In September we learned that four of the students at Kompong Speu passed the National Exam for entrance to University. We are so proud of (left to right) Um Vanndeth, Prum Rim and Sok Nearday. Kompong Speu Director Pol Sok Ly posed with them the day they registered at the National University of Management (NUM) in Phnom Penh. Prum Rim and Um Vanndeth will study English Literature and Sok Neardey will study Economics

The Sharing Foundation awarded a scholarship to a fourth student, Leng Tharath, and Cambodia Tomorrow launched a fundraising campaign to finance the rest. We had only two weeks to raise the necessary funds, but once again, our sponsors came through for us. Several Kompong Speu sponsors responded quickly, and within a week we received the needed pledges.

With set-up costs, our budget is almost $1200 per student, but will be closer to $1000 in the following three years. That amount includes tuition, books, housing, utilities and transportation. In addition, Ken (Sokeoun Sngin – our wonderful coordinator in Cambodia) has set up housing in Phnom Penh, purchased beds, mosquito nets, desks, chairs, and lamps for each student. He purchased bicycles for Vanndeth and Neardey, and has arranged for a motor taxi for Prum Rim, who cannot bicycle with his leg brace (more on Prum Rim below).

Thank you for your quick response to our call for donations. If you haven't yet sent a contribution, we still need you. We are committed to sponsoring the boys for four years and hope to be able to send more children to university as they pass their exams. If you are a Kompong Speu sponsor, consider setting aside money for your child’s higher education. Some children will qualify for university study. Others may choose vocational school or advanced language study. Our hope is to provide the funds and to meet each child’s educational goals.

Here is a thank you letter from one of the boys:

Dear Macneal and my sponsors

I am very very proud that you think of me and my friends. I am really happy that I have a capacity to study at college and I do not supposed that I could go to university before but now I could. Now I riceived the money that you have sent to Mr. Ken. such as: money spend on food, fire, water, bicycle, school fee, pocket money, two tables, three chairs and a big nice flat. I have no thing to repay you but I have an effort to learn. I am going to start on 20 this month at university.

Finally, I wish you and my sponsors best happiness, luck, healthy and success all every thing in life.

With all the best to you, Um Vanndeth

Letter from Pol Sok Ly:

I am really excited that you quickly help the three boys got the sponsors very very very quick. This is the first time of Kompong Speu orphanage and history of us because there are long time ago, no body can go to the university. Now they got big change in our orphanage that we got the chance to go to the university also because of Cam Tom make it happen.

Future of three boys will be best after they are going to finish the university because this is the market of current Cambodia job and I knew that three of them are very good boy according to their certificate of high school.

This is big symbol for the next kids who had the best willing to do all of their efforts to study when they are in high school and they saw their pioneer to be ahead.

Thank you very much for making this happen,

Your Close Friend, Pol Sok Ly

The kids at KS continue to amaze us with thier abilities. As of the fall semester, we have:

• 45 children studying English at Newtown School. Many of them have moved up 2 or 3 levels since they began their study
• 4 students are at university
• Seng Mab is doing job training through ASPECA, a French NGO that also supports the KS children with additional tutoring at government school.
• 13 children studying computer at Newtown – they are learning Word and Excel
• 3 students moved up in their English levels this month: Sok Litor, Sum Srey Rath and Meach Phearak.

In addition to our school-age children, there are five toddlers (pictured above) and one baby at the orphanage. Soon we will begin to look into preschool for the younger children. At the moment, we provide formula, food and medical care for these six orphans.

In order to continue to provide this and other fundamental living expenses, we need to fill out our Basic Needs Fund. While donating for basic needs doesn't have the cachet of sponsoring a child in school or university, these donations keep our children nourished and healthy so that they can concentrate on their studies. This is the bread and butter -- literally -- of our programs.

Each month, a budget of $1150 supplies food and medical support to the children at Kompong Speu and Cham Chao. They are essential to CAMBODIA TOMORROW and the children.

A donation to Basic Needs or an unrestricted donation allows us to use your contribution where the need is greatest. As a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization, CAMBODIA TOMORROW qualifies for matching funds from your employer. A gift to CAMBODIA TOMORROW in honor of a friend, family member or holiday is truly the gift that keeps on giving. And starting this month, we will add PayPal to our website and to the newsletter. Go to the bottm of the newsletter and and click to contribute -- it's that easy!

We recently received an email from Pol Sok Ly about the work that we (and you) are doing for the kids. We all felt that these words of wisdom should be shared:

"I understand that the money did not fall from the sky and Cam Tom is not the banker, so every thing have to be very detail ahead of time."

We realize that there are a lot of demands for your money and many deserving people in the world. We ask that you consider the kids in Cambodia -- where a very small amount can go a long way.

Prum Rim is one of our most inspiring and deserving students. Many of us remember him from our visits - a smiling, charming young man on crutches who wanted to practice his English on us!

Mary Swanson, a sponsor who volunteered at KS last year for two months, made it her business to find out why this wonderful young man was on crutches and to do something about it. The cause turned out to be polio. Mary made contact with CAMBODIA TRUST and with their and Ken's help, Prum Rim was fitted with a brace and given physical therapy. He now walks without crutches.

Last week, he started at university. What huge strides for a boy whose parents died when he was ten years old, leaving Prum Rim, an older sister and younger brother, Prum Veth. Rim and Veth have lived at the Center for nine years. Prum Rim has been a leader at Kompong Speu Orphan Center, assisting Pol Sok Ly and helping the younger children with their English. We wish him and his roommates great success in their studies!

Supporters of Cambodia Tomorrow are traveling to Cambodia on November 21st and have offered to deliver letters to Kompong Speu and Cham Chao.

If you would like to send a letter to the child you sponsor, please email it to:

Catherine MacNeal at [email protected]

Or mail to: Catherine MacNeal 1155 Oxford St. Berkeley, CA 94707

Please send letters and photos ONLY. We do not want to impose on the generosity of our travelers by sending 60 packages with them. If you want to do something special for the children, enclose a few dollars to purchase treats for everyone. Please clearly write your name and the name of your child on anything that you send.

THE DEADLINE FOR COLLECTING LETTERS IS NOVEMBER 12TH

Within a few weeks of Future Hope School pre school opening its doors at Cham Chao Orphanage, the second phase of our long-term plan is already being developed. While in Phnom Penh, Dori Cahn established a relationship with the International School of Phnom Penh (ISPP). As a result of this relationship, some of the teachers at ISPP became interested in working with Cambodia Tomorrow and specifically Cham Chao orphanage.

Shortly after Future Hope School opened its doors the teachers of ISPP were ready to donate “good, used” classroom materials for our school. In September, Mr. Mike Mansell of ISPP brought a group of children from his school to spend a morning with the children at Future Hope School. The children had a wonderful time learning and playing together.

On-going plans for the “Sister-School” endeavor are for the children of Future Hope School to visit the children at ISPP and ISPP is planning a fall fundraiser for Cambodia Tomorrow. We would like to thank the children, staff and families of ISPP and especially Mike Mansell, for their support of Cambodia Tomorrow and Future Hope School.