would be avid readers and learners. Those were memorable moments.

What do you hope for the CLIP3?: I have two hopes for CLIP 3. The first is that the teachers who have formal training feel even more confident and start creating their own resources and adapting them to suit their needs. The second hope is that the teacher training offered by CLIP3 continues to provide the desperate training needs of the community school teachers who have very little if any, formal training. My hope is that these teachers become more confident and competent and use the resources offered.

In fact, Manon has been supporting us since before the CLIP project began in 2021. The CLIP project, which has continued to this point, has been able to collect more donations not only from the Rotary Club of Downtown Calgary, to which Manon belongs but also from other Rotary Clubs, thanks to her enthusiasm in spreading the word about the project's effectiveness and TukTuk's activities! This has allowed us to expand the number of schools targeted by the project. We are truly grateful for the support we have received from Manon and everyone in the Rotary Club. It was great to meet her again and see the project in person. Thank you so much, Manon!

We are currently looking for volunteers with the following skill sets to help TukTuk bring educational resources to Cambodia;

• Google Ads
• Fundraising

If you want to get involved or know someone with skills that could help us spread positive education in Cambodia, hit that link below and say hi (we're friendly, we promise). 😉

Get Involved ⇢

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