TMA staff and former students build house in Cambodia!

While many were relieved to wind down and relax over the Easter break, The Macclesfield Academy staff members, Rebecca Lucas and Annie McDowell, along with three of our former students and their mums, travelled to Cambodia to up tools and turn their hands to house construction in collaboration with Australian charity 'Heartprint'. 

Heartprint is a charity and locally registered Cambodian NGO, who fund community projects to support the relief of poverty by providing housing, education support and work opportunities for families living in need. Mrs Lucas also has a long standing connection with Cambodia, having started a sewing club where our students make 'clothes for Cambodia' and the dresses and trousers made are taken to children out there. 

During their time near Siem Reap, our TMA volunteers built a house for a family whose living conditions were in a terrible state and at the point of collapse due to rotting support pillars. This was replaced with a stilted structure, with steel frames and tin surrounds, ensuring a safe and secure family home. Rebecca Lucas reflected on their time saying, 

"It was an amazing experience and utterly life changing for the family we helped."

Whilst there, the team also volunteered at Heartprint's Community centre, delivering English and craft lessons for the local community. They also passed on wooden pull along toys that a group of Macclesfield Academy students had made just before lockdown. 

This is a wonderful demonstration of the fantastic community created at The Macclesfield Academy and dedication to making a difference beyond the school through sustainability projects. 

We are incredibly proud of staff members Mrs Lucas and Mrs McDowell for their voluntary efforts, as well as our former students, who continue to be a credit to our school!