It was finally time. After almost a year of anticipation, OVE’19 embarked on the main expedition to Prey Veng, Cambodia in collaboration with Operation Hope Foundation (OHF) on the 22nd of July to the 4th of August 2019. Over 12 days, our mighty team of 25 had the pleasure of giving back to the community there as best as we could. We began by spending close to 5 days working tirelessly on the construction of two wooden homes for two families, at the outskirts of Prey Veng. This truly would not have been possible without the unfailing forbearance of the carpenters right by our sides. It was an incredibly humbling experience as we got to see the insurmountable joy on the faces of the families as we handed over their newly built homes to them. Once we were done expressing our gratitude and saying our goodbyes, it was time for the next stop – Serey Mongkol School.
There, we were able to put our newly attained handiwork skills to good use yet again through the construction of a UV water system. Before this, the undrinkable water from the well there did not have a filtration system. With this newly built water system, the children there will not only have access to clean water but they could bring it to their families back home as well. This was a huge win for the kids and the wider community too. As we braved through the scorching heat digging up soil and building the structure, we were reminded of the very reason we were there - to bring about change. In commemoration of the end of our construction efforts at the school, we gifted over 250 students with stationery sets, lunch boxes and soaps courtesy of our sponsor, Soap Cycling Singapore.
After a good rest at the Hope Training Centre (HTC), it was time to head over to Hope Village Prey Veng, (HVPV), a children’s home affiliated to OHF. In a bid to spark the interests of the kiddos, we conducted introductory Chinese lessons, craft making classes and reading sessions over the next few days. We also got to satisfy their sweet tooth by whipping up gooey brownies and a favourite back home – the bubble tea! But, all good things must come to an end and we had finally reached our final days at HVPV. We started off great as we gave the children and teachers there a taste of Singapore through an array of local delicacies. This included the famous bak kut teh, stir-fried long beans and soy sauce chicken. But what’s good food without entertainment, right? OVE’19 joined forces once again to deliver an immersive cultural performance on the main ethnic groups in Singapore, the story of Sang Nila Utama and a dance on the meaning of friendship. Soon, it was time to say our goodbyes. As bittersweet as it was for us, the smiles plastered on their faces as they shared with us how contented they were with our presence, made it all better.
All in all, the trip taught us great lessons on the essence of time, community, love, selflessness, wealth, privilege and more. We undoubtedly, walked out of Cambodia receiving much more than we had given during these two weeks. In years to come, we will remember the sheer tenacity of the kids of HVPV, the smoke-filled lorry rides, the kindness displayed by the guides of Operation Hope Foundation, the delicious Cambodian delicacies we got to feast on and the friendships forged amongst the team. It was an incredible ride for all of us and with that, OVE’19 checks out.
Scroll down for a visual journey of the expedition and read the first-hand accounts of the members themselves!
DAY 1 - DAY 6: "Nail, please!"
"Even though there was a language barrier between my team and the local workers who helped us during construction, we still made the effort to communicate and get to know them. The local workers taught us a lot: the right way to chisel, saw and hammer, some Khmer words and also life lessons such as determination, courage and strength".
"We all felt so loved and cared by the home owner and locals: the owner giving us mats while we were shaving bamboos, the villagers who bought a coconut for each member to beat the scorching sun and the neighbours who let us eat our lunch at their porch. Through these actions, it really shown me that it is so simple to be kind."
DAY 7 - DAY 9: Gratitude
"There was this one scene that I can still remember vividly. It was when we needed to fill up the hollow with gravels and all the kids rushed to help us during their recess time. There were more than 50 kids and all of us worked together as a bigger team. The job was completed in no time and everyone in the team was very grateful for their help."
"We also enjoyed ourselves dancing, singing and having fun with the village school kids during the handover of the UV water system and bonded with them through games and fun. Additionally, I was glad to see how touched they were when handed the soap bars, lunch boxes and stationery and hopefully these may make a small difference in their lives."
DAY 10 - DAY 12: Fiery Kids
"There was a girl who confided about her struggles in learning English, and even brought me into their English lesson in the classroom, in the middle of playing board games. I was quite surprised at first, but I am very grateful to be treated as a friend whom they could trust. From there, I saw their strengths, the reality of them working so hard behind the scenes, and never letting their conditions define them."
"I could tell and feel that they were contented. Contented with the life they are living, the kids would be happy to play with one another with whatever toys they could find from the ground. Singaporean kids could learn from that instead of being glued to their phones and computer games every single second."
DAY 13 - DAY 14: "Goodbye, Cambodia"
"We can all say that over the past 2 weeks, we got to know each other on a much deeper, forging rapport and friendship that hopefully will last to forever. It is with great relief and satisfaction that I considered my goal achieved. While OVE might have ended, it is my greatest hope that we will stay together as one big family, supporting one another through university and any other hardships that we might face."
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