CORDE Current Programs

"Hope for the Heart"

Literacy and Empowerment for Children and Junior Youth

The Hope for the Heart Program was initiated in 1995. This program goes beyond the skills of reading and writing. Its aim is to equip young people with the words and way of thinking that will enable them to engage in meaningful social action as they grow. Thus it endows these young people with the capabilities needed to effectively use 'words' as an instrument for their own transformation and contribute to the transformation of their own community.

CORDE daily study groups are for a minimum 2 hours with a minimum class of 20 students. In 1995, there were 20 classes and volunteer teachers were given an allowance for transport, oil for lamps for classes, stationery for students and incidentals. By 1997, the number of classes increased to 35 with some 550 children participating.

As students graduate and volunteer to be teachers, more classes open. Currently there are 57 tutorial classes with 1400 children. These classes supplement and complement school education. However, for about 50% of the children unable to afford schooling, this education given by CORDE is the only education they are receiving.

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Centers of Learning

To engage a wider population of the community and to gain from the systematic learning from the experiences of Literacy and Empowerment program, CORDE established Centers of Learning. These Centers invite youths and adult population to deepen their literacy ability and increase their power to express themselves and take social action to improve their community. Youths and adults are systematically trained to take up a path of service to help transform their own community. Among the courses are Peace Education, Environment Education, Organic Agriculture, Primary Health Care and Community Banking.

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Organic Farming

This project arose out of the natural stirrings of the grassroots. The trauma and sufferings of the past has resulted in the lack of agricultural development. Mines destroyed the fertility of the land and made cultivation dangerous. The instability of life as a result of the war took away the desire to cultivate for fear of not being able to reap its harvest.

Based on the capability of its volunteers, a plan of action for agricultural growth was developed in 1995. It began with education on cultivation and the initiation of a small nursery in Battambang. A few youths were trained to grow seedlings. About 500 saplings of fruit trees were distributed to villagers as gifts with the understanding that the villagers would grow these trees and the fruits would be fed to their children to improve their nutritional intake. Many villagers did not want to grow the seedlings as they regarded it as hopeless and were skeptical that there would live long enough to enjoy the harvest. As the trees grew, their sense of hopefulness in a peaceful future also increased.

Currently the project focuses on organic farming and environmental conservation as well as better health for the families rather than income generation.

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Curriculum

Children Ages 6-8
English Language for Children – This is a curriculum designed by a team of volunteers and CORDE teachers to help children learn English ina proper and systematic way.

Children ages 9-10
Moral Teaching Textbook 1 – This is the first book of a set of Moral Textbooks designed by Foundation of Science based in Lucknow, India. It not only teaches children English, but character development, some science and arts. It has attractive comics that keep the interestof the children. This set is also translated into Khmer Language for easy learning.

Children age 10
Moral Teaching Textbook 2 – After completing Moral Teaching Textbook 1.

Children age 11
Moral Teaching Textbook 3 – After completing Moral Teaching Textbook 2.

Junior Youth ages 12-14
Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program – This set of books is aimed to empower Junior Youths at this age of adolescent undergoing physical, emotional and social changes to develop a positive self-concept. It assists JY to develop vocabulary and enhance language literacy to express themselves as well as shape their thoughts.

Academic Programs for Youths:
Science – Properties
Maths – Numerical Statements, Classification
Social Science – Transition to Agriculture.

Breezes of Confirmation, by William Mmutle Masetlha Foundation
Glimmerings of Hope, by Development Learning Press
Learning About Excellent, by Development Learning Press
Walking the Straight Path, by Badi Foundation
Drawing on the Power of the Word, by Ruhi Foundation.

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