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About CCEF
The Cambodian Children’s Education Foundation

In 2001, Ann and Jim ventured to the south Cambodian beach-town of Kompong Som (Sihanoukville) after visiting the famous Angkor Wat temple site. (The full story can be found in the chapter, Cambodia: The Young Green Grass).  Ann learned that many of the children selling snacks on the beach were not in school. Though they managed to use English well enough to sell, they were hungry to learn more.  Ra (Chea Som Poan) in particular did little selling that day in favor of stopping by Ann’s kabana to learn new English words.  With the help of Pros and the motodriver Bono, Ann and Ra spent the next day school-shopping for Ra.  After a trip to the central market to purchase clothes and shoes and school supplies, Ra was ready for his first day of Khmer and English school at age thirteen.

When Ann returned home to the US and told her story to friends, they wanted to sponsor a child too. The next year, a total of seven were enrolled. In 2002, Ann formed the Cambodian Children’s Education Foundation, a tax-exempt organization under the Internal Revenue Code. The foundation’s charter supports disadvantaged kids in grades K-16. Today, the Foundation supports a total of forty-two students in two partner-schools. Students are no longer recruited on the beach but identified by school officials. The foundation has an outreach worker, Than, to assist with identification of new students, encourage and assist the students, and interface with partner-schools. “I am very honored to have this job,” he cannot seem to tell Ann enough times. The foundation supports his university studies. In addition to his studies, Than is a part-time motodriver (like everyone else in Cambodia) and teaches beginning English at Antaraktvib Language Centre a few evenings a week. It would be difficult to find a prouder, handsomer teacher, dressed in shirt and tie for class.  

The children in Khmer school attend Psar Leu Primary School in Kompong Som during the day.  Much like our elementary schools, they learn math, reading, science and writing.  A few blocks away is the English school, Antaraktvib Languages Centre.  Our kids attend English class at 5:30 or 6:30 each evening for an hour.   

In 2007, the John and Mary Geisse Foundation of Ohio provided CCEF with a $10,000 grant for a computer lab and sorely-needed supplies for the Antaraktvib Language Centre.  This is a lot of money in Cambodia and changed life for many in Sihanoukville.

Enrollment at Antaraktvib has risen a walloping sixty-five percent since the computer lab opened in 2007, these kids are so hungry to learn computer training! Due to competition for the limited computers available, the average length of time that students spend on the computer is only one hour per week. That means we have more work to do: we must raise more money for computers at Antaraktvib to at least double students’ computer availability.

These are the levels of support for CCEF:
$12 supports one child in Khmer school for six months;
$24 supports one child in Khmer school for one year;
$20 supports one child in English school for six months;
$40 supports one child in English school for one year;
$75 supports one child in Khmer and English school for one year  (and includes uniform and supplies)

No nonprofits I know of operate without overhead or administrative costs.  Yet every cent contributed to CCEF for Cambodian kids goes directly to the school for their support; there are no administrative costs.  

All contributions are acknowledged with a letter for IRS tax purposes and can be sent to: CCEF, PO Box 104, West Friendship MD 21794-0104.  For questions, contact Ann here.

Ann von Lossberg, President
Cambodian Children’s Education Foundation