At our July Supper Meeting, President-Elect of Solihull Soroptimists Margaret Jarman, spoke about the ‘Golden Threads’ that led her to sponsor water wells and schools in Cambodian villages. Margaret’s husband Peter had a dream of education and after his recent death from kidney cancer, she was determined to fulfil that dream. A chance meeting with Jenni Lipa in Spain in 2010, Margaret was introduced to the Cambodian Child’s Dream Organisation (CCDO). Jenni had established Friends of CCDO in the US to support the vision of Mr Panha Ou, who is committed to improving life in his country’s villages after the terror of the Khmer Rouge and Pol Pot’s regime by providing clean water and supporting education in rural schools. Attending school is a Cambodian child’s dream.

In 2011, Margaret started the UK Friends of Cambodian Child’s Dream Organisation and has personally donated funds for six wells. She has visited Siam Reap several times and as a result of speaking at the United Nations Conference on Violence in Rural Areas last year, Midlands Soroptimists have become involved. This has become our regional project and already one water well has been built for a Primary School helping 378 children to have access to water, from the funds raised by recycling old jewellery and bras. Stourbridge Club and their Past President, Ann Middleton, have supported the charity by raising funds for two water wells. One water well supports a family and neighbours which can be up to 35 people.

Since 2007, CCDO has built over 400 water wells around the Siam Reap area which provide clean water to over 16,000 Cambodians. As well as building water wells, CCDO is also sponsoring four schools and running many projects in providing communities with improved healthcare, clean environments, sustainable crops and increased awareness about the dangers of human trafficking. Their latest initiative is to run a Student Volunteer Work Experience programme with students from the USA which next year will include those from the UK.

For more information on CCDO please visit their website www.friendsofccd.org For more details regarding the activities and membership of the Club, please email on kidderminstersorop@gmail.com or look at our website link on www.sigbi.org