Read Krousar Thmey's Annual Report - Overbrook School for the Blind

Achievements 2008Phnom Penh Thmey: the new school for blind or deaf childrenThere are two main reasons for this school to be built:Chbar Ampov School for blind childrenThe first one is that the former school for blind of PhnomPenh, built in 1994 is now collapsing into the Tonle Bassacwaters. In 1994, when this first school for blind was built,the Tonle Bassac was more than 480 metres away. Nowthere is less than a metre separating the walls from thewaters. Naturally, the school has been evacuated and allmaterials that could still be used such as wood, doors andwindows have been saved and transferred to the new site.In order to maintain our activities for blind children we hadto build a new school.The second reason is the increasing number of blind or deaf children in Phnom Penh. The formerschool was situated in Chbar Ampov, right outside the capital city and many children could not getthere. Thanks to the new school, situated in the heart of Phnom Penh Thmey (literally, « the newPhnom Penh »), a lot of disabled children will be able to go to school and receive education theydeserve. It is already planned that all blind children from Chbar Ampov school will join the new schoolof Phnom Penh Thmey as soon as it opens; they represent around 70 pupils. As for the deaf children,whose school is still operational, only those living nearer to Phnom Penh Thmey area will attend thenew school.Since the end of 2008, Krousar Thmey has been raising awareness of programmes for disabledchildren, by visiting local communities in the Phnom Penh area, meeting the children and their families,so that they know how Krousar Thmey schools can help the children develop by participating inspecially adapted education programmes; shortly, new pupils will soon be joining our schools.These two main reasons gave birth to the construction of the new school. Its capacity will be far moresignificant than any other of Krousar Thmey’s schools providing free and quality education for needychildren in Phnom Penh and its surroundings for the years to come.Finally, the new school will also give tothe children the pleasure to study in anew structure, new buildings with newmaterials. One step forward towardsmodernity and a better quality ofeducation.The construction began in January 2008and the buildings should be accessible tothe blind children and deaf children fromPhnom Penh and its suburbs in time forthe next academic year.Phnom Penh Thmey School