Preah Vihear Temple - A place of pilgrimage and sacred worship.......currently swarming with khmer soldiers

Preah Vihear Temple is considered a cultural jewel, registered as a World Hertitage Site by UNESCO in July, 2008. The Temple is a masterpiece of Khmer genius, illustrating a significant stage in human history.

King Yasovarman I, began its construction in 889 AD, followed by King Suryavarman I, King Udayadityavarman  II, King Jayavarman VI, King Dharanindravarman and King Suryavarman II finishing in 1150 AD. The temple consists of distinctive styles such as Bakheng, Banteay Srey, Bapuon and Ankor Wat, in dedication to Shiva - "Great Mountain Gods".

The Preah Vihear Temple has four levels with four courtyards, and is a place for kings and commoners alike to worship as it represents Mount Meru, home of the Hindu gods.

To visit today you will find it peaceful, but you will notice Khmer soldiers present; guarding against the Thai.

APHEDA and partners visited the site to celebrate our 2011 project success.

who took tamagotchi?

a snapshot of hair-ups

who took tamagotchi?

STAGE 3 APHEDA Hairdressing Technical and Teacher Training Program, Phnom Penh and Women's Development Centre, Preah Vihear Province, Cambodia - 2011

The 2011 Hairdressing program was twofold; the aims were to:

1. Continue training 5 key hairdressing trainee trainers from 5 rural women’s vocational education centres in 4 provinces: formalise and update their technical training skills in both Haircutting and Bridal Upstyling. The 5 centres were:

• Preah Vihear provincial centre
• Thmar Kul and Mong Russey district centres in Battambang province
• O’Reang Ov centre in Kampong Cham province
• Oddar Meanchey provincial centre

and include an additional trainee trainer from Kampot provincial centre

2. Set up a fully-equipped model training room in Preah Vihear centre for the 6 teacher trainees to deliver Haircutting and Bridal Upstyling training to 10 local trainees. The model training room will be replicated in the other training centres.

The 1^st September to 18^th October 2011 program was the third stage of the Hairdressing Technical and Teacher Training Program. I conducted the first, introductory, stage in Haircutting and Bridal Upstyling from 9th to 19th November, 2010. This was followed by a one-week refresher stage 15^th to 19^th August 2011, conducted by APHEDA trainers, using the training program’s DVDs.

PART 1 OF STAGE 3 - 1^ST SEPTEMBER TO 18^TH OCTOBER 2011 PROGRAM

1^st to 23^rd September – APHEDA Training Centre, Phnom Penh

The 6 teacher trainees completed both the Bridal Upstyling and Haircutting program that had commenced in November, 2010. In addition, APHEDA staff delivered teacher training sessions which consisted of formal theory in lesson planning which was combined with practical teacher demonstrations of hairdressing skills. The teacher trainees learnt teaching methodology, lesson preparation and planning, use of whiteboard, speaking to a group, questioning/feedback skills and classroom management skills.

PART 2 OF STAGE 3 - 1^ST SEPTEMBER TO 18^TH OCTOBER 2011 PROGRAM

3rd to 28th October – Preah Vihear Women’s Development Centre

In the training centre, the teacher trainees delivered a 4-week program consisting of Bridal Upstyling and Haircutting, for 10 local trainees. The timetable was rotated around the 6 trainees in turn to the group of hairdressing trainees. Each session consisted of theory, a training DVD, technical drawing, a demonstration of the task and a practical workshop. The 5 original teacher trainees had 2 hairdressing trainees each to assist during the activities, and the new Kampot teacher trainee worked with me, as she had not yet completed all her training.

Recommendations for Further Training:

Options for further technical training - short courses in skills required:

1. Introduction to Basic styling - shampoo, conditioning and thermal styling

2. Make-up

3. Nailbar

4. Hair Colouring - Chemical

5. Hair Perming - Chemical

6. Hair extensions

7. Skin whitening****

**** Will not be proceeded with for health reasons.

These ideas were taken from teacher trainees, as they are services they would want trainees to be able to offer in post-training village co-operatives.

As styling and haircutting are manual skills they don't require much product, only hairspray and bobby pins for styling; and none for cutting; this makes them viable. However, numbers 2 – 6 would require considerable consumables (product). Teachers would need significant support in managing the consumables.

RECOMMENDATION FOR PROJECT CONTINUATION

It is proposed to set up training rooms in 3 centres, modeled on the already set up Preah Vihear centre room, as soon as possible, with the other 2 centres being attended to later.

Once the training rooms have been set up, the teacher trainees will run trial 3-month courses in Bridal Upstyling and Haircutting in their centres for 5 trainees from the same village, selected according to APHEDA and partners vocational education criteria. The courses will include Life Skills education, and training in setting up and running village co-operatives. Following the 3-month course, the trainees will remain in the centres for a further 3-month period of Centre Work Experience and Income Generation, during which time they will make some income towards the cost of establishing a village co-operative.

Further technical and teacher training will be provided for the teacher trainees in mid-2012 when I return to Cambodia. The teacher trainees will then have a final assessment, and if successful will be awarded a teaching certificate, endorsed by the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and APHEDA.

This is an incredibly exciting program which promises positive outcomes in terms of employment for women in provincial Cambodia.

Gail Vest

Technical Advisor for Hairdressing Training

APHEDA Cambodia

who took tamagotchi?