The ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new computer lab
THE JOY OF SHREK. Angsoeng Library founder Chandara Lor has sent a dispatch about the new computer lab he’s opened with the help of Pookai donations and the recent Keep Angsoeng Lit initiative. There isn’t much we can add to this wonderful statement, except to say this is the kind of news that crystallizes what The Pookai Book Project hopes to do.

Chandara’s e-mail is run verbatim below.

A long time ago, donated desktop computers that we received were on museum-style display in a corner of the Angsoeng Library in the heart of Takeo province’s Seiha village. Sadly, rural patrons would only pat them gently as they do their cows, and admire the equipment.

Thanks to large donations, including my own, spent on the recent purchase of five-kilowatt-powered generator, and generous contributions from friends to buying gasoline, rural children no longer simply pat them from this month on. They actually get to touch and type our computers freely.

On Dec. 8, 2004, the Angsoeng launched the opening of the computer and English labs, called Access the Computer, with community leaders such as the Seiha village chief and a head monk from nearby Wat (Buddhist pagoda) invited to speak to the crowd of about 70 students attending the library’s English classes as well as their parents, and cut the red ribbon marking the grand opening of the Access the Computer.

Seiha Village Chief Keo Lanh and Venerable Ngel Nan said they are happy for all the rural poor children in Seiha and other villages within the Chambak commune. They also thanked you, all generous donors, and me for making the Access the Computer possible. Ngel Nan, himself once the victim of dire village poverty that threw him in the monkhood so he could get more chance to learn in Buddhist channel, told he also wants to learn typing computer.

It was a wonderful opening day, as I observed then, that many young kids swarmed me around inside the lab until I feel it was like I myself was recently swarming new King Norodom Sihamoni along with other reporters for getting his royal comments on varieties of issues. Some bravely grabbed chair and sit proudly in front of our donated computers to watch and pat again for minutes. They watched because they did not know how to use and how to type it. I helped them learn basic lesson on computer such as how to turn on and off, how to compose, how to draw on computer, how to play educational games and so on. We will continue to allow children with some knowledge of English free access to it. As you realize, one who is able to use computer has to get some knowledge of English to command all the tools. But sometimes, young children including my older sons, Putt and Ted, don’t need English when they searched for games. They just remembered how to use. I prefer to see the Angsoeng Library’s patrons using computers to sharpen their English skill.

On a hi-tech computer donated by a US company through The Pookai Books Project, I played a DVD cartoon movie ‘Shrek 2’ as the first attraction to the patrons. The audience loved the movie especially Shrek character because he is strange from the others. After Shrek 2, children played a number of educational video games on DVDs sent in from the Pookai.

Angsoeng Library put out a plan to keep the computers accessible to its patrons especially the English students and well-visited readers. The Access the Computer’s main rule is restricted to English students and any young patron with the record of regular visit to the library. To me, I still give the highest priority to foster the love of reading and writing.

Vong Pov Pisei, 12, daughter of the library director Vong Pov, teaches her fellow kids about the basic use of computer. Pisei also is teaching herself a librarian for the Children’s Library, helping direct the library activity on her free time from school time.

So far, Angsoeng Library turned itself from a sapling I planted in 2001 to a grown-up tree now. From May 2001, the library was established, the English and art school, computer lab later. Angsoeng is teaching children about the diary writing on our Global Cambodia project in which those aged between 8 to 12 write their own diary and monthly information about their country to tell children in other countries. Global Cambodia is fostering teamwork and creativity among young writers. The Wall of Art exists.

We plan a village newspaper, community forum, and Bookmobile in the future.

Your support will be greatly appreciated to keep our mission afloat and sustainable to help educate the rural poor thirsty for knowledge. We look for your further donation to pay fulltime staff to keep the library and school going. The best way to donate us in the US, please contact The Pookai Books Project or me in Cambodia.

I thank you for reading my note. I will keep you updated about the next activities.

We'll keep updating you as things progress.