3846(II)_Merry Christmas from Sihanoukville

By Bro. Roberto Panetto, SDB

Sihanoukville, Cambodia, 23 December 2105 - It is in this time of the year when we joyfully wrap-up two significant bundles-of-joy; the significant milestones of every school year:

Foremost, the joy of sending-off 2015 graduates (batch 12) in the working world; almost all 63 students are now working.

It is noteworthy to share that the booming tourism industry in Sihanoukville paved way for the hotel business to flourish which consequently gave our graduates a wide range of opportunity to choose from among hotels offering very competitive salaries with fringe benefits. It may, at some point be a bit of a downside as graduates compare each other’s compensation & entice one or the other to transfer from whichever hotel offers the better package. Nonetheless, this affirms Don Bosco’s dream to ultimately provide the seemingly voiceless marginalized young, “a good place in the sun”- achieve a position of esteem & provide a welfare that could sustain them & their families with better lives.

Second, we welcomed a new set of aspiring students mostly from the outskirts of Cambodia. Don Bosco remains consistent with the requirement of filling in the school with students who cannot afford to have access to good education. This year we have increased in-take for Housekeeping & Culinary Departments to accommodate more underprivileged youth who only reached Grade 6,7,8. We now have 128 new students wishing to become professional hoteliers one day. The total school population is of 191 students, 36 staff and 3 volunteers.

We continue to be grateful of the opportunity we receive before Christ manger. The gift of Christmas affirms the collaboration we take upon ourselves in pitching in the spreading of His love and goodness!

May the spirit of Christmas continue to fan the flames of hearts!

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!