Cheshunt man helps to educate a new generation in Cambodia

A CHESHUNT man is helping to create a new home for a school in Cambodia.
Michael Freer has been living in the south east Asian country since June, teaching and raising funds for two schools in the villages of Kasekam and Nokor Krao, near the ancient temple of Angkor Wat.
Michael, 27, who grew up in Rosedale and lived in Ware for a year, is teaching the primary school children English, and helping them to become self-sustaining.
“My role is a mixture of teaching and business development,” he said.
“There’s no funding from the Government so most of the time it’s individual donors.”
The two schools are run by the Future of Khmer Children charity, but one has lost its premises and Michael needs to raise £4,500 to build a new classroom from scratch.
He said: “At the moment the school is not running.
“Our dream is to have a community centre similar to the ones you see in England, but the priority is to get the kids back in school.”
The rudimentary structure of wooden walls, corrugated metal roof and concrete floor would enable lessons to get back up and running.
Michael had previously worked for Hertfordshire County Council’s vulnerable adults department after graduating, and at Druglink, a substance misuse charity.
“I was enjoying my job, but I just wanted to do something different.
“It’s brilliant, the kids are so keen to learn and are always smiling and playing.
“When you ask them about what they want to do when they are older, they are all about helping and supporting their family.”
He has recently been teaching his pupils the Happy Days theme tune.
“It’s a great way of learning the days of the week, if not quite in tune!
“Cambodia’s main trade is tourism and if you are going to break out of the village cycle, you need to speak English.”
However, the country has some way to go to recover from the scars of the years under the brutal Khmer Rouge regime.
“I’m living in the second biggest city and all you see is restaurants and hotels, but as soon as you look 100 yards beyond the city, down a dirt track you see the villages,” Michael said.
“You see a lot of young people and don’t know how many of them don’t have mums and dads.”
To donate to the project, visit www.youcaring.com/buildmeup.

Sourced: hertfordshiremercury.co.uk