New campus site
Phnom Penh is a city where three rivers merge, creating a natural eastern boundary to city growth. The land Hope School is purchasing is situated in the north-western outskirts of Phnom Penh, and will become more central as the city expands to the west.
The land we plan to purchase is part of a larger block of land owned by FEBC (Far East Broadcasting Cambodia). We plan to purchase five hectares in total, first a two hectare block, and a three hectare block at a later stage.
Come on a journey to our new school site...
...with our Development Officer Caroline Berry.
We travelled along a dusty road, fields of stubbly green on either side, skinny bony cows slowly wandering, tall lone palm trees creating shady dots in the midmorning heat.
In a small village we slowed as children wandered, chickens scratched, dogs strayed, motorbikes rested. Simple basic houses, some of brick, some of thatch, some of timber, clustered together along the road, people living their days.
And then we stopped. A few houses remained around us, but before us was space. Wide, enormous, incredible space. The sky was overwhelming, a skirt of blue so voluminous the fluffy white clouds on the horizon seemed like a small ruffle on her hem. The green stretched open before us, welcoming us and inviting us in.
This is the land Hope School plans to purchase, the place we believe we will build a new school. This is the ground on which our children will run and play, scrape and skid, sweat and burn. The confines of the city were distant and here, on the outskirts, I could just imagine our children running and never wanting to stop. Phnom Penh is a city of concrete and walls, gates and fences, busy roads lacking footpaths. A city without parks, townplanning devoid of green open spaces.
Our current Hope School site has a soccer pitch about 6m x 12m, squeezed between a high concrete wall and a building, a patch of dirt where the grass valiantly attempts to grow, battling against the daily rub of feet. There are over 300 students now, and that’s our piece of grass.
My first trip to the new school site gave me a richer sense of purpose in my role at Hope School. I’m not just working to raise funds for a piece of land and some buildings, I’m working to help build a school for our children. As one of our students recently wrote, we dream of a place where lives are being changed. A place I would love for my two girls to spend their schooling years.
I invite you to journey with us as together we step in faith towards BUILDING HOPE.
