A village's journey through community’s reading camps
World Vision’s Reading Camp has been implemented in Cambodia since 2019 as a part of the Unlock Literacy education approach. By September 2023, the programme had reached more than 28,000 children across 970 reading camps in selected areas.
Unlock Literacy is an innovative approach that aims at enhancing classroom reading instruction while encouraging students, families, and community participation in extracurricular reading activities. Reading Camp is developed to reinforce this statement by improving children’s literacy through training community leaders to facilitate the camps with a curriculum containing games related to vocabulary, letter knowledge, phonemic awareness and comprehension.
Sreynit, an 11-year-old fourth-grade student, frequently attends the local reading camp located in the Samrong district of Takeo province; one of the targeted areas of World Vision International in Cambodia. She has been joining the reading camp since she was in grade 1 and has proven her transformation to people around her. She mentions that the reading camp has an extensive number of entertaining storybooks, that keep her returning to borrow more books. She also gets to play with her friends during the session on Sunday, which makes it even more exciting.
"I used to always play hide-and-seek on the roads around the village, but now I spend more time sitting and reading books. The different picture books I can borrow from the reading camp are more enjoyable to read than my textbooks" Sreynit added, "We also have enjoyable activity sessions on Sunday" she continued.
Sreynit's 75-year-old grandma Sorn generally looks after her during the day when her mother is not around. Sorn explained that Sreynit's habit has changed as a result of the reading camp approach. “I was always worried about her (Sreynit) because she used to always play outside and run around even if under the scorching hot sunlight, I have to keep calling her back home,” said Sorn.
Sorn added, “Now that she spends more time at home or at the reading camp reading storybooks with her friends, I don't have to worry as much.” Beyond only ensuring Sreynit's safety, the habit change benefits the family greatly. It is also her grandmother’s joyful heart. “I can't read for my granddaughter because I don't know the alphabet, but she can, and that makes me very happy” Sorn stated.
On another note, Raksmeyrun (38) and Korn (53) who are co-teachers at the community kindergarten supported by World Vision, share that they got high praise from the local primary school principal who claimed that enrolled students who have attended community kindergarten learned the alphabet more quickly than those who have not.
Sreynit is also a student at the community kindergarten on top of being a reading camp member. Raksmeyrun added, “I am doing this out of my own will with such great support from World Vision; I hope that it can build a greater future generation for our village.”
The Unlock Literacy model has systemically transformed the village. Korng Morn (57) the village chief where Sreynit resides, shares that he notices a great mindset and behavioural change in the community towards education and reading after the presence of the community reading camp. “I've seen that more parents are focusing on their kids' education and making more of an effort to encourage reading with their children at home. I recently paid a visit to the reading camp, and they do a great job,” Korng Morn emphasised.
