As a member of the International Projects Committee, I have been liaising with Rotary Passport Melbourne and other Melbourne-based Rotary Clubs to support students from the Cambodian Rural Student Trust (CRST). Over the past three years, RCM has made a real difference in the lives of young people who are doing the hard work to lift themselves, their families, and their community out of the cycle of poverty left by the Khmer Rouge.
CRST has been empowering young Cambodians to help themselves and one another through commitment to education and service projects designed to keep younger students in school. CRST has a rigorous process to identify high performing, deeply motivated young people.
CRST sponsors bright students from poor rural families, to study at the best high-school and university in Siem Reap, and empowers them to become Cambodia’s future leaders. Collectively the students volunteer for hours each day in addition to their studies. Many volunteer in the NGO’s unique social enterprise Projects.
I was in Cambodia, in January 26, to see the students in action through their various humanitarian activities - Period packs for girls, Tree planting, Bicycle donation, WASH sanitation projects, Study body solar lights program, School books distribution, and delivering care packages of essential food to Cambodia’s poorest elderly women.
This trip was deeply meaningful, but also had some spots of fun such as running the Angkor War half marathon, visiting Angkor Wat, and feeding elephants at a sanctuary.
You are more than welcome to visit CRST yourself, if you ever find travels taking you to Siem Reap. The campus is located in the CBD, although all the humanitarian projects are completed in rural villages. Please reach out to Carol Bond (VP Humanitarian Projects) or Aviv Palti (PP Passport Club of Melbourne, and CRST Founder) for more information on how you can become involved.
By Carol Bond
VP Humanitarian Projects
Rotary Melbourne
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