austraLasia #2242


Battambang's Luctor et Emergo motto inspires the kids

BATTAMBANG (Cambodia): 30th August 2008 -- Don Bosco Children Fund's director introduced the motto 'Luctor et Emergo' (I struggle, I win) to the children of the paddy fields and brick factories in Battambang Province, 300 kms north west of Phnom Penh, back in 2005.  Inspired by the motto, twenty two pupils of the Don Bosco Literacy Centre graduated and were certified to proceed to the secondary curriculum on 28th August 2008. These children studied a non-graded elementary schooling over three years and passed government examinations at Grade Six level.
    The graduates, aged 13-18 years, are not special students as such.  They are children who have never been to school but who were encouraged and supported by the Don Bosco Children Fund under the label of 'equal opportunities-education for all, all for education'.  Now 'Luctor et emergo' has inspired them to hold books and pens rather than just sickles and grass, carts and bricks.  In October they will pursue their formal secondary studies in government public schools.  They hope to hold computers and USB pen drives! (It is interesting to note that this month the Catholic Prefecture of Battambang held a joint seminar for 20 youths of the province, with Phnom Penh-based Catholic Social Communications (CSC), with the intention of conscientizing Battambang youth on the influence of media and to develop local reporters for CSC).
    "Every child is the soul of what we do in Don Bosco Children Fund Programs.  It is the reason for our mission. It is the motivation of all our activities. We aim to reinstate their humanity and basic human right to education. We create initiatives and opportunities for them to develop meaningful lives", says Fr Leo Ochoa, national director and coordinator of the DBCF in Cambodia.
    Don Bosco Literacy Centres discourage child labourers and encourage children to be in school to receive proper education. DBFC is active in fourteen Cambodia provincial areas and three cities.  It has about 5,000 children throughout the country.  You can find out more about the organisation by visiting www.donboscokhmer.org .
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Title: australasia 2242
Subject and key words: EAO Provinces THA (Cambodia) Literacy
Date (year): 2008
ID: 2000-2099|2242