Student volunteer
Inspired by a documentary which showed the plight of millions of Cambodian children, Peter Knight, Year 11 student from Shearwater Steiner School, grabbed the opportunity to go Cambodia during the July holidays. He has never left Australia before this.
Peter will be travelling with his mother Karin Knight and grandmother Anne Turpin (who is a teacher) as part of the “Teachers across Borders” network.
Peter is keen to help in any way he can by visiting orphanages and schools in Seam Reap (home of Angkor Wat) and Kampong Thom.
He was amazed when he learnt that 70% of people in Cambodia live on less than $1.25 per day, and 70% of the population is under 17, (his age).
Under the Pol Pot regime every teacher and doctor was either killed or forced to flee the country. There are still no teacher training facilities, thus the education of children, the most effective way of ultimately bringing people out of poverty, is sadly lacking.
“Teachers across Borders” run teacher professional development workshops to enhance the limited skills of the untrained teachers.
Peter is very excited about his trip. He realises that it will be no picnic.
It is the rainy season and it will be very hot. He has seen pictures of the area to which he is going, pot-holed roads, run down housing, wet lands and all, but is not at all daunted, he knows it will be a unique experience.
Peter wants to film his experience and create a documentary to share with his fellow HSC students, in the hope that our community will begin a relationship with the families he will be working with and helping.
Vaccinations are done, a first aid kit is organized and a passport is underway.
Peter, his mother and grandmother have decided that their luggage will consist of clothing that they can give away to the needy in the communities they visit. In turn, they will buy what they need to support the local trade.
Peter’s mother realizes it is important to show our children that one person can make a difference and that every child should experience how they can help by being on the front line.
Peter’s family are raising money to cover the costs of 50 teachers to travel from all over the country to join them in the training. This has to cover their travel, accommodation and wages, so they are able to come and spend a week in training with them.
Peter is in search of a HD video camera to take to film the journey, as a home handy cam is not enough. If anyone has or knows of one to sell, he would be grateful.
If you would like to contact Peter Knight his email is yehman_8@hotmail.com
We wish him all the best!
