Human Resource Development for Community (HRDC) Project
〜Nurturing skills necessary to contribute to the development of the community〜
Basic information
| Duration |
First phase: October 2004 〜 September 2007 (3 years) |
| Region |
Luk Dek District, Kandar, Cambodia |
Target group
(number) |
64 students who qualified for secondary school under the Girls’ Education Scholarship Scheme (direct target)
Parents, the Regional Scholarship Administration Committee, locals, etc. |
| Partners |
Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport of the Kingdom of Cambodia, the Provincial Education Bureau, teachers, etc. |
| Donor |
CARE Friends Okayama
CARE Friends Tokyo |
| Project Budget |
JPY 6 million (first phase lasting 3 years) |
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Project background
The long civil war, which began in 1970, destroyed the education system in Cambodia. Even now there is a lack of teachers, teaching materials and schools. The government has raised the ‘provision of 9 years of cumpulsary education to all children by 2015’ as one of its primary objectives; however, many children remain unable to attend school. An increasing number of upper primary school girls are leaving school, thus widening the gap in the school-attendance ratio of boys and girls.
Problems Identified
The main reason girls are unable to continue their schooling is financial. Even with the provision of free education, there are other costs such as transportation and lunch fees which are a great burden to impoverished families. Culturally, boys’ education is given precedence and, as the importance of girls’ education is not sufficiently recognised, girls are expected to help with household chores and family businesses instead of attending school. There is also scarcity of female teachers in the community to serve as role models for female students.
Project aim
Scholarship students gaining the knowledge and skills for contributing to their community’s development.
Main activities〜Nurturing scholarship students who can contribute to their community〜
| １） |
Implementation of a scholarship scheme
The economic burden to impoverished families is alleviated through the provision of funds for schooling expenses such as stationary, food and board, supplementary lessons, etc.
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| ２） |
Increase in the community’s awareness of gender issues
Workshops to increase gender awareness are carried out targeting scholarship students, parents, teachers and villagers. This aims to change their exisiting perceptions in order to increase awareness of the value of girls’ education and to support their school attendance.
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| ３） |
Establishment of a regional support system (Regional Scholarship Administration Committee)
The management capacity of the Regional Scholarship Administration Committee (comprised of teachers of the region, female representatives, etc.) will be improved. This committee runs the scholarship programme by co-ordinating communication with teachers, supporting the studies and school attendance of scholarship students, and overseeing the well-being of scholarship students who are staying in dormitories. |
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