Incentivising education to end child labour.
Rice Rewards Program
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Students enrolled at
REACH receiving monthly
rice rewards
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Average rice supplied to
families per quarter (kg)
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Average eggs supplied to
families per quarter
For many families in our community, the need for food is an overwhelming priority that often stands in the way of education. In moments of desperation, children are sometimes pulled out of school to collect rubbish or beg, just to help provide a basic meal. We believe no child should have to choose between a full plate and a classroom. Our Rice Rewards Program is designed to remove that burden, turning food security into a powerful incentive for learning.
Rice Rewards Program is a collaborative agreement between REACH and our families. To receive their monthly package of rice, eggs and eco soap, students must maintain high attendance at both their local public school and their classes at REACH.
Each month, a student with a strong attendance record earns 10kg of rice, 10 eggs, and a bar of eco soap for their family. This means a family with four children at REACH can take home up to 40kg of rice, 40 eggs, and four bars of eco soap monthly. This tangible support alleviates the financial pressure on guardians, allowing them to value their children’s education over the immediate need for extra labour.
Rice Rewards Day is a monthly cornerstone for our Outreach team. Distributions are held monthly, with guardian and youth volunteers coming in beforehand to help get everything ready. But it is more than just a rice drop; it is a crucial opportunity to connect with our enrolled families, check in on their wellbeing, and provide additional care. These sessions include:
- Deworming Support: Worming tablets distributed to enrolled families every four months, alongside a session on why deworming matters and how to stay on top of it.
- Extra support where it is needed: Fish cans provided to families each month facing a particular hardship, and eco soap for households whose food-support needs are lower.
- Health workshops: From time to time, we host workshops on relevant health topics, such as dengue or diabetes, based on seasonal risks or direction from Cambodia’s Ministry of Health.
- Monthly newsletter: Every month, we share a newsletter with all parents, keeping them up to date on everything happening across REACH.
- Parent sharing session: Every six months, Rice Rewards Day includes something extra: a parent sharing session, where families are invited to share their journey, from a personal milestone to how their life has changed since coming to REACH.
This program allows us to monitor every family’s progress closely. If a family misses a distribution, our team follows up with a home visit the next day, so no one is left without their rice. New families join throughout the year, each assessed on their household income, living conditions, number of children, housing and employment.
Students who consistently achieve their Rice Rewards and demonstrate commitment to their studies are then prioritised for our Youth Pathways Program, where we help them bridge the gap from education to employment.
Our Rice Rewards Program Is Proudly Supported By
![pink color clear background[28]](https://reachsiemreap.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/pink-color-clear-background28-300x117.jpg)
Shelter Real Estate is a boutique real estate agency marketing and selling residential homes throughout Boroondara and Stonnington, specialising in Glen Iris, Ashburton, Camberwell, Canterbury, Malvern, Malvern East, Hawthorn & Hawthorn East.
Grow With Us
Rice Rewards Program has supported over 180 families, and that number keeps growing every year. So, the need in Thlok Andoung keeps growing too. Your support means so many of our students arrive at school with a full stomach and a lighter load. If you would like to help us reach even more families, please contact
emily@reachsiemreap.org.
Youth Pathways Program
Rice Rewards Program provides the daily stability our students need to stay in school, but it’s just the beginning. For our older students who have proven their commitment through years of high attendance, we offer a bridge to the future. Our Youth Pathways Program takes that foundation of discipline and turns it into professional skills, empowering teenagers to lead their families out of poverty for good.
Click here to discover how we empower our future leaders.
Get Involved
Getting involved at REACH ensures that the kids and families in the
Thlok Andoung community have access to life-changing
opportunities. Your support helps us give them a better life.
Click here to learn more.