A group of 16 students from Ma Man Kei and Lo Pak Sam College (MLC), University of Macau (UM), led by Associate Master Dr. Larry Liang and Resident Fellow Dr. Gary Fung, went to a rural area of Cambodia, a country along the Belt and Road Initiative, for a 10-days volunteer service trip from May 27th to June 6th, 2019.
The OKORKI Middle School is located in Kompong Speu Province, Cambodia. There are three different classes with 175 students from local poor families. MLC students prepared English, Chinese, P.E, Art, Music and Crafts classes for the local students. Due to the limited number of local teachers, these courses have never been taught in the school before. In addition, the school is in remote area with no electricity connection and fresh water supply. To solve the water shortage problem, MLC students assisted the school to build a water reservoir.
The volunteer teaching not only opened the window to China, Macau, UM and the world outside Cambodia to the local students, but also helped them to solve practical difficulties. Through this service learning program, MLC students have a deeper understanding of the gap between the rich and the poor and enhanced their global citizenship sensibility and the willingness to serve the community. The students said that they will cherish the comfortable learning and living environment in Macau, and will study harder so that they can contribute back to the society in the future.
