JDiver

I'm also a Ponheary Ly Foundation supporter - having been to Cambodia, this is one way we can help these children rise to a level made more difficult, even today, by the mass extinction of educated people during the Khmer Rouge times.

To see another challenge these people face, check this video of rising water with the floods.

hiyo

Link to the latest PLF newsletter.

hiyo

I leave in three weeks for Cambodia. There are three of us traveling, and we each have checked baggage allowance of 2x50lb on OZ. As our personal gear can be accommodated in our carry-ons, we are using our baggage allowance (300lb) to bring supplies to the PLF.

We have about 150lb now. There are some specifically requested school supplies, amenity kits and hotel toiletries, children's clothes, thumb drives, washboards, etc. (I love that we are bringing thumb drives and washboards!)

If anyone in the San Diego area would care to look at the Ponheary Ly Foundation Wishlist on Amazon and make a purchase from it, we will carry it to Cambodia. Contact me and I will arrange local pick-up (or you can have it delivered to me). Many school supplies are easily purchased there, and the children's clothes need to meet certain requirements, so please PM me to see if what you are considering is appropriate. We could use some old luggage in which to carry the items, too. Any luggage donated is on a one-way trip to Cambodia.

EDIT: Suggested cutoff date (thanks SanDiego1K) for ordering is September 29 as I leave on October 13. That's two weeks for delivery and packing.

SanDiego1K

There's some fun stuff on that list. Email your address to me, and I'll put in an order today. Also, do you have enough hotel toiletries?

hiyo

Sent you my address, thanks Carol!

Hmm, we have quite a bit of hotel amenities, courtesy of Sarah O'Brien, featured cellist with Yanni. She collected from the orchestra on the US tour and gave me a good amount when they performed in San Diego. If there is room, I will certainly take more. Let's see in two weeks where we are, okay?

SanDiego1K

I placed my order with Amazon and am having it shipped to you. It says it could arrive as late as Sept 30. hiyo, you might want to give a cutoff date for when people need to order, assuming that any order could take 10 days to reach you (if using Amazon's free shipping) and that you need time to figure out how to pack everything.

SanDiego1K

FT tags are on their way, enough for each of your 6 big suitcases. Let us see a picture of all that you are taking. It's a wonderful thing that you are doing.

hiyo

Tags came today, thanks. Prior to leaving I will put up some photos of all the supplies before we pack them, and also the loaded baggage with the Flyertalk tags displayed.

After we get to Cambodia, I will have plenty more photos. We are taking most of the items to a school in Koh Ker. We will also bring food and cook lunch for the kids and their families.

hiyo

We leave Thursday for Cambodia. Thanks to you who donated items. I'll post more photos when the mule train unpacks in Siem Reap.

SanDiego1K

Love it! The stack of t-shirts is impressive, along with all the toys and learning products for the children. I know you had donations from a member of Yonni's orchestra, FT, and your friends and family. Any others?

I love how you are using travel to change lives.

hiyo

There are photos of the distribution of part of the donated supplies, taken by my traveling companions. I am hoping they publish soon, and I will post some in this thread.

Every trip is more rewarding than the last. Having been involved for a few years now, I can really see the difference in the overall demeanor of the students. Education aside, they are very obviously happier and healthier than before Ponheary came into their lives.

Here are some Facebook links:
Ponheary Ly Foundation Fan Page.
PLF Group Page.
Ponheary's personal page.
PLF Computer Lab.
There are some wonderful comments and stories on these pages. I know Facebook is not for everyone, but if you are on FB, take a look, Ponheary and Lori are heavy users, and there is some good information.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Coolers

I spent three weeks sightseeing and volunteering in Siem Reap and stayed at Seven Candles in August. Seeing the whole Ly family sitting by the front desk assembling school packages with supplies covering the entire floor was quite the sight.

hiyo

UNESCO Conference in Jakarta, December 2011

Ponheary Ly will speak at the 15th UNESCO-APEID International Conference, 6-8 December 2011 in Jakarta, Indonesia. The title of her 30 minute presentation is "School is the Answer" and she will deliver it during the "Inspiring Education: Creativity and Entrepreneurship" Session on December 7th.

hiyo

Ponheary's report on the UNESCO-APEID International Conference in Jakarta.

YouTube video of her speech, "School Is The Answer." Part 1 of 3.

JDiver

Thanks for sharing, hiyo, and for taking all those items to Ponheary Ly!

As a Vietnam veteran who has returned to Vietnam and was even able to honor some colleagues who were killed there, Cambodia was a much more emotional, "gut-wrenching" experience for me - visiting the Chao Ponhea Yat high school / S-21 "Security Centre 21" torture center / Museum of Genocide in Toul Sleng, the killing fields (including the Choeung Ek extermination center many from S-21 were sent to), listening to the music of the amputeee band... in juxtaposition with the scenery of the Tonle Sap, the cultural wonders of Angkor... truly mind-boggling.

The idea of children killing children with tree limbs, the extirpation of entrepreneurs, doctors, social workers, architects, teachers, etc. is nearly beyond conception.

People like Ponheary Ly and Lori Carlson are truly inspirational. Ponheary Ly herself is an amazing woman and what she has done - empowering the next generations of Cambodians to become educated and re-establish the brain infrastructure to rebuild Cambodia - is what will work in this recovering land, and Lori Carlson has provided a truly catalytic presence.

As the new year approaches, it reminds me it is time to support the Ponheary Ly Foundation and Cambodia's future once again.

I will match FlyerTalk members' contributions through 31 Jan 2012 up to a total of USD $500.

Post your contribution here, or PM me.