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Author: juerg

SMILING GECKO CAMPUS

OUR CULTURAL BUILDING SITE

We are actually masters at building efficiently and quickly, but even we can’t get a project like the «House of Culture and Music» up and running overnight.
December 27, 2023

And even if we can hardly wait to finally open this place of cultural identity in Cambodia, we know that we still have to be a little patient.

But we are certain that it will be worth the wait.

To make the time until completion a little shorter for you and us, we have decided to publish regular photo updates on the progress of the construction work on this page. So it’s definitely worth checking back regularly.

Letzte News

School and Kindergarten

HURRA: DIE NEUEN SIND DA!

Some of them still look a bit skeptical, but we are sure: in a very short time, our almost one hundred new school children will be happy to be at the Smiling Gecko Campus every day, where, depending on their age, they will either go to pre-school or directly to kindergarten will go.
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We are very happy to have welcomed so many new children this year. After the Corona-related school enrollment stop, we still must catch up with the number of children in order to maintain school operations from preschool to middle school without interruption.
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Speaking of middle school: This summer we were able to move the first fifty boys and girls into the 7th grade. It’s unbelievable how quickly time flies.

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SchOOL And Kindergarten

RECRUITMENT DAYS AT OUR SCHOOL​

The last few days were quite exciting for many families in the communities around the Smiling Gecko Campus: We had our “Recruitment Days”, to find up to 100 new children at the age of 3 for our pre-school and kindergarten.
For the selection process, we first formed small groups of 2 to 3 children, to monitor their interaction with peers of the same age. Then we analysed their cognitive abilities in various exercises. For us, this is another important basis for deciding which children we could take and which unfortunately we could not take.
Quite exciting. For the little ones, but also for the parents, who all really hope to be able to send their children to our school. After all, they know that for the first time there is a real prospect of a better, self-determined life for their offspring.
Unfortunately, we had to disappoint many families again this year because we simply do not have the capacity or better say the financial means. Therefore, we would like to make an appeal at this point. If you would like to support our school: We are very happy about every donation!
Donate now
We have made a short video of the Recruitment Days. Enjoy watching it.

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Farmhouse Resort

The new suites are almost finished!

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In our quest to make the Farmhouse Resort not only one of the most sustainable, but also one of the most beautiful hotels in Cambodia, we have achieved a lot in the last 24 months. With the ten new suites, we are currently creating a new milestone here. We are super proud and would like to take the opportunity to thank our employees as well as the local construction teams: You are great!

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School and Kindergarten

Our school expansion has begun!

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Wonderful things are happening at the Smiling Gecko Campus right now. We have laid the essential groundwork for the construction of the new middle school and the House of Culture and Music! Our Cambodian geometricians have surveyed the land for the construction of the infrastructure and the building land has been prepared. We have even started digging the artificial lake, which is of central importance for the construction project. This is because we need the earth extracted here to raise the areas on which buildings will later stand. At the same time, the lake will regulate the absorption of the immense water masses during the rainy season and of course we will also do fish farming here. So much for today. The next update will be at the laying of the foundation stone!

Latest News

Hannes was on the radio!

For re-listening: Hannes in the nightclub on SRF1 Radio.

If you always wanted to hear an in-depth interview with our founder Hannes Schmid, now is your chance. On Tuesday, 31.1.2023, Hannes was Ralphi Wicki’s guest at the «Nightclub» on SRF1 Radio and talked for almost three hours about his life, his work and of course a lot about Smiling Gecko. Just click on the links and enjoy listening.
The first hour
The second hour
The third hour

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News from the school

The Smiling Gecko Scholarship Programme

With an annual funding requirement of currently around 1.4 million Swiss Francs, our school and kindergarten are by far our biggest expense but also our most important. Because only with a good education there is a future for our currently around 400 school children in rural Cambodia.

Therefore, we have decided to launch a scholarship programme at the beginning of 2023, through which private sponsors can cover the school fees of one of our school children or support the school financially in general.

You can find out more about the programme here.

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Video message from Hannes Schmid

Things remain difficult

Before Hannes comes to Switzerland for the Holiday Season, he recorded a last short update on the current situation in rural Cambodia. The situation remains extremely tense. In a country that so much deserves to experience better times.
Watch the video.

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Events

Smiling Gecko is at the International Contemporary Art Fair «Kunst 22 Zürich»

From 27th to 30th October 2022 we will have a stand at «Kunst 22 Zürich» in Hall 550 in Oerlikon. We are exhibiting pictures taken by our founder Hannes Schmid of the garbage collectors in Sihanoukville. Impressive pictures that show why our commitment in Cambodia is so essential.

Feel free to come by and look at the pictures – maybe you’d like to buy one too! Of course, we think that’s a good thing! Because we get 100% of the income and can invest it back into the project.

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Latest News

CRAFTSMANSHIP & PRODUCTION

WOW! FOUR YOUNG CARPENTERS HAVE JUST GRADUATED AT THE SMILING GECKO CARPENTRY!

Reason to celebrate at the Smiling Gecko Campus: Four of our apprentice carpenters have completed their training and are now well equipped for a life with a perspective in Cambodia. We are very proud of the young men and would be happy if they stay with us a little longer. And they probably will. Because with us they continue to receive language lessons and have the chance of further training to become carpentry managers. The prerequisite to train apprentices themselves. Our goal!
The young carpenters from left to right:

Sorn Pen
Pen is 20 years old. He comes from the village of Srae Sa in the immediate vicinity of the campus. He has a total of seven siblings, four of whom live with him and his mother. Unfortunately, his father recently passed away, so Pen is now the single earner in the family, as he is the only one with a regular income. Pen started to work at the carpentry three years ago. Before that, he worked as a painter in Phnom Penh. In his free time, Pen enjoys playing volleyball.

Hon Kav
Kav is 23 years old. He comes from Chreas village near Sala Lek 5 (about 20 kilometers from campus.) Kav is the father of twins. He just got married and moved to Srae Sa. His wife works in one of the garment factories in the area. Before coming to us, he worked in construction in Phnom Penh. He has five siblings, all of whom are also married. In his spare time, he likes to go fishing to save some money on food.

Hen Seyha
19-year-old Seyha is the youngest in the group. He comes from Srae Sa, where his parents work as farmers. Seyha has a total of six siblings, all of whom still live at home. Two of his siblings work at the Farmhouse Resort. One of the sisters has a few cows and also a small cricket farm (crickets are a popular snack in Cambodia). To generate a little extra income, the family also runs a cleaning business for motorcycles, where Seyha helps out in his spare time.

Phoeun Pheu
Pheu is 23 years old. He also lives in Srae Sa. As a carpenter, Pheu is following in the footsteps of his father, who also works in the carpentry shop at the Smiling Gecko campus. His mother is a farmer and owns a few cows. He has four siblings, two of whom work in a garment factory, and one is still in school. Before he started with us three years ago, he worked in construction. In his spare time, he helps out on the farm. And he also loves to repair furniture. That way, he can apply what he has learned with us right away.

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Smiling Gecko e.V.
Tuslingerstraße 23
79102 Freiburg
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info@smilinggecko.de

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Every amount counts to give people in rural Cambodia a future.

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