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Since 2006 Sacred Heart Parish has been supporting various projects in Svay Sisophon.
These include:
Contributions towards a new church
Ongoing support for the baby milk and prison programmes
Help for housing, hygiene, education and cultural development
Funding for a regular HIV/AIDS clinic [in association with The Catholic Medical Association]
Groups of parishioners have visited Svay every year since 2006 and this has enabled us to see first-hand exactly how the money has been used - a very important factor in maintaining people's enthusiasm for the project.
These visits not only develop our knowledge and understanding of Cambodian culture and the problems the country faces but, most importantly, build genuine friendships with local people from whom we, as 'first world' people have so much to learn. This personal contact has been further enhanced by good email links in both directions and by the regular sending of good wishes at Easter, Christmas and Cambodian New Year.
Population: 14 million
75% are under 25 years old
Life expectancy : 54
70% have no access to clean water
8 out of 10 have no toilet
2 out of 10 children die before age 5
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THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN CAMBODIA
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The Catholic Church has set up a number of centres across Cambodia, serving the whole community based entirely on need and regardless of faith. The service includes:
Rice soup programme & basic hygiene
Literacy, English classes & skills training
Help for landmine victims
Medical support services including HIV/AIDS
Agricultural development
Reviving traditional culture through Cambodian dance
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The Catholic Dioceses of East Anglia and Battambang in North-West Cambodia have been linked since 2003 and through this link North Walsham Catholic Parish (which includes St. John of the Cross, Aylsham and St. Helen's, Hoveton) has been twinned with the Parish of St. Francis Xavier at Svay Sisophon, 25 miles from the Thai border, since 2006.
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SVAY SISOPHON
It's a large town of 100,000 people, 95% of whom are Buddhist and where the average daily wage is under $1 a day.
It's an unprepossessing place, a crossroads town, dusty, seedy and scruffy but nevertheless, extraordinarily welcoming and friendly.
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| St John's Catholic Infant School, Norwich has a friendship link with Kbal Spean School, near Svay Sisophon, offering spiritual and financial support and exchanging news and gifts
St. Michael's C. of E. Infant & Nursery School, Aylsham recently opened their friendship link to another school near Svay Sisophon and hope to support educational development for the 250+ students that attend Pongro School.
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