In 2012 and 2014, Friedhelm drove the Lotus Rally in Cambodia and got to know Babette and her foster son Kakada, who had set up some small rooms on Kakada’s parents’ farm to give children the opportunity to learn English and computer science after Khmer school, where only the Khmer language and basic arithmetic are taught, in order to expand their career opportunities.
Friedhelm was enthusiastic about this project and so Friedhelm and Birgit visited Babette and Kakada in 2015 and the idea of building their own school on the other side of the road was born.
In 2016, the single-storey school building, the costs of which were shared by a Swiss colleague, was completed and Kakada, who was able to complete his schooling and studies thanks to the support of his foster mother, now wants to offer this opportunity to many children in his area. He very successfully took over the management of this school. His wife Channthou, who has also trained as a teacher, actively supports him.
All classrooms are currently occupied from morning to late afternoon by all age groups and the waiting list is large, as the school enjoys a very good reputation.
During the visit to the school in 2023, consideration was given to building another school. Friedhelm will buy the land behind the current school building, have it developed and build on it.
He hopes that a regular monthly donation from his friends will guarantee the upkeep of the school (teachers’ salaries, school materials, classroom maintenance, etc.).