We get up, move towards the river, order breakfast, buy bus tickets to Kampong Speu, where the foundation we are working with is located, and wait for our pickup service. The jolly, chubby man selling me these tickets has acquired a comfortable space with a view in the citadelle of my memory. Kampong Speu is just about 50 kilometers down the road, but speeding is not an option here even the tarmac is tempting the traffic is tough.
We jump off the bus where instructed and call Shannon, a volunteer working for SSF picks us up on a bicycle. The Sao Sary Foundation (SSF) is located behind the market, about ten minutes walk from the bus stop. SSF’s mission is to prevent child trafficking by alleviating poverty in five rural villages. Their concept works really well, and many children can go to school thanks to the support of the foundation. We meet Vichetr Uon, the director, who will become a friend of mine, and have good conversations about SSF and what we could do here.
And we can do something straight away! Overcoming my remaining shyness I suggest we could do our workshop (or simply: playing hour) with the kids and yes it is possible. We have just arrived here but the kids are enthousiastic and there is no better way to introduce ourselves. We start off with some stretching and yoga exercises, then we jump and do some freestyle aerobics. Hopping on one leg, laying the other leg on your knee, then getting as low and possible followed by a full turn is hilarious and I am proud to have invented it. After the jumping, we do some children games,
After the warming up, we introduce some pantomime to them. The virtual balloon, along with the virtual needle, are great assets . The children at SSF are very creative and when we ask them to imitate certain jobs or animals, they do so with great inventiveness.
It is a beautiful day, and we discuss current issues with Vichetr and the volunteers as they use to do. This is a good place.