Newsletters

Editorial

I take the opportunity of this newsletter to thank our wide range of partners for their trust and their ongoing partnership. You will read further on the incredible story of Regis and his son Jacques Marcon for their idea to create a network of teachers to help develop the pedagogy at Sala Baï. I warmly thank Carole and Christophe Darney for their stay in Sala Baï, their precious guidance and the quality of their mindset. In Saint-Nazaire, France students from the vocational school Saint Anne is dedicating an entire charity dinner for Sala Baï : we specially thank the teachers and the headmaster's efforts to make this happen. In Australia, Fritz Gubler's team has set up a webpage to thank all the supporters of Sala Baï and inform them of the project.

I deeply thank all the team of Sala Baï friends for their generous financial support.

To all of them, thank you very much.

Xavier Eschermann, President of Act for Cambodia

Food Lover's Experience...

According to the visit of Régis Marcon in February 2009 (from Régis & Jacques Marcon, 3 Michelin star restaurant since 2005) a strong partnership starts with Sala Baï. In 2010, Régis older son's, Jacques Marcon, volunteer at Sala Baï.

End of January Jacques spent one week with Joannès Rivière, Executive Chef at Hôtel de la Paix and former cooking trainer at Sala Baï. They join their talents and creativity for two exceptional culinary events. All the proceeds from these two events were donated to Sala Baï.

The Tapas dinner happened last January 26th and was a real success, Sala Baï dining room was packed! The cooking students work alongside the two renowned chefs.

Few days after, the second Dinner took place at Meric Restaurant, Hôtel de la Paix. The two chefs join their talents to cook a four course gourmet menu. Hôtel de la Paix welcome six students in the kitchen and six in the dining room. A beautiful event and a very special experience for Sala Baï students.

We warmly thank Jacques Marcon & Joannès Rivière, our partners: Hôtel de la Paix, Finestar, Cambodge Soir and all food lovers that join the events. We also thank her Excellency Mrs Carol A. Rodley, US Ambassador in Cambodia, for renewing her support to Sala Baï by sending a representant.

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Selection intake 2010-2011

Selection process for Sala Baï 9th intake was launched beginning of January 2010.

Key dates and first figures:

6th to 31st of January 2010: information campaign with an information session for partners NGO, radio announcements over 3 national stations, posters displayed around Siem Reap

Step 1: from 18th of January to 5th of February 2010 - application
592 application forms received, including 318 girls and 274 boys
153 candidates applied through one of our 10 NGO partner
400 candidates are eligible for the next step

Step 2: from 15th of February to 30th of April 2010 - family visits
400 visits will be made during 11 weeks

Step 3: 16th of May 2010 - written tests

Step 4 : from 1st to 11th of June - personal interviews

On 21st of June 2010 : final list of the 100 students selected to make the 9th intake

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Carole & Christophe Darney, the training duo

A couple of two French volunteers, Carole and Christophe Darney took 2 weeks off their job for a train the trainer program with Sala Baï team. Carole is Restaurant and Oenology trainer at Lycée Belliard in Paris and Christophe is cook trainer at Ferrandi School of Culinary Arts in Paris.

They both focus on capacity building to the Restaurant and Cooking trainers: improving process and organization, bringing new ideas, strengthening communication between the two departments are their main objectives. They join Sala Baï team in the daily operations and give support to our local team upon their needs.

We also took the opportunity of Carole & Christophe visit to organize two fund raising dinners at Sala Baï on February 25th and March 4th, under the "Bistronomique" theme. This trendy mix between the bistrot and the gourmet cuisine, shaped for food lovers.

On February 25th, an exceptional decoration took place for that evening thanks to The Giant Puppet Project participation that accepts to exhibit some of the giant puppet animals in our restaurant. A peacock, a monkey, angel wings and a strange monster invade the school and create a great atmosphere. Carole also arranges a chic bistrot table set up with restaurant trainers, for a warm and intimate atmosphere.

We have been honored to welcome Ms Mailu Mizumoto, part of Touch Network, during this event. She wanted to visit Sala Baï since a long time and took this event as an opportunity to do it. During 2 days she could observe the school activities and organization and had a chance to taste the Bistronomique menu...

We warmly thank Carole and Christophe, Mailu, the Giant Puppet Project and Fine Star partner.

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Last 3 months agenda

December
1-4 Dec: a French sport coach, volunteer for Sala Baï for one week. She organized Qi Kong training for students and staff in Siem Reap Royal gardens. Qi Kong is an ancient Chinese technique designed to release the body's natural energy
4 Dec: Money matters training session with objective to improve mental calculation for money change
6 Dec: Our partner Sam McGoun, initiator of Touch network, runs his 2nd marathon to raise funds for Sala Baï in Singapore
7-18 Dec: Term 2 exams for group B
23 Dec: Childsafe examination for group B student's certification: 100% success!
21 & 23 Dec: after a conference explaining the origin of Christmas festivities, each class follows a specific workshop: front office students decorate offices and public areas of the school. Housekeeping students did a flower workshop and prepare table arrangements for Christmas lunches happening at the restaurant. Cooks prepare cookies to offer to Sala Baï guests and General Managers of our 18 partner hotels. Finally, a cocktail demonstration was made by the owner of Ms Wong cocktail bar for restaurants students
24 & 25 Dec: special Christmas menu at Sala Baï training restaurant, with gourmet Khmer courses. A great success with more than 60 customers & the opportunity for the students to try new recipes!
24 Dec - 3 Jan: 1 daily hour of extra English lessons for group B students, just before to start internship

January
4-5 Jan: Group A is back to school after 8 weeks in industry, group B starts internship for 8 weeks
6 Jan: Information session for NGO about the launch of selection process for intake 2010-2011. This year, 27 participants attend, representing 24 NGO's & the Ministry of Womens Affairs
18 Jan: 1st step of selection process 2010-2011, candidates have 3 weeks to apply (See Selection 2010-2011 article)
From 18 Jan: extra English lessons for 19 students from group A (1 daily hour + 2 hours per week end day) and 14 students from group B (2 hours per week end day) with a Khmer English teacher from New York International School
25 Jan-2 Feb: visit of Jacques Marcon, French renowned Chef, for 2 fund raising events (See Jacques Marcon article)

February
10 Feb: monitoring visit by our financial partner The Asia Foundation, represented by Ms Lim Siv Hong
12 & 19 Feb: Siem Reap National Museum visit
15 Feb: 2nd step of selection process 2010-2011: family visits (See Selection 2010-2011 article)
22 Feb-5 Mar: 2 weeks train the trainers program with Carole (restaurant trainer) & Christophe (cook trainer) Darney, a couple of French volunteers (See Carole & Christophe article)
25 Feb: fund raising dinner at Sala Baï with Christophe & Carole Darney
26 Feb: two Belgian volunteers did a clown show for students and staff. They usually perform in Belgium with children in hospitals. They are now doing 2 months road shows in Cambodia over orphanages and NGO's. Thank you!

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Sre Ampil

Last news about the centre

A monitoring mission has been done on December 8th 2010 at Sre Ampil centre, The Peaceful Children Home, supported by Agir Pour Le Cambodge. The visit objectives were to check the number of children and set up the 2010 allowance contract.

• Total number of children on December 8th 2010:
   70 children: 43 boys & 27 girls. 24 of which are supported by Agir Pour Le Cambodge
• 25 are in primary school (13 boys & 12 girls) & 45 in high school, from grade 6 to 12 (30 boys & 15 girls)

APLC 2010 financial support:
Fix quarterly allowance of 2190 $, or 8760$ for 2010. This amount is dedicated to:

• running center expenses
• extra lessons
• medical expenses
   

Activities:

• Sewing training and sewing activities on request (ex: aprons for a Japanese hotel school)
• Fish farm: the centre receives a 35'000 fish?s donation from a Nederland donor for breeding in the artificial lake done few years ago. Fishing should start next April to feed the children and sale at the local market.
• Biogas energy system is now on operation
• The centre works only with solar & biogas energy, thanks to the company that rent a part of the orphanage land. This company builds and installs solar panel (water pumps & electricity). 
• Rice (2 to 3 harvests per year, covering 3 months of the total needs)
• Traditional dance shows are regularly organized to raise funds for the centre

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In France ...

Solidarity, factor of life in a high school

The teaching team and the students of hotel and catering Ste Anne highschool in St Nazaire, have once again put up a charity dinner on March 18th for the benefit of Sala Baï. Since 2006, Joseph Le Gal, the manager of this high school, has emphasized the responsible commitment of Saint Anne's team and its students.

Why do you help Sala Baï ?
Because I know the seriousness of this organisation, after going on site to discover by myself what was exactely the matter. Actually, the initiative comes from two teachers of the high school, Annie Rouillé and Jacques Hybert. Coming back from a trip to Cambodia, where they had visited Sala Baï, they suggested the idea of supporting this vocational school in Cambodia. Michel Phung*, student of Cambodian origin in St Anne school here, was very interested in this plan. But I needed to check out what was the matter by myself, which I did during holidays. You know, sometimes it's difficult to sign up to expand activities from France. It seemed to me necessary to fit the actions in the context on the spot and to set up programs in accordance with the identified requirements.
 

What did you do there ? 
I stayed at Sala Baï and could test the hotel and the room service. I tested the restaurant of this training school as well, like the good and tasty Cambodian cooking and its specialities. I was also greeted warmly and the other partnerships Sala Baï has established made me become truly enthusiastic. Today our support still goes on and will in the future, because on one hand, we wish to help young people and their family but we also want to ensure a timelessness commitment. We really build on hope in the future, we have to continue and assume this responsibility honestly.
 
Is this particular dinner a teaching step ?
Not excactly. Entertainments with special themes are organised in the school where we can welcome between 50 to 90 persons. But this specific experience is very rich. It is a delightful mixture of the discovery and experience of solidarity in itself, a combination of French, Thai and Cambodian cooking, and work in group...  It is a must for the training of these young people. Also they commit themselves in this action with pleasure, kindness and with all their heart. Moreover they are not alone, French people are also very generous. We have already put up three fundraising dinners since the beginning of the year. I was somewhat afraid of having problems to fill up the dining room to its capacity. It's the other wayround that occured. The dinner in favour of Sala Baï is the last and it's booked, with a waiting list.
 
What is the interest for the school to register in such a step ?
Well, it not only allows to convey a sure image to the external world but moreover, those charity events buid up a different dynamics from the everyday ones. That breaks off the way of everyday life. These records, we must admit, are a true factor of life in the school ! And moreover, I inform you here and now, that our school will assume perennially the organisation of fundraising dinners in favour of Sala Baï,. We are very pleased to make common cause with this action with Régis Marcon, the very famous French chef.
 
 * Michel Phung, initiator of the organisation of fundsraising dinners in 2009, has collected 1 800 euros, a sum that allows today to finance part of a training year for 4 students in Sala Baï.
 
 

A few words about Sainte Anne's highschool...

-          750 Young people and an average rate of successful result of 94 % in
      year 2009.
-          First French Catholic highschool for the Hotel training founded in
      1963.
-          Sainte Anne's highschool offers professional training courses from
      CAP to BTS with further trainings
-          A second Center for skill: the Health Center
-          Sainte Anne's highschool offers a professional training Center for
      adults.
-          A partnership with 7 countries of the European Union and Sala Baï
      (outside Europe)
-          The Sainte Anne's highschool will be present at the World Fair in
      Shanghai by the end of June and beginning of July 2010

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