A brave and intrepid group of young people from Maclean High School are volunteering to help build a community project at a school in Northern Cambodia during the July school holidays.
Fifteen students from years 8 – 10 have committed themselves to an exciting adventure with their time split between working on the project and being backpacking tourists. Depending on the funds raised, the project will be something that is needed in the village.
The rest of the trip students will be placed into groups where they will be the defacto leaders on the day. They will be in charge, with some help from the tour leader, organising where they go, how they will get there, what and where they eat and how to manage the money for the group on that particular day.
The skills and confidence the students will glean from this trip will be very beneficial as they grow older and contribute to our community.
The company offering the trip, Antipodeans, have partnered with the group and are busy organising the finer details of the trip including flights and accommodation. They also provide a tour leader to be with the students the whole time.
Many students expressed a need to give to people less fortunate and to experience different cultures and customs to become more aware of their world and become better global citizens.
Some of the students shared their thoughts in the lead up to their trip –
“It sounds exciting and I like the humanitarian side of this trip” – Jack.
“It will be a new experience and I like helping people” – Mali.
“I wanted to join this group so I could volunteer to help others in another country” – Will
“I want to help others who don’t get the same opportunities as I do” – Matilda.
“I want to help the local Cambodian community” – Jade.
“Having a very privileged life in Australia, this experience will show all the students how lucky we are and so we can give back to a Cambodian village by doing a community project” – Troy
The students have already paid for their trip but are now furiously fundraising in order to provide the school in Cambodia with a project that is sustainable, worthwhile and needed.
They have organised a raffle with some amazing prizes and will be selling tickets locally in their neighbourhood and also at the Yamba Markets on Sunday 28th of April.
There are other fundraising activities they have planned so please stay vigilant for updates.
Prizes have been donated from; Kane’s Sport, Gold Coast Titans, Newcastle Knights and Sydney Roosters NRL clubs, Yamba Fair Butchers, Spar Maclean, Maclean Variety Meats, Mitre 10 Yamba, Toyworld Maclean, Skye Café Maclean, Hooked on Seafood Maclean, Priceline Pharmacy Yamba, Flots and Jets Yamba, Maclean Flower Box, Botero Maclean, Latitude 29 café Yamba, Dunes café Yamba, Yamba Surf Centre, Revival Yamba, Sonya Holistic Boutique, Heart & Space Yamba and Maclean, Yamba Shores Tavern, Total Look Yamba, Kitchen to Table Yamba, Lone Rock Yamba, Gail’s gifts Maclean, Cest La Vie Maclean, Melts Massage Yamba and Blueberry café Maclean.
By supporting these students you are also supporting these wonderful local businesses and as well as supporting a community much worse off than we are.
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A group of young people from Maclean High School are travelling to Cambodia in the July School holidays, to help build a community project at a school in Northern Cambodia.
The company offering the trip, Antipodeans, have been in operation for over 20 years offering students, schools and universities the opportunity to take part in life changing experiences, whilst building mindfulness, resilience and leadership, through travel. Image: contributed