LOTUS HOUSE
A COMMUNITY CENTRE
In a rural village sits Lotus House. It's more than a community centre - it's a school, a hub for learning that caters to the whole community
Lotus House was built in 2016 in Opheakspea Village, Siem Reap. Over 300 students, most from disadvantaged families, attend English classes 6 days a week. Trained Khmer teachers are employed to give the kids the best possible education that will give them better prospects for their future.
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Why is English so important in a rural area you might ask. Poverty is a cycle that is extremely difficult to break. Many families just keep repeating this cycle with no hope of ever breaking free. The key to a better future comes with opportunities and education. Lotus House offers these opportunities. This is one of the reasons it was built in this remote area.
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English is an important language to learn, it's universal and better equips kids once they get out in the workforce. Their prospects are broadened and they are able to support their family and help raise them out of their situation of poverty. The whole family benefit!
Kids generally relocate to city areas where they can obtain employment in many industries they feel they can discover after learning English - their confidence grows through this one skill.
Some kids will also have the opportunity to move into higher education through sponsorships and scholarships. They all aim to achieve this but there are students who wish to say living and working within their community
AS MENTIONED - LOTUS HOUSE IS MORE THAN A COMMUNITY CENTRE
Building Community Cambodia is dedicated to improving the lives of others. Some of the programs we have been running at Lotus House include: women's, girl's, and infant health, as well as elderly care and health checks.
Undetected and preventable illnesses are high in rural areas. This can be due to many factors that include, not having the proper education and information, inaccessibility to medical treatments, and poverty. We aim to give this information through very skilled educators and facilitators. Where possible we work with local clinics to give more urgency to our message.
HEALTH CARE & OUTREACH PROGRAM
Community support! Don't we all want to be accepted and given support when we need it? Lotus House is a place for friendship, learning, healthcare and outreach. We facilitate, with the assistance of trained professionals, to give advice, health checks, and food to those who are struggling.
Through our volunteer program we can give so much to this community. Contact us to find out how you can help!
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VISITING LOTUS HOUSE
Day visits can be arranged and are very rewarding for everyone. Bring your team, bring your family and friends!
Lotus House is always in need of educational resources and supplies - school uniforms, bags, stationary and books are so welcomed by the children and teachers. Give to the elderly or struggling families. Rice and other food staples are always needed as is clothing and other daily needs.
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Connect through giving...share the love
Lotus House has a village homestay volunteer program for people wishing to commit to teaching English. This has been suspended until further notice. If this is something you may be interested in doing in the future please send us a message.
DAYS FOR GIRLS PROGRAM
"Days for Girls is a nonprofit organisation that prepares and distributes sustainable menstrual health solutions to girls who would otherwise miss school during their monthly periods"
We are proud to say that through Lotus House, Building Community Cambodia introduced this program to rural Siem Reap. What a huge success these workshops have been. So many wide eyed girls, and mothers come to learn about their monthly period. We found that many mothers were unable to explain the menstrual cycle, why it happens and how to look after yourself because they were never told by their mother, it's been a taboo subject to talk about in families.
There are quite a few issues that these girls and women face during menstruation - lack of privacy and toilet facilities is a huge one! through this program we hope to bring them the confidence to address these issues. The kits we give are the first step to feeling confident as they contain everything they need during menstruation.
It's an incredibly fun and bonding experience for everyone!
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Support is an important part of our work, without it we cannot deliver the messages that are so imperative to these communities.