Student expedition helps Cambodian school

Emma Holman with pupils at Mkak Primary School. 

The smiles of 75 Cambodian schoolchildren should be shining just that little bit brighter, thanks to the generosity of Warkworth residents.Mahurangi College student Emma Holman launched a Facebook appeal in December calling on people to donate toothbrushes. Emma is one of seven Mahurangi College students who have just spent a month in Cambodia on a World Challenge educational expedition.

The 15-year-old says she decided to collect toothbrushes for the children of Mkak Primary School as she knew the school was in a very poor area and she thought they might not be able to afford them.

“I ended up taking 75 toothbrushes,” she says. “There were two classes and I just handed them out and they all said thank you.”

The Mahurangi students – Emma, plus Ella Ferguson, Natasha Foster, Hannah Taylor, Toby Swann McKay, Victoria Lawton and Eva Ferguson Rebenscheid – travelled with college maths teacher Dr Qingxiang Zhang, together with a group of students from Wellington. As well as exploring Cambodia, they spent time at Mkak Primary School on a project to help the school by building an external wall.

Emma says the month away was quite a culture shock, and made her realise how lucky she was to live in New Zealand.

“It was really different. Nothing like New Zealand. Very hot, and very humid,” she says. “It would be nice to go back again one day and visit.”

The trip originally cost $7,500, but, with extra gear and expenses, ended up costing nearer $11,000, which required a significant amount of fundraising, including sausage sizzles, raffles, a 14km hike, selling home-grown sunflowers and a dinner and auction night. She says she could not have succeeded without generous support from a wide range of local businesses, residents and family members, for which she is very grateful.