Christmas came ten days earlier than expected to Taramana this year! The children enjoyed a full day of festivities on December 13th.
Giant games, films, snacks and gifts and a big show at the end… It was reminiscent of the good memories of the activities organized during the Khmer New Year or the Taramana’s Got Talent contest.

A colourful day

This year, the team of volunteers, with the complicity of the teachers, largely involved the children in the organization of the party. From the making of the decorations to the realization of the accessories for the games, we can say that the children spared no effort! The watchword: to develop their creativity by giving a second life to waste. Cardboard boxes, plastic cans, milk cartons, yoghurt pots, wire, wool… one coat of paint and voilà!

Oraganized into teams, young and old alike had the joy of experiencing the games they had made themselves: giant twister and memory, duck fishing, coconut shy, racing bags, beret game… so many activities like at a big fair!

After the effort the comfort… then to finish on a gentle note, each child received a small bag of gifts and sweets (without forgetting the tube of toothpaste and the toothbrush for each one 😉 .

A multi-talented show

For the past few weeks, rehearsals have been going well at the centre as each class prepared a surprise for the show. On stage with lots of spotlights and under the applause of the audience, the students put on a great show for us!

Alongside the performances of Christmas carols, playbacks, theatre scenes and choreography, a beautiful novelty: a fashion show made in Boeng Salang. Our budding artists performed professionally and proved to be real stars!

To finish on a high note, the children – still full of energy – went wild on the dance floor. At 8:30 pm, it was time for our little starlings to go home… Bring on next year!

All the pictures…

 ? have a look over here!!!

WANT TO GO FURTHER?

 Help support Taramana  Click here
 Sign up for the newsletter (in French) to receive regular news about the kids at Taramana  Click here

It is with pleasure that we have accepted once again the invitation of our partner for more than 5 years now, the NGO Kampuchea Balopp (KB)!

To mark the start of the school year, an inter-NGO rugby meeting was organized.

Like all the events proposed by KB, this day was an opportunity to use rugby as a vector for education and social integration. Indeed, children are encouraged through sport to be more open to others and to show team spirit with children from other organizations and backgrounds.

A “balls deep” day

On Sunday, September 15th, 29 athletes from Taramana ranging from 11 to 15 years old left early and in a good mood to join the Northbridge International School where the meeting was held.

About fifteen teams were formed for the occasion, mixing girls and boys from the different organizations present. We had the joy of sharing a moment with different NGOs, all of which are working to provide a better future for the children of Cambodia:

• Cambodian Children’s Fund
• Indochina Starfish Foundation (ISF)
• Pour une Sourire d’Enfant
• Sok sabay Association
• Action Cambodge Handicap

After a warm-up period, the children competed in friendly matches according to their age group and were able to play on 3 different fields.

This tournament was also an opportunity to meet “The Valkyries” from Singapore: a team from the first women’s rugby club on the peninsula. A delegation of 40 young girls had made the trip with their coaches and parents.

Kampuchea Balopp, an NGO that scores points

Established in 2013, Kampuchea Balopp (KB) is a Cambodian-based project which promotes the access of sport for disadvantaged and disabled children. Through rugby, children are able to develop essential human qualities like sharing, mutual respect, tolerance, resilience and team work.

This sport known to transmit social skills, both on and off the field, is a real philosophy of life as Jean-Baptiste Suberbie, founder of this NGO explains ▶ read more

Thanks to KB, Taramana students have the opportunity to train  playing rugby once a week with sports educators. In parallel, young people participate in sporting events organised by KB during the year.

We would like to warmly thank Kampuchea Balopp who, for this meeting on September 15th, generously provided us with a large bus. This allowed more of our young athletes to participate in the event.

WANT MORE INFO?

 I support Taramana’s action  Take action
 I subscribe to the newsletter (French) to receive news from the children of Taramana  Let’s go

Last month, we started the series “News from former students?” with Dara’s interview. 

Now it’s our budding doctor, Vuthny Din, turn to tell us his story with Taramana. With a smile on his face, the 24-year-old student looks back at his evolution since his beginnings at the centre and tells us about his aspirations.

A visit that changed his life…

It is the story of a teenager who sees a group of Cambodians arriving in his village accompanied by a white foreigner. He had heard that they were coming to carry out social surveys among the families in the neighbourhood, in order to welcome into their NGO the children who were most in need. The young boy then asked one of the Cambodians if he could join the association. The group of visitors went to his home to see his family’s situation, and that’s how Vuthny, 13 years old, started out at Taramana.

Now a 4th year medical student, which he has just validated hands down, he recalls his journey at the centre with an undisclosed emotion:

“I was very happy to be able to study languages and computer science, especially French because I had a good teacher thanks to whom I was able to progress very quickly. I also played soccer and rugby, which taught me the importance of teamwork and solidarity. At 15, I started theatre lessons with Jocelyn (editor’s note: Jocelyn Dordé, President of the association) and it completely transformed me. At the time, I was a child who didn’t talk much, who was afraid to stand out. So imagine a shy child who finds himself having to perform on stage in French in front of a French-speaking audience…” He smiles at the evocation of this memory, before continuing: “Theatre has really boosted my self-confidence and helped me to express myself freely. It is largely because of the theatre and the advice of Jocelyn that I have become who I am today. »

When we ask him to name his fondest memories with Taramana, he doesn’t know where to start. 

“I have participated in many shows in the centre and outside, I learned to juggle with bolas thanks to a former volunteer, I passed the DELF B1 level test (editor’s note: French Foreign Langage examination)… I have experienced many beautiful things thanks to Taramana, but my most beautiful memory remains the trip to France with the theatre company. I feel very lucky to have been able to discover this country. It was a childhood dream come true. »

… and pushes him to go even further in his projects

From the age of 7, Vuthny aspired to become a doctor. Driven by his desire to help others, he wanted to work in a field that would allow him to have a positive impact on people’s lives. He then explains that beyond his history with Taramana, his interest in France also comes from the fact that the French language is essential in medical training in Cambodia. “Having the opportunity to study and practice French, with the theatre company or with the volunteers, has brought me a little closer to my dream job.“ he adds.

Feeling extremely grateful to Taramana, Vuthny helps the association as often as he can, by giving classes in French, English or Khmer, by accompanying the children on outings, by hosting parties at the centre, etc. In the future, he would like to help sustain Taramana’s actions, in order to continue to see children grow, learn and flourish. One of his dreams is also to be able to open a second centre to support children living in the countryside.

“It was thanks to Taramana that I was able to succeed. When I look at the children, it reminds me of when I was a kid. It is a great opportunity to be able to study in this NGO. It is important that students keep it in mind and remain motivated to come to the centre regularly, study seriously and participate in all activities. I hope they will also have the luck that has brought me along the way.” A beautiful conclusion to this interview full of humility and generosity.

Many thanks to Vuthny for his time. We wish him true success in his studies and future projects!

WANT TO LEARN MORE ?

? I support Taramana’s action ▶️ Take action
? I subscribe to the newsletter (French) to receive news from the children of Taramana ▶️ Let’s go

Supporting children’s education also means improving their living conditions. Because children can’t study with an empty stomach, Taramana gives them an access to a balanced diet.

Raising children’s awareness of a better diet

At Taramana, we believe that it is essential to teach good eating habits to the children in order to protect their health. Our objective is to both raise awareness among children, but also to give them points of reference.

Visal, our nurse, discusses nutrition topics during his monthly health prevention sessions. For instance, he reminds the students of the importance of eating fruits and vegetables every day.

At our canteen, children benefit from a balanced meal every day. For three years now, we have been offering two vegetarian meals each week.

Supporting families

Every first Sunday of the month, Taramana distributes about a ton of rice to the families in Boeng Salang who need it the most. Our social investigation determine each family’s needs and situation.

More than providing a nutritional intake, giving rice to families reduces their expenses for the month, and reduces the risk that parents  decide to take their children out of school to make them work and bring an additional income.

A program supported by important partners

We would like to thank our partners Eric Kayser and the AEFC (Association d’Entraide des Français du Cambodge) thanks to whom we are able to provide two snacks a day to children and offer snacks and treats during events at the center.

Our students have plenty of energy to focus on their studies and thrive during fun activities!

You want to go further? 

?I wish to support Taramana’s action it’s over here
?I subscribe to Taramana’s newsletter it’s over there 

Some of our former students have come a long way and are now real role models for our current students.  We want to have a look back on their journeys. And we start with Dara!

Dara, 19, is an architecture student who is about to pursue his studies in Paris. He agreed to answer our questions.

Dara and Taramana, a story that has been going on for twelve years…

“I started attending the Taramana center when I was 7, so 12 years ago. There, I was able to learn English and French, practice Rugby and take part in different activities. When I started high school, I didn’t have much time to go to the center because I was very busy. I kept coming for the drama classes, events, but also to teach French. I love teaching and seeing students making progress. In fact, for the past few weeks, I have been teaching French at the center. It has been a pleasure for me to be back as a French teacher. If I could do that every day, I would be happy!”

Dara explains that his interest in the French language originates from the meetings he made, especially the meetings with the French volunteers at Taramana, but also from a dream that motivates him since he was a teenager: studying in France. “I discovered France for the first time in 2016, when we went on tour with the drama group “Les Petits Chenapans” (which is Taramana’s theater class), and I loved it… and I tanned a lot! Today my dream is coming true. I am going to pursue my architecture studies in Paris!”

“It was thanks to Taramana that I went on stage for the first time”

When we asked Dara to talk about his highlights at Taramana, he mentions all the time he has performed in front of an audience. “We have done a lot of shows. The TaramanAcademy contests and Taramana’s Got Talent, the tour for our theater play, charity concerts…. It is thanks to Taramana, that I went on stage for the first time. It helped me to overcome my shyness and develop my talents such as singing, beatboxing, music, acting, video production… I even participated in the show Cambodian’s Got Talent with a friend. At first, I only signed up to have fun and see how far I could go, and it turned out we made it to the final! The Taramana team and the children even came to support me!

Dara keeps in mind all the good memories, but also the bad ones… like the day he was vaccinated by Jocelyn, president of Taramana and doctor. “I was scared… They had to hold me still to give me the shot!”

To conclude this interview, Dara gives some advice for the youngest students at Taramana:

“Without Taramana, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to learn and develop my potential. If I had one advice to give, it would be to continue to come to the center. My second advice, which is probably the most important, would be to dare to talk with people, try new things and ask for help when you need it. Just dare. It is a hard thing to do for Cambodians, but when you get there, you will succeed in your career and in life in general!

We warmly thank Dara for everything he did for Taramana and we wish him a lot of happiness and success for this new chapter of his life!

On July 15th, the center’s playground was turned into a performance hall for the second edition of Taramana’s Got Talent. This event brought back wonderful memories for the students who took part in TaramanAcademy.

 The objective of “Taramana’s Got Talent”? Having fun together!

The other aim of the event was to give children the opportunity to gain self-confidence and develop their self-esteem. During the show, our students expressed themselves through dance, music, and the choice of their outfits. They showed to the public, but also to themselves, what they are capable of.

 Two months of preparation and collaboration

 Children, staff, former Taramana students, partners… Everyone got involved to make this event a success!

From the making of the decorations by the youngest children to the setting of the room by the team, everybody participated! Not to mention the daily dance rehearsals led by our librarian Visal and the volunteers, the teachers’ investment in the organization, the technical assistance of our partners and finally the participation of former students in the evening’s entertainment… A great team effort! 

 An emotional evening

 6p.m… The evening hosted by Meng and Vuthny started with 10 minutes of show by RG Band. Participants then went on stage alone or in groups to perform singing and dancing.

4 artists that we know well constituted the jury which chose the winner.

• Visal, our nurse, leader of the RG Band group
• Dara, former student at Taramana, musician with many talents
• Mo Lin, dance teacher, film producer and regular at Taramana events
• And last but not least, Visal, our librarian, dance lover

 40 participants, 15 performances, 1 trophy… but who won?

The dance group composed of Phanith, Thavry, Somnang and Sreynith won the contest by performing the choreography “Kob” by Ra Bee.

Two young singers also made it to the podium. Both accepted their price with emotion: Cheanh came second thanks to his cover of “Min Men Jai Don” et Sethiseul came third with her interpretation of “Ah Krobey”.

Thanks a million to our partners!

We would like to sincerely thank our partner Kilat Events, thanks to whom we benefited from professional equipment and support in order to make this evening even more special for the children!

A big thank you to the AEFC -Association d’Entraide des Français au Cambodge – for donating snacks and drinks for the children!

? You can find all the pictures here

The rainy season marks the return of mosquitoes and the diseases they transmit.
Dengue fever and malaria are the two most common in Cambodia.

The medical and social team work together to prevent the children from getting sick and to intervene if a child contracts a sickness

At Taramana, we have different approaches:

PREVENTION

At the beginning of the rainy season, our nurse Visal makes a presentation about this topic for the children. He teaches the kids to recognize the first symptoms (high fever and muscular pain) and explains possible treatments.
Visal also uses his presentation to remind the children of the right gestures and reflexes to avoid mosquitoes’ bites: using repellent, sleeping under a mosquito net or wearing long clothes.

SUPPORT TO THE FAMILIES

Our social worker, Dararith, organizes each year a distribution of mosquito nets to the most vulnerable families.

MEDICAL FOLLOW-UP

Under the supervision of the center’s doctor, visal regurlaly welcomes the children and their families at the nursery. That way, we can detect as early as possible the first signs of diseases and give adequate treatment.

In addition to that, in order to prevent intestinal parasites, children get a treatment three times a year. Giving anti-parastitic treatment prevents  intestinal parasitic diseases responsible for secondary anemia (lack of red blood cells) and chronic fatigue.

Some details about monsoon diseases:

• Monsoon fever: high fever that can last up to 10 days. This particularly weakens children or the elderly.
• Dengue fever: this disease is caused by a virus carried by tiger mosquitoes. Contrary to what is communly believed, it is in urban areas that the risk of contamination is higher. Dengue fever is, in most cases, not very serious and can be easily treated with plenty of rest and good hydration. Any anticoagulant, including aspirin, must be avoided. In the most severe cases, hospitalization and platelet transfusion is necessary.
• Malaria: malaria is caused by a parasite transmitted by mosquitoes (anopheles). The risk of contracting malaria is low in urban area, unless there is stagnant water around. There are preventive medecine as well as post-exposure treatment which is effective if taken quickly.
• Cholera: this condition is caused by a bacterium (cholera vibrio) that occurs especially after heavy flooding. It is a highly contagious and potentially deadly disease. Cholera tends to decrease in Cambodia, but poorly washed food or unfiltered water are important vectors of this disease. Cases of cholera tend to decrease in Cambodia, but poorly washed food or unfiltered water remain important vectors of this disease.

To learn more about our health program ▶️ it’s over here

We have been talking about it since the beginning of the year, and here we are: the very first Karol & Setha training took place at Taramana 15 days ago.

After having discussed topics concerning teenagers last March, a first group of our students took part in a 5 days training.

Foster positive interpersonal relations

The Cambodian NGO Karol & Setha, created in 2004, aims to promote the development of personal, family and social relationships.

The trainers, all Khmer, offer a high-quality support on issues concerning affective and sexual relations, a topic that is often taboo in Khmer families.

Indeed, sharing feelings and emotions is not usual or encouraged in the Cambodian culture. This can lead to misunderstandings between teenagers themselves or between teenagers and adults. This is why it was important for us to offer this training to our students.

A PRIVILEGED TIME TO SHARE, EXPRESS ONESELF, DISCOVER THE OTHER

Their were two main objectives during the training:

• How to live their teenage years more serenely by adopting respectful behaviors, both towards themselves and the others
• How to better communicate with their parents: share their feelings and assert their choices.

Through various exercises, each teenager could express himself or herself, think and even open up to the others.

Many topics were covered during the training, especially:

• Self-esteem: know oneself better and accept oneself
• Express one’s feelings and needs
• Friendship and love
• Parent-child relationships

And now what?

The group of teenagers who participated in the training will meet with the Karol & Setha trainers again in a few weeks for two days of additional training.
They will be able to consolidate their achievements, share on the changes they have observed and the problems they may have encountered.

This first training session confirmed the importance of this workshops for our teenagers: they were delighted to be in a safe and caring environment, which is essential to discuss these sensitive subjects.

Thanks to the WIG’s financial support (Women’s International Group in Phnom Penh), we are currently organizing a second training session for the students who couldn’t attend the first one.

A big THANK YOU to Navy and Sondy from Karol & Setha for accompanying our teenagers and for their availability and advices.

Want to know more about Karol & Setha? ▶️ it’s over here
To learn more about the WIG ▶️ it’s over there

Since February 2015, Her Royal Highness,  Princesse Sylvia Sisowath, has been President of Taramana an NGO in Cambodia.

Very involved with various associations, Princess Sylvia today shares her time between France and Cambodia. It was her love of both French culture and the promotion of education which naturally lead her to Taramana.

“A child can be ensured a decent future only if we make sure that he/she is in good health, that he/she receives scholary assistance, and offer various activities that maintain his/her development”

For Princess Sylvia, in today’s Cambodia, young people are eager for discovery and are attending more and more conferences. It also appears that this new generation and also the Cambodian diaspora living in France, have a strong desire to promote their culture.  Her Royal Highness is particularly attached to art and cultural sharing and she strongly encourages initiatives in this direction. Our recent partnerships with the Bophana Center and the IFC appear to her to be an excellent way to stimulate the minds of Taramana’s children and to improve their knowledge.

At the Taramana Magdalena Center, it is the team’s commitment and the alumni that particularly caught her attention. For Her Royal Highness, putting her skills and energy at the service of childrens’ growth, especially in terms of education, is a priority. The examples of Meng, Dara or Vuthny, all alumni of Taramana who now give or have given French lessons as volunteers, which show the importance of knowledge transfer.

“Backing Taramana means helping and supporting these children to enter the halls of university, demonstrating that no matter where a person is born, everyone has the right to hope to be part of tomorrow’s elite.”

Since January 2019, Taramana has two new partners: The Institut Français du Cambodge (French Institute of Cambodia) and the Bophana Center.

These two new partnerships aim at opening the children’s minds and offering them educational opportunities that are different from the ones they are used to at the public school or at Taramana.

Once a month, a small group of children enjoy a visit to the IFC and the Bophana Center. That way, each child can enjoy a trip to these places twice a year.

L’INSTITUT FRANÇAIS DU CAMBODGE (FRENCH INSTITUTE IN CAMBODIA) 

The IFC welcomes the children in the youth section of the library where many books in French and Khmer can be found.
The youngest children spend half a day there with a Khmer supervisor. They listen to stories and Khmer nursery rhymes. Fun activities around language are also offered. The children can then enjoy some free time and read the books they want.

The Bophana Center. 

This center, which gathers many resources on the history and culture of Cambodia, is a wonderful place to further explore the topics discussed in class.
At each visit, the group of children watches a film in the center’s cinema room. Then, in pairs, they complete their research on computers by watching documentaries.

We are very pleased to offer these outings to the children. Not only do these trips arouse their curiosity, they also enable them to gain new knowledge. Seeing their enthusiasm before each trip is a real pleasure for the team and the teachers who see their pupils thrive and grow.

We warmly thank the teams at the IFC and the Centre Bophana for their kind welcome.