Photos

This is a somewhat rare depiction of a school fundraiser. Many schools in Cambodia have historically received the majority of funding either directly from either Buddhist Wats (temples) or from fundraisers such as this one.

The man under the umbrella has a microphone that he shouts through to announce the importance of donating to the building of the new school as well as the blessings that will result from donating generously. The bike trailer is full of car batteries, which power the speakers for the fundraising activities. Although not monks, some type of Buddhist organization generally sponsors these fundraisers; due simply to the fact that the state was not well established enough in 1995 to generate sufficient revenues for educational purposes. It just goes to show that local initiative, often generated through religious backgrounds, can be strong enough to take up the slack for that which overarching federal powers cannot handle. It is amazing what a little freedom will do for a people.