For the Past three years the Rotary Club of East Coast Bays in conjunction with the Rangitoto College and Phnom Penh Rotary Club have given the chance for an Orphan from the NFC Orphanage in Phnom Penh to experience life in New Zealand and set them up for future life in Cambodia.
The idea for this whole idea came from Rangitoto Teacher Michelle Parkinson who has been running the Rangitoto College Cambodia Service Trip for the past xx years. Every year over a hundred Rangitoto year and 11 and 12 students apply for the opportunity and 25 spaces for this Service project.
Michelle approached the Rotary Club of East Coast Bays asking them how we could give an life changing opportunity to a orphan. Rotary Youth Exchange has always been a strong component of the East Coast Bays Club and they eagerly thought of ways to financially make this happen. However this was different in the fact these were Orphans with no means of financial support they were about to put into a NZ family something that was foreign to them. Before the Orphanage they could have lived in a village, with no running water or flushing toilets. Could we really understand how much was different to them!! Could they settle into NZ Life make friends, speak good enough english. the nd now three years the rest is history.
Screychom was the flag bearer in 2015 studying Tourism based subjects that could be related to opportunities in Cambodia for her return. She faced the most challenges as at least her Sister Tola who followed the year after could speak to big sister for advice.
The Rotary Club make her part of their activities and involve her in the fundraising and social events and outings this enriches the students experience and enriches the Rotarians as well. They also involve the student within the 15 other international Exchange Students
Based in the North Shore and all the way to Cape Regina. It helps to also enrich their year long exchange realising that individuals not a affluent to themselves have this opportunity.
Based in the North Shore and all the way to Cape Regina. It helps to also enrich their year long exchange realising that individuals not a affluent to themselves have this opportunity.
The Rotary Club of East Coast Bays & Rangitoto College are looking for financial support or hosting families for the next student expected in January 2019. As always we welcome applicants for our wider Youth Exchange programme in 2019 , currently we have a boy in Norway and a girl about to head to Belgium in January 2018. If you can help or would like more information contact Sean Harris 09 441 4955 or email seanharrisrotary@gmail.com.
Below is Tola Sorn (2016), Lily Lay (2017) and Screychom Sorn (2015) (photo taken at the NFC (New Kids for Cambodia) Orphanage before Lily left for NZ in January 2017.