Some of the little buttons were even coming to school with their older siblings. Restore One opened the preschool November 2016 to be a safe place for the little ones that was not disruptive to primary education. Along with a fun safe place, it is a place to learn hygiene and social skills ready for “big school”. There is a great habit formed for school attendance rather than work. Local villagers help to run the preschool and part of our goal is to up-skill the teachers. If you’re an early childhood teacher and would like the opportunity to partner with us, contact Tanya. 

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We have developed a primary school in the Kampong Thom Province.

2020 sees us give back the school to the Government. Restore One is still involved with the library and English teaching.

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2017 brought about the opening of a computer lab where all students learn the skills needed in the work place. One of our biggest expenses is teachers' wages. The wages are approximately AUS$13,000/month. If you would like to contribute just go to our Donate page.

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Cambodia's monsoon season brings brutal rainstorms and flooding, so protection from the elements is an especially serious issue.

In consultation with the local people, we have developed a design that is both simple and highly effective. The houses are made with a cost-effective yet reliable combination of bamboo and timber. They are also raised on stilts to avoid flooding.

The houses are constructed as a collaboration between Restore One volunteers and local labour, to create the added benefit of employment and income for local trades people.

This project has changed the lives of many vulnerable families, and there are always more to help.

Accountability is key. A family is given a house on the condition that they maintain it as a positive, uplifting environment for their children. Upon receipt of a new house, the parents sign a contract whereby they commit to:

• Keeping the house in a reasonable state of order and care.
• Using income responsibly, to provide for their children.
• Sending their children to school.

This agreement ensures that the time and money spent constructing a house is put to good use for responsible families.

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When Restore One began working in the country side we discovered a lot of children were malnourished. As a long term treatment land was purchased where different fruit and vegetables would be grown. The goal was to teach the children and they in turn would teach their parents. It is really exciting to see a lot of homes now growing food to supplement their daily nutritional needs. Some of the produce that can be currently seen are: mango trees, paw paw trees, banana trees, corn, eggplant, sweet potato, passionfruit, lemongrass, various herbs and flowers.

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We have tiled the floor in the houses of all these ladies, so it is easy for them to keep the products clean.

Currently all of our beautiful tote bags and other sewed products are made by them. Not only do they earn fair wages but profits from the sales keep Restore One going. These products can be purchased through our website shop.

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This means there is no rubbish, and also there are no dangerous bleaches. These cups have provided women in Cambodia financial freedom when it comes to purchasing menstruation products (very important when basic salaries are going to food).

Restore One has issued over 12,000 of these cups with a big success of 90% uptake.  They are sold on our website shop to ladies in Australia as well which keeps the project going. 

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Approximately 400,000 Karen people are without housing, and 128,000 are living in camps on the Thai-Myanmar boarder. Restore One works on the Myanmar side of the border in dedicated safe havens, where they can live relatively safely, but the conditions are poor.

In 2013, a team from Australia came to construct a water tank for a village. Before this was built the locals would travel around 3km to the river to collect water. The tank is fed by the monsoon rains and has the capacity to provide water for the whole community during the dry season.

Again, in 2016, a group from Australia came to build another water tank, this time in a different village. We have built housing for families, toilet facilities and a medical clinic to provide medical aid to the local community.

Partnering with another NGO, the Education Opportunity Foundation, we provide opportunity for remote village children to go to school via two Primary Schools that have been established. The work is constantly ongoing to improve the lives of the people there. In the future we will build more housing for families, improve the primary school, add extra classrooms and facilities and possibly construct a secondary school.

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During the September-October school holiday period, girls can earn a small wage with a job in the village.

We initiated the project in 2016, and the girls made over 1500 hearts that were brought back to Australia and sold.

In 2017 we made stars. In 2018 we made circular Christmas decorations, the most popular design being little plum puddings. In 2019 we made the most gorgeous little gingerbread houses all out of felt and buttons.

Due to travel restrictions in 2020, we were unable to go, however, the girls still worked during their holidays and made hearts, although in a different style. In 2021 they made little Christmas stockings.

In 2022 we were allowed back to Cambodia and spent time with the girls once again and made little birds.

Decorations can be purchased through Facebook or our website shop when available.

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The team have been busy networking behind the scenes to see a dream project take flight. With the extremely generous support from David and his team at Bambody, we are introducing PERIOD UNDIES to our teen girls in Cambodia!

What this means, is that the girls will be able to manage their periods with privacy and dignity. They will have equal opportunities to maintain consistent school attendance, just like their male classmates. They will continue to become sustainable citizens and learn that periods are not to be feared, but to be celebrated! We are SO excited to see this project take off and couldn't wait to share the good news with our extended Restore One family and supporters.

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