Posted on 12/26/2007 7:30:38 PM PST by llevrok
BANTEAY SREY, Cambodia - Hundreds of Cambodian villagers welcomed the arrival of a new school Wednesday, a gift from an American teenager who raised $52,000 after reading about the hardships of growing up in Cambodia.
Rachel Rosenfeld, 17, of Harrison, NY, said she learned about the village of Srah Khvav after reading a newspaper article last year that discussed the plight of poor Cambodian children with little access to education. The American said she was horrified to learn that some young Cambodian girls end being sold into prostitution by their parents.
The teen said she set out to help after spending most of last year battling a stomach disorder. She required medical treatment that forced her to miss a year of school.
To raise money, Rosenfeld sent out hundreds of fundraising letters, sold T-shirts and offered naming rights for several structures in the school, a statement said. The $52,000 she raised was supplemented by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, which contributed $10,000 and $13,000, respectively, said her mother, Lisa Rosenfeld.
Children in white shirts and navy pants, the Cambodian school uniform, stood in two neat lines and clapped as Rosenfeld and her family arrived. The students pressed their palms together in a sign of respect and thanks.
"Going to school is very important to everyone's future," Rosenfeld said at the opening ceremony, according to a statement. "If I can build this school, then each of you can set goals for yourselves that you can reach."
"Aim very high, and you'll be surprised what you can achieve," she said.
Ung Serei Dy, an education official from Siem Reap province, said "The school donated by Rachel Rosenfeld is very important to us," he said, adding that she had "set a standard that all of us should learn from."
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
How d’ya like them apples, Oprah?
Dem apples is terrific.
America's not broken yet!
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