Cambodian Children’s Fund (CCF) has celebrated its partnership and cross-cultural collaborations with the University of Nottingham, one of the top 20 universities in the United Kingdom.
CCF and the university have been working together for almost eight years to develop CCF’s Education Program and create a generation of teachers capable of delivering a world-class education to the most disadvantaged children.
It all began with an introduction from Robert Cripps, the former Velcro Companies chairman and a long-term CCF supporter. In 2017, Velcro Companies generously gifted CCF its state-of-the-art NCA school. The Cripps Foundation is a major donor to the University of Nottingham through its philanthropic work to promote educational opportunities for all.
To mark the partnership, CCF and the Cripps Foundation recently presented the university with a stunning stone carving, a smaller replica of one hanging in the entrance of CCF’s high school, the Neeson Cripps Academy (NCA) in Phnom Penh.
What began as a visit from the University of Nottingham’s School of Education to the NCA has grown into a long-term collaboration to develop CCF’s Education Program.
The university has provided educational expertise, planning and research, teacher training, and professional development. This includes offering CCF teachers and education staff the opportunity to study online for the University of Nottingham’s globally recognised PGCEi programme (Postgraduate Certificate in Education International), equipping CCF teachers with advanced pedagogical skills and educational leadership training to deliver high-quality education and elevating the standard of teaching in Cambodia.
The Cripps Foundation and CCF gifted the carving to the University of Nottingham to thank them for their work, expertise, and support of CCF to ensure that all children can achieve their true potential, irrespective of background.
Standing 1.5m x 3m, the intricate bas-relief stone carving is a half-size replica of the traditional Angkor Wat-style carving in the NCA entrance. The original masterpiece depicts Cambodia’s rich cultural history and a vision of the future, inspired by ideas and drawings from CCF students and grannies in the community.
We need to give children the best quality education and the best-trained teachers we can
Robert Cripps officially unveiled the replica carving in Nottingham on 27 November last year, along with CCF founder Scott Neeson, at a ceremony attended by university President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Jane Norman.
“The Cripps Foundation builds education buildings around the world, but it is what happens inside them that matters,” said Robert Cripps. “Without teachers, pupils can’t learn. That’s why we need to give children the best quality education and the best-trained teachers we can - and that’s why the collaboration with the University of Nottingham is so important.”
At Cambodian Children's Fund, we believe that education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty
Scott Neeson also highlighted the impact of the partnership and its role in transforming lives of the most at-need children.
"At Cambodian Children's Fund, we believe that education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty. Our partnership with the University of Nottingham is empowering countless teachers and transforming the lives of disadvantaged children in Cambodia. Together, we are creating a brighter future where every child has the opportunity to reach their fullest potential,” said Scott Neeson, Founder and Executive Director of Cambodian Children's Fund.
Also present at the ceremony was Professor Andrew Noyes, Professor of Education, and Professor Christine Hall, Emeritus Professor, School of Education, at the University of Nottingham.
Professor Noyes and Professor Hall initially visited CCF in 2017 at the invitation of Robert Cripps and devised the original plan for the development of professional education at the NCA.
Their work is being continued and built upon by Dr Lucy Cooker, Professor of International Education, Director of Global Engagement, Faculty of Social Sciences, at the University of Nottingham.
The carving will grace the entrance to the Monica Patridge Building, the university’s brand-new Learning and Study space for all students.
Monica Partridge was the first woman to be a Professor at the University of Nottingham. Born in Nottingham, she studied French at the university and later became a Slavic studies scholar who led the Department until she retired in 1980. After her death, she bequeathed a sum of money to assist students in gaining Fellowships.
“I really love the fact that the carving is going in the building named after our first female professor because of the emphasis at Cambodian Children’s Fund on girls' education,” said Dr Lucy Cooker, who is currently working with CCF on several education projects.
The carving was designed by acclaimed Cambodian painter and sculptor Chhim Sothy and brought to life by master carver Mak Sambo, who also produced the intricate copy for the University of Nottingham.
The fascinating journey to produce the original carving was captured in a video. Click below to watch.
The NCA, CCF’s flagship education facility, is in an area of extreme poverty adjacent to the former Steung Meanchey garbage dump site, where the first CCF children once worked and lived in horrendous conditions.
The school provides a high-quality education with a STEM-focused curriculum to around 450 of the most disadvantaged children. NCA graduates are now securing international scholarships in Australia, the U.S., and Europe.
Building the NCA has not only impacted the lives of children but also transformed the entire community, instilling a sense of pride and desire to improve.
As the school has evolved, so has the partnership with CCF and the University of Nottingham, strengthening ties between the two countries. CCF is advancing the development of its education program and national standards by working with the university and its School of Education through knowledge sharing, capacity building and teacher training with opportunities for CCF education staff and teachers.
