It’s been more than 20 years that the “Comité Départ” carries on in our school. Our association, created in 1994, first aimed at promoting agriculture thanks to the creation of market gardening areas, preparation of soils for plantations and creation of henhouses in Senegal and Benin. But it is through a more human dimension that the “Comité Départ” now makes sense since it just has built houses on stilts and renovated schools in Cambodia.

 

Each year, around 30 pupils from year 12 and 13 are chosen according to their motivation, implication in the association and their dedication in a project that will require numerous human qualities.

 

Houses, schools…

 

It was during a meeting with a priest for foreign missions, settled in Cambodia, that the inhabitants’ needs were targeted and the missions were defined.

 

The beneficiary families are chosen in function of their resources, their needs but also the level of deterioration of their house. To build, we work in partnership with worker of the village in question and a foreman. The materials are ordered and bought in situ, and they delivered before our arrival.

 

Why schools? Each member of each mission is committed to take only half on the weight authorized for his or her luggage. The other half will be used to bring school supplies, toys and clothes that the pupils will have collected during his or her missions. When visiting the schools during the distribution, we realize how damaged and precarious some buildings were. This assessment incited us to implement another additional project: to build houses.

 

An educational mission

 

We recruit pupils through admission file, in which must appear a research on the country targeted, a cover letter and a commitment letter from the pupil and his or her parents.

 

Once established the list of participants, we meet each week to prepare the trip and implement the different actions to fund the project. These meetings allow the pupils to get to know each other, to create a group cohesion before the “big day”.

 

A cultural discovery

 

Pupils are living in the villages and discover the Cambodian art of living. We wanted to make them uncover the cultural wealth of Cambodia. These visits allow them to have additional and new knowledge but also to understand the Khmer culture through different sites and monuments. It is an amazing to learn how to adapt and to better integrate to culturally different group.

 

… but also a human adventure!

 

We don’t have to forget that if the “Comité Départ” is an association which want to act concretely to improve inhabitants’ living conditions, it also wants open the heart and the spirit of its pupils who will participate in this project. Each trip brings to cohesion which carries on even after the missions. With an environment so different from the one we know, with physical fatigue, tropical climate, we learn how to count on each other. It is a true human wealth.

 

Each mission means memories, amazing encounters, revolt regarding injustice and misery, discovery of a new way of life and a strong desire to put a lot into fighting against inequalities.

 

Our actions

 

To find money which will allow us to implement our projects each year is a daily fight. That’s why our pupils are asked to do diverse actions and to find new ones each year. Here are a few examples of missions:

 

  • “Calendar” operation: Our pupils contact some businesses to offer them the possibility to pay for a place in our calendar to put their logo. This calendar will be then distributed to the 2,000 pupils of our school.
  • “Parents’ meal” operation: During the annual parents’ meal, the pupils serve the parents in return for money.
  • “Couscous” operation: Each year, a dance meal is organized with a tombola. They also serve people and all the money goes to the association.
  • “Share your sandwich” operation: We give to the pupils the possibility to swap their meal for a sandwich and an apple, the price difference is donated to the association.
  • “Sale of nest boxes” operation: During the traditional “plants party” of the Institut de Genech, the pupils sell nest boxes but also crepes, waffles and coffees to visitors.

 

It is thanks to this dedication and determination that each year, two more missions are implemented. Do not hesitate to support this amazing adventure!

 

For more information, www.comitedepart.com