There’s been a lot happening around Heartprint lately, and with several fundraising efforts underway it felt like a good moment to step back and share how it is all quilted together to form our community.

As you know, our initial work began with addressing a very basic, yet often unmet need: a safe place to live. We work within our community to build secure homes for families living in very difficult, sometimes dangerous, conditions. A safe and sanitary living space is a critical starting point for stability and growth.

Imagine if you did not have access to a safe house, toilets, or clean water. What would your day be like? Would it affect your ability to work or your kids’ ability to attend school regularly? So, alongside the homes, we improve basic living conditions by providing sanitation and access to water. Toilets and clean water systems may not sound glamorous, but they make a huge difference to health and daily life. As we said, just imagine your own existence without them.

Once families have that foundation, and sometimes before, many of the children begin spending time at the Heartprint Community Centre. It’s a place where they can eat, learn, play, and simply be kids. Quite a few of the mums are attending now as well.

Our nutrition program provides regular meals during the week, coordinated around school schedules so children can stop by before or after classes. These shared meals have become an important part of daily life at the centre, with staff, children, and mums in our programs often sitting down together around the same table. We started this after medical and dental examinations revealed serious nutritional deficiencies in our community centre kids. We now provide about 100 meals per day, and health outcomes and markers have improved significantly. Still, it is an ongoing financial challenge.

The centre also offers tutoring and learning support, creative activities, and mentoring opportunities where older youth help guide younger children. One of the things we value most is ensuring every child feels welcome, including children with disabilities, who participate alongside everyone else in the programs.

Some of the programs focus on emotional well-being. Through activities like the “Fighting the Monster” sessions, children are given tools to understand their feelings and build resilience when life at home is difficult. These moments may look simple from the outside, but they can make a real difference in helping children feel safe and supported.

Other programs include STEM, financial literacy, computer literacy, music, public speaking, English support, Khmer extension, maternal education and assistance - and many others. We also provide programs to help mums learn a multitude of skills they need to earn badly-needed household income.

As children grow older, the focus gradually shifts toward opportunity. That’s where the Heartprint Hub comes in. The Hub expands the work beyond the Community Centre by creating pathways for young people and women to develop practical skills that can lead to employment and financial stability.

One of the newest initiatives is the hair salon training academy, launched with support from visiting international hairdressers. It’s hands-on, practical training designed to provide real skills our students can use to build a livelihood.

Alongside vocational training, women and our youth are gaining practical life skills – such as budgeting, negotiating, and managing finances. Childcare support during training enables many mothers who otherwise couldn’t participate to do so.

All of these seemingly disparate pieces – homes, children and youth programs, training opportunities, nutrition, and family support – are actually connected. Each is a colorful piece a family can stitch together into their personal safety quilt.

This - these pieces of a quilt that must be carefully chosen and sewn - is why our fundraising efforts are so important.

The upcoming Artists for Humanity event in Phnom Penh is a wonderful example of people coming together creatively to support this work. Artists donating their time and talent will help raise funds that go directly to these programs.

There’s also an upcoming trip to Australia where Wendy and Pheap will share the Heartprint story with supporters. The hope is not only to raise funds, but also to build new relationships and awareness so that more people understand what’s happening with our endeavors. If you are in Australia, here is a list of events. Hopefully, there will be one near you:

9th May: Rotary Peninsula 2.0 Mother’s Day High Tea. Frankston, Victoria
15th May: Music Bingo Night Fundraiser Murray Bridge, South Australia
18th May: Heartprint Fundraising Dinner. Telarah Bowling Club, Maitland NSW
22nd May: Vapiano Charity Lunch. Surfers Paradise. Gold Coast. QLD

And of course, Match it May is just around the corner. During this campaign, every donation is matched, which means the impact of each contribution is doubled - or more. It’s always one of the most exciting times of the year for Heartprint because it brings together supporters from many different places who want to help strengthen the work that’s happening on the ground. If you know of a business that would like to jump on board let us know.

What all of this ultimately comes down to is community. Our community in Siem Reap, building stronger futures for its families, and the wider community of supporters around the world who believe in us.

Every contribution is an act of kindness and really does leave a Heartprint. Every donation enables a piece in our quilt.

As always, with gratitude,

Your Heartprint Team

It’s a Big Quilt