 Aid Program Report 2003Aid from the Think the Earth Project was utilized for the 'Rainbow Project' conducted between Cambodia and Japan, as was the case in 2002. From 1970, Cambodia was faced with political unrest due to the Pol Pot regime, but the end to the unrest came with the first national elections held in 1993. But the after effect of civil war still remains strong; many teachers were executed, thus there is pressing need to nurture teaching staff in order to restore education that passes on culture and tradition to the next generation. Moreover, because the importance of school education is not well recognized by families, even though the graduation rate of grade schools are high at 87%, and due to poverty, parents are strongly inclined to engage their girls in house labor; thus the dropout rates of girls are quite high. The Rainbow Project In order to remedy as much as possible the circumstances outlined above, the "Rainbow Project" aims to increase the graduation rate and to reduce the drop-out rate of children from schools by conducting art workshops (so that children can experience the joy of coming to school and drawing art, to train art teachers, and to provide support so that the teachers may conduct their own classes) with stationary and art supplies provided by grade schools in Japan. The understanding of the cultures of Japan and Cambodia through the exchange of artwork also aims to promote international exchange. The project was implemented in the Luk Dek district of the state of Kandar in Cambodia. Luk Dek is three hours drive away from the capital of Cambodia Phnom Penh. Floods occur each year, thus this area is one of the poorer districts in the state; the graduation rate among girls is low, and the drop-out rate is quite high. The Rainbow Project is conducted in conjunction with the "Girls Scholarship Project" in order to improve such conditions. |
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2003 (July 2003 to June 2004) Activity Results and Future Tasks 
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| Providing Stationary, Art Supplies, and Artwork from Japan] Enlisting the participating schools of the 2002 Rainbow Project, and also calling upon the grade and junior high schools, organizations, and individuals in Japan who had inquired about the project, Care Japan was able to have the participation of 139 schools, organizations, and individuals, approximately equal to that of 2002 (138). 193 "rainbow" boxes containing 1,187 students' artwork as well was 2,679 tubes of paint, 8,543 notebooks, and other supplies. It was the first time since the launch of the project that the rainbow boxes were provided to all 23 grade and junior high schools in the Luk Dek district. The stationary was distributed among the students, and the art supplies are managed by the schools and used with care. |
| Art Workshop This year's workshop was conducted mainly focusing on providing training to the teachers so that the teachers could attain the skills to provide guidance to their students. The workshop was held in April from the 6th until the 9th at the Prek Dach Primary School in the Luk Dek district. Seventy teachers, close to double the figure from last year, and 260 students participated from 18 grade schools in the area. Continuing from 2001, 6 art teachers from The PASS ("The private Art School Society to Encourage International Exchange of Children's Art") was invited, and a forum for discussions were provided so that they could talk about the principles of art education, such as the 'importance of drawing something that touched one's heart over drawing well' as well as providing a chance for the teachers to actually experience water color painting. Children who participated in the workshop also experienced water painting, and time was also allocated to enjoy the artwork created. |
| Exchange of Artwork among Students in Japan and Cambodia The artwork of Japanese students sent in the rainbow boxes were introduced at the workshop, and later exhibited in the schools. About 700 artworks created by the students in Cambodia at the workshop and in classes were sent to Japan attached with a letter. These were exhibited on websites and at following exhibitions. June 2003: Care Japan homepage (Cambodia Art Exhibition) November 2003: Tokyo Marine Gallery, 'Cambodia Children's Art Exhibition' (Nov. 25 - 28) March 2004: Children's International Exchange Exhibition Hosted by The PASS (Kyoto, Mar. 26 - 28) |
| Establishment of Educational Cultural Learning Center Proposed in 2003, the construction of the 'Educational Cultural Learning Center' opened on April 6, 2004. 1,000 school staff and villagers, as well as the Minister of Youth Education and Sports participated in the inauguration. The center was built to support the development of cultural and educational activities in the district; it is being run by villagers and teachers. Of course art classes and exhibitions take place, the center also has libraries, and students come to learn about regional culture. Villagers also may use the center. |
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Future Tasks
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| Strengthening the Workshops for Teachers Only 3% of the entire student population can participate in the workshops, thus in the future, Care Japan hopes to support the training of teachers so that they will be able to directly provide guidance to students, and help more students enjoy art. In two to three years time, they aim to have implemented an institution for training so that teachers from Japan need not be dispatched. Moreover, they hope to have the participation of 2 grade schools that have not been able to participate in the workshop in the past. |
| Monitoring the Response of the Local Children, Teachers, Parents, and the Effectiveness of the Program Care Japan conducted interviews to the workshop participants, but they were not able to receive any feedback from the parents. In order to assess the effect of the program, parent surveys are to be conducted in the future regarding the following:
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| Follow-up on the Educational Cultural Learning Center Care Japan will follow-up on the center to assess what role the center is playing, how it may contribute to the development of cultural education in the district and also follow-up on the active usage and its achievements. |
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New Developments
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| They are considering in a positive light, construction of a library in one of the relative districts with the worst transportation access. The Peem Choa district of Plein Ben state is even more poverty stricken than Luk Dek, and the transportation infrastructure worse; the teachers in the area have showed interest in the Rainbow Project, so they expect new developments in the future. |
The voices of teachers and children who participated in the workshop.
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 Kum Kimney (teacher)Plek Dach Grade School I had hoped to participate in this workshop from before, and I am very happy that my hopes came true this time. Before the Rainbow Project began, we didn't have any supplies, and children did not have hardly any opportunities to carry on activities. Since the project began, children have shown interest in art activities, especially for work using colors. Now, art classes have become an important class in attracting children to the school; children look forward to coming to school. Because the art class is conducted in a relaxed atmosphere, I believe that it has a positive effect on the children's spirit as well. My dream is to learn many techniques, and to communicate this to other teachers and children. Through the art classes, I hope to create an environment where many more children would want to come to school.
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2003 Rainbow Project - Project Expenses
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| ￥6,401,479- |
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Activities at a Glance
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 The Cultural Learning Center Opens! |
 The children show each other their completed works. They have excellent smiles on their faces. |
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 The teachers' first attempt at water color painting at the workshop. |
 Children and teachers alike are quite serious about their task. |
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 Children are gleeful after receiving stationary sent from Japan. |
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