Yary

Dear CFI Family and Friends,

We hope this email finds you all safe and well. The global COVID-19 pandemic is causing disruption and confusion, so we thought we should update you on how CFI is being affected, and the steps we’ve taken to protect the well-being of students and staff.

On Monday, the Ministry of Education announced an early closure for the Khmer New Year holiday of all education institutions in Cambodia. It is important that we follow all government directives so we have also closed the CFI school until after the Khmer New Year Holiday.

Our amazing teachers spent the day on Monday preparing worksheets so students can still study over the break. We’ve also suggested that students keep a journal of what they see and hear during this time, so we can reflect on the experience together when we all return. Those that are undertaking the Duke Of Edinburgh Award will speak with their Award Leader via phone to discuss how they can maintain their Award progress.

All staff has been trained on how to manage hygiene during this pandemic. Using guidance from the World Health Organisation and our partner networks, 3PC and FCF|REACT, we have delivered training on what COVID-19 is, the signs to watch out for, what to do if they or a family member is unwell, social distancing and, most importantly, hand hygiene.

Meanwhile, our fantastic social workers and education advocates have been busy contacting families to make sure that school closures won’t leave children unsupervised or in unsafe positions over the next month.

We are now determining which staff can work from home and what steps we can all take to continue supporting this area’s most vulnerable families, albeit in many cases remotely. We have provided our staff with information and advice for when people turn up to CFI and have made sure we have access to soap and water for handwashing and alcohol wash when soap and water are not available. A skeleton staff will remain on-site to keep CFI safe during these uncertain times.

Supporting our community during this period will require dedication and creativity from a team that is already working at capacity. To help us continue to provide the care and attention that children and families need we’re asking you to consider making a special one-off donation to CFI today. We know that many of you already donate regularly and for that we are grateful, but this challenging time requires additional resources. Any additional assistance you can provide will go a long way. Thank you.

If you would like more detailed information on any of our programs and services please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

All the best to you and your loved ones in the difficult weeks and months ahead.

Best wishes,