Big Heart Small House To whom it may concern, I have a video of my latest work with the kids from the Green Gecko Project in Cambodia. My latest trip included travelling to Siem Reap and setting up a recording studio for the children. We raised $1100 from Birribi to go towards this. Also St Lukes from Bendigo assisted with Wayne Glen from St Lukes who raised and donated about $3000 worth of equipment as well travelled to Siem Reap for 10 days to train a select few young people to use the equipment. Since this recent training, the kids have recorded kids from another NGO, who are working collaboratively with other NGO’s from around the world to record a particular song which will be broadcasted globally. The music program I have set up, with the assistance from YSAS and St Lukes and other fundraisers has been incredibly therapeutic for Green Gecko, as well as developing vocational and career pathways. Gecko has now 10 free standing djembe drums, a number of musical instruments including drumkit, guitars, bass, amplifiers, microphones, P.A system, recording software, interface hardware, headphones, storage equipment and laptop. I feel that my involvement there has been valuable, as over the past few years there have been some significant incidences that occurred at Green Gecko, where my experience working in AOD and with vulnerable young people and communities has helped. These incidences included violence and trauma, resulting from AOD use, particularly ICE. One of the Gecko children was assaulted with a samurai sword and suffered 70 stitches, by a co student at his school who was using ICE. The school and police did nothing to bring justice to this assault so all 70 of the Gecko kids were moved to another school. During this process, the music program that I was running at Gecko was valuable, in keeping the kids focussed, assisting with the grief and retaliation, as well assisted with mental and emotional guidance and support. A very important aspect of the program was for expression also. Another incident occurred the year previous where the kids national Boxator martial arts was brought to the world stage with a tournament against the French. Boxator is a way of life for the children and it gives them great resilience and culture. However the tournament was traumatic for the children as they witnessed their fellow Cambodians and in particular their teacher get significantly defeated by the French. The French were Ultimate fighters (Cage fighting) with mixed martial arts experience, and defeated the Cambodians, outside the parameters of their traditional fighting culture and custom. At one stage one of the French fighters was taunting and teasing the children, during the children witnessing their teacher being defeated. An old lady had to approach the man to restrain him and make him leave. It was at this point that Tania from Gecko felt that we needed to make Boxator safer for the children and the people, so plans were made to create a mixed performing arts centre for the Cambodian people, where they can train and perform. Part of this plan included the music studio. The kids now have music as well as Boxator to give them expression, therapeutic and creative resilience building activity. On numerous occasions, kids have openly said that they were so grateful that theu had music. This is just touching the surface of the experiences I have encountered in Siem Reap. I now however feel that Green Gecko has in their own words – MADE IT. They feel that they have survived, also Tania was awarded a certificate from the Queen as an Australian Day Honour. Thank you to all who have contributed, including a number of kids and staff from Birribi who donated their Boxing Day BBQ profits from the day to, Green Gecko. Also to the YSAS giving fund and to the Bendigo team who put on a fund raiser at Kerry Donaldsons property in 2012. Please find attached the latest video from the Gecko kids, which was created, recorded and produced in Siem Reap. 70 kids in 6 groups came up with the lyrics, music and they performed all the music and singing, as well using the cameras and recording equipment. Myself and Wayne Glen assisted with the production.
Posted on: Sun, 28 Jul 2013 23:37:50 +0000
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