Opportunities of Development thru Art (ODA)

WHAT THEY DO

ODA allows children the luxury of a childhood as well as preparing them mentally and physically for their future outside in the harsh environment that is still Cambodia today. Creativity and education are the priorities along with loving care and encouragement. As a young, impressionable boy in Cambodia, Leng witnessed the brutal killing of his father by the Khmer Rouge. Later, he was taken in and cared for by his uncle. After obtaining his Fine Arts degree, Leng met and befriended 5 street boys and realized if not for his aunt and uncle this would have been his life. He decided he must do for them, what was done for him. From this humble beginning, over the years ODA has evolved into an educational support NGO. Leng and his wife created ODA specifically to aid underprivileged children.

Education and Shelter

Currently over 30 children live at ODA near the ancient temples of Angkor Wat. They are a complex mix of disadvantaged children who have no one, or no one able, to care for them. Leng and his wife provide support for the children’s academic needs, health and psychological wellbeing. To ensure meeting the children’s medical and health needs, ODA partners with the GO Healthy Kids Fund. Through the use of art, founder of ODA Leng provides education and hope for these vulnerable children. Leng teaches the children to paint and the children are supported with income from the sales of their amazing art. Each child paints as they like with the goal to become self-supporting, in the future, through the sale of their paintings. Leng wishes the children to grow up in a safe environment with the experience of managing their lives through effort, rather than relying on hand outs.

Free English Classes

In addition to the ODA residential project, ODA also offers free English classes 6 nights per week in 7 remote villages with over 1100 poor village children participating. Some of the schools also provide computer classes. They are now in the process of building classrooms for these programs with ongoing financial support required.

Mountain Girls Program

The newest ODA program is the Mountain Girls Program. This program sponsors the education of girls living in remote mountain areas to attend secondary school. Ten girls are currently housed and fed here and attend government school for half the day and additional classes with ODA for the rest of the time. In line with Leng’s self support goals, these girls have been taught tailoring and make uniforms in their free half -day for the ODA yearly Uniform Fund. This provides them with income to assist their families and ensures they can continue their schooling as well as providing partial support for their education program.

FOCUS OF OUR PARTNERSHIP

  • General running costs for the primary shelter, home to the over 30 children.
  • Supporting the English speaking outreach schools of which there are 7 plus the primary shelter.
  • Support with providing clean water to both the main center and the Mountain Girls Project residence.
  • Sponsoring the Mountain Girls program, allowing girls from remote locations to benefit from an education and learning tailoring skills.

In addition, we also provide support in these programmatic areas:

  • Healthy Kids Fund
  • Educational scholarships & sponsorship
  • Back to school uniform drive

THEIR VISION: Allow the ODA children the luxury of a childhood but preparing them mentally and physically for their future outside in the harsh environment that is still Cambodia today. Creativity and education are the priorities along with loving care and encouragement.