Building on our work in Cambodia, Bennett Gastle is currently paying for the complete university education of five girls from the provinces of Cambodia along the Vietnam border. Another three girls are sponsored by friends of Bennett Gastle (Todd Greirson-Weiler, Murdoch Martyn  and Eduarda Matos).  These students would otherwise have no chance of a university education. They are part of a broader program which was started by Professor Marnie Ryan of the Royal University of Law and Economics (RULE) in Phnom Penh. Marnie has a total of 25 girls in this program. Those participating in the program are deserving students that have been identified in the field by U.S.A.I.D. and Peace Corp representatives who are working in remote areas of Cambodia. To give an example of the accomplishments of these students, one of them won the Khmer literary prize for all of Cambodia at the high school level.  Bennett Gastle also provided additional scholarships for three other students in the program to attend the English law degree course.

Attending university is an important opportunity for these students because they will qualify for a number of scholarships in North America and elsewhere. A foreign degree provides a wonderful basis for the girls to begin to build a career in the practice of law, or more importantly to find themselves a good paying job.

A word about the background to Marnie's programe. Marnie travelled to Cambodia in 1995 on a U.S. A.I.D. mission. She never left. Marnie got the idea of helping these girls while she was doing a study on domestic violence in rural Cambodia and finding that the conditions were horrendous. She started the program with the expectation that support would be made available by U.S.A.I.D. but, unfortunately, no such funding was forthcoming. As a result, the funding is currently coming from private sources only.  Not only is Bennett Gastle helping Marnie's program, but they have been inspired to do more.

In November, 2009, members of the Bennett Gastle firm, including Chuck and Elizabeth, visited with the students at the university and at their 2 storey home where they all live together.  While there, Bennett Gastle purchased a further computer (for 3 in total) and two printers to help the girls with their studies given that there are now 25 students in Marnie's program.  The girls are so grateful for the help provided to them, and having these computers will be of great benefit in their studies.  They have also been connected to the internet which will provide them with a wonderful opportunity to access a world of information.

There is so much more that can be done for these girls that Bennett Gastle is financially supporting the creation of a charitable foundation here in Canada that will be co-chaired by Elizabeth Bennett-Martin and Ruth Gastle.  CLEW (Cambodian Legal Education for Women) (www.clewcanada.com) is currently in the process of being formally created. Elizabeth and Ruth are inspired to work towards helping young women and their families escape the cycle of poverty. EDUCATION is the Key.  

If you might be interested in sponsoring a student or making a contribution to help support these young women, please do not hesitate to contact us and we would be pleased to provide you with further information. We strongly encourage you to consider it. CLEW will have a profound impact on the lives of people in Cambodia. 100% of the funds raised will go directly to the young women in Cambodia.  Bennett Gastle has committed to paying all administrative costs associated with CLEW.

Textbooks for RULE

The Royal University for Law and Economics has a desperate need for textbooks for its students. Bennett Gastle has purchased and shipped to RULE $5,000.00 in textbooks in the field of international intellectual property.  Each time we go to Cambodia we take a selection of textbooksfor the students and we continue to use every opportunity to get more books to Cambodia.