We are rarely afforded the opportunity to meet and listen to individuals who have made a huge impact on communities around the world. Thankfully, we were afforded the opportunity in class this past Tuesday when Tammy Durand, the founder of ABCs and Rice, came and spoke to us about the founding and expansion of her organization. It was inspiring to see someone as invested and zealous about activating awareness about poverty and establishing avenues for children to obtain the opportunity to learn English. ABCs and Rice is a nonprofit charity in Cambodia that serves children in extreme poverty by offering them an education and food to eat. Since its inception in January of 2010, the organization has grown to serve approximately 180 students and their families.

In a place like Cambodia where more than seventy percent of the population lives in extreme poverty, children are often exploited to panhandle or recycle in order to contribute back to the family. Due to this, children in Cambodia are often not afforded the opportunity to attend school or gain an education. Recognizing the need for children to contribute to the family and the importance of an education for future employment, Tammy established reverse tuition. In other words, students at ABCs and Rice are given rations of rice at the end of every month based on how many days they attended school. Reverse tuition allows them to obtain an education, learn English, and gain food security.

The organization focuses its attention on three areas: education, food and special projects. An example of their special projects is the Full Belly Farm which houses chickens, fish farms, and vegetable and fruit farms. The food produced from the farm is used in food drops and the Breakfast Club, the part of the organization that helps feed the community a balanced breakfast. Excess food is sold and any food left after that is funneled back into the organization. ABCs and Rice also provides families with water purifying tablets that allow them a safe, healthy, and less expensive alternative to boiling water (which often doesn’t extricate all impurities).

One of the most surprising facets of the organization is the extensive and detailed child protection policy. The protection policy is indicative that the organization is invested in the children and that the physical and psychological well-being of each individual is of utmost importance. Volunteers and full time workers are screened heavily in order to eliminate any possibility of harm or danger being inflicted onto Cambodian families. Though the policy is lengthy and extremely in depth, it is clear that Durand and her organization strives to offer unbounded love and opportunities to a community that has experienced too much hate and injustice.

http://abcsandrice.webs.com/