31 May – 4 Jun 2010

The recommended benefactor country for 2010 is Indonesia. The trip to Bintan, Indonesia, for 13 students and 2 staff from Pioneer Junior College, from 31 May to 4 June 2010 was funded from the fund-raising completed in Dec 2009.  During this capacity building and community service trip, the team improved the physical environment of the orphanage, Panti Asuhan Hidayatullah, through building concrete steps leading to the study block of the orphanage and planting 10 mango and 10 lychee saplings.  It is hoped that through planting of the saplings, the team can give the orphanage an opportunity to enjoy their fruits of their labour if the orphans make conscientious efforts to care of the plants. The team also imparted soft skills to the orphans, teaching the latter English and basic knowledge on hygiene such as proper hand washing techniques.  Through the planning and execution of the programme, our students honed their leadership skills and cultivated empathy towards the less privileged.

24-29 Nov 2009

Thirty-three students, three teachers and a Vice-Principal from Pioneer Junior College visited Kolap4, an orphanage in Cambodia, from 24th to 29th November 2009. Our students prepared simple interactive classes and were reciprocated by very responsive orphans who participated enthusiastically and were happy to receive small gifts. In the kitchen, our students assisted in knocking down walls to clearing debris to refurbish the place. The preparation, interactions and sacrifices made our students appreciate life better and not take things for granted. The friendship and bond they had with the team and the orphans in Cambodia was priceless.

28 May – 3 Jun 2008

Forty-nine students and five teachers embarked on a journey to help the needy children in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, from 28 May to 3 June 2008. The students and teachers were split into three teams, working in different project sites, Kolap4 Orphanage, the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CCAMH) and The Missionaries of Charity. Fully aware of the psychological impact of colours on moods, feelings and the health of human beings, the students painted colourful murals on the wall enclosing Kolap4 Orphanage and transformed the CCAMH’s pedestrian landscape into a colourful milieu. At the Missionaries of Charity, the students helped the nuns with chores and delighted the children by setting up an inflatable wading pool. At each of these project sites, the students conducted educational activities for the Cambodian children. The first-hand experience of living with Cambodian children was a life-changing event for them. After returning, the students and teachers were determined to lead others to reach out and touch lives.

4 – 10 Mar 2007

This trip to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, for 24 students and 4 staff from Pioneer Junior College, from 4 to 10 March 2007 was funded from the fund-raising completed in Dec 2006. The team worked with MTI in Cambodia at Chbar Ampou Primary School. The team refurbished the primary school, giving it a fresh coat of paint and cleaned up the library. Our students also taught Math, English and Handicraft at the primary school and conducted first aid in slum areas. Learning to react to unforeseen circumstances honed the students’ leadership and decision-making skills. Our students also learnt to appreciate their current standards of living and do not take things in Singapore for granted.