austraLasia
#1762
When a King visits - it
gets noticed!
SIHANOUKVILLE: 15th February 2007 -- Even though we ran this story just two
days ago, obviously the Cambodian press picked up the same event, given that it
was the King who was visiting and given that a brand new enterprise like a Hotel
School was being inaugurated - so the following item offers the event from
Cambodian eyes (Prak Chan Tul from the Cambodian Daily, as it is called, and a
certain John Maloy from the same newspaper). It offers a little more
information about the new venture. In fact, based as it is on an interview
with Bro Robert Panetto, it is both informative and well-written. Some of our
Salesian Bulletins may like to pick up the story from here - photos can be
readily made available direct from Sihanoukville - Bro Roberto or Fr Al Rodas
will willingly supply them (Check the Year Book/Annuario for
addresses).
Sihanoukville - King Norodom
Sihamoni presided over the opening ceremony for the Don Bosco Foundation's hotel
school Monday during his first visit to Sihanoukville since his coronation. The
King praised the efforts of the Don Bosco Foundation to help the government
develop Cambodia's human resources and offered some words of advice for the
nearly 1,000 technical school students on hand. "Please study hard, respect the
principles of the school and respect your teachers in order to get the skills to
further the future development of the country," King Sihamoni
said.
The Don Bosco Foundation is an international
Catholic organization that provides schooling and technical training for
disadvantaged youths in 128 countries, said Father Visser, Cambodia's director
for the foundation. The new Don Bosco Hotel School opened Feb 5 to 50
students hoping to learn the hospitality trade, said Brother Roberto Panetto,
the school's director. They join the 300 students already receiving training for
careers in, among other fields, automobile repair, electrical work, welding and
secretarial work at the Don Bosco Technical School to which the hotel school is
attached, he said.The new school will function as both a school and a hotel so
that students can get firsthand experience dealing with guests, Panetto said.
Situated in scenic hills about 2 km from the popular O'Chheuteal beach, the
hotel has 19 guestrooms whose rates will be $30 to $35 per night when it opens
early next month.
Various NGOs help the Don Bosco
Foundation identify and screen potential students from orphanages and poor
families throughout the country, Panetto said. Students receive free schooling,
room and board at the technical school. Depending on their background and
language skills, students are placed in one of four programs: front office,
housekeeping, food and beverage service or cooking, Panetto
added.
To help students learn to deal with customers, the
foundation opened an Italian-style ice cream shop two weeks ago in
Sihanoukville. While not completely finished, the hotel still appeared bright
and welcoming, with an impressive swimming pool and a pleasent view. The kitchen
and food preparation areas are state of the art, and large windows were
installed to allow guests to see the students at work. After six months of
schooling, students will receive on-the-job training at hotels in Sihanoukville,
Siem Riep and Phnom Penh for one month, Panetto said. Those who show promise
will study one more year.
Twenty-years-old student Sam
Bunlom said she hopes to eventually work in the front office of a Sihanoukville
resort. The daughter of poor farmers in Takae province, she said that she is
learning valuable skills that she never could have acquired at
home.
"I am happy. If I could not study here, I would have
to work in a garment factory."
Panetto said he hopes the
hotel school will become a popular spot for NGOs workers who want to contribute
to educating the disadvantage while on vacation.
Still, it
is unlikely that the hotel will make enough to cover its operating costs given
that all of the students attend for free. But Panetto said he was not too
concerned about that for the time being. "For the rest, as we always say, 'If we
work for the poor, then God will help us'," he said with a smile.
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