Our Residential Program was created in 1994 in response to the civil war in the Southwest of Cambodia . Kampot long known as a strong hold for the Khmer Rouge, inflicted great damage throughout the 1990’s on villages, infrastructure and the quality of life of ordinary Cambodian civilians. During that period, many children could not…
Our school specializes in the tuition of traditional classical Cambodian music, ballet and theatre, as a form of post-traumatic therapy, but also as a form of vocational training and as a way to preserve Cambodia’s traditional arts and culture after the genocide of Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge. Our teaching staff come from the National Theatre…
Traditional Music Program for Blind Students In January 2015, our school (KCDI) began giving traditional Mohori music lessons to blind children as a form of both therapy and vocational training. In October of 2015, their shelter closed down and so together with their parents, local authorities and the children themselves, we decided to take the…
We also assist a further 400 local children from the surrounding community, who come to our school during the daytime only, to study music and take ballet lessons. Those children who come from very poor villages, also receive a meal at our school and all children are entitled to medical care whenever they need it….
KCDI opens its main hall to Cambodian artists as a free exhibition space in order to provide opportunities for the local community to have access to art exhibitions that may otherwise be out of reach. KCDI also cooperates with the local Department of Arts to put on exhibitions of artifacts.
As the older children at KCDI complete high school and prepare for life outside of the orphanage, a transition program aimed at supporting these students into independent life is in place. This includes supporting students to attend university and to learn how to be members of the community. Our transition program is divided into different…