A Year-End Visit with Our Foster Children in Cambodia

Spu–Krache, December 2025

As the year came to a close, we made our final foster child visits in Cambodia. Although this time of year marks the beginning of the dry season—when temperatures usually become more moderate—there were still days when the heat climbed above 30°C. Despite the warm weather, the children gathered eagerly for the program.

In Kampong Speu Province, four new junior high school students joined the program this year, bringing the total number of participating children to fifteen. During our visit, we first invited the children to reflect on the past year and think about their goals for the coming year. It was a meaningful opportunity for them to consider how they had grown and what they hoped to achieve next.

Afterward, the children created two types of interactive cards. In many rural areas, even when children learn basic skills at school—such as measuring with a ruler—they often have limited opportunities to apply these skills in everyday life. Activities like these allow them to practice what they have learned while expressing their creativity in a fun and engaging way. Our program aims to provide these enriching experiences that complement their classroom learning.

In Kratie Province, we also invited the children to reflect on the past year and set goals for the future. This visit included a special new activity: clay crafts. Modeling clay is not yet widely available in the area, so this was not only a new addition to our program but also the first time most of the children had ever touched or worked with clay.

We began with colored clay so the children could become familiar with the material. Once they felt comfortable shaping it with their hands, they moved on to creating a second project using resin clay, adding their own colors to complete their designs. Even though it was their first experience, many of the children demonstrated remarkable initiative and artistic creativity. Unlike writing or drawing, shaping forms from clay offered a different kind of expression, and it was inspiring to see how enthusiastically they engaged with the activity. It truly felt as though this new medium helped reveal another side of their potential.

To celebrate the season, children in both provinces also received Christmas gifts of school supplies, made possible through the generous support of our donors.

We are deeply grateful for the kindness and encouragement our supporters have shown throughout the year. Your support continues to make meaningful educational and creative opportunities possible for these children.

Thank you very much for your continued support.