Hills families head to Cambodia to make a difference with Raw Impact

A group of Hills families are heading to Cambodia next month to try and make a difference.

Some of the Hills families heading to Cambodia to work for the charity Raw Impact. Front row: Jesse Dawson, Mitch Hinchcliffe, Zac Marsden, Harriet Boyd, Hannah Jordan, Jennifer Wills, James Coller and Adam Young. Back row: Wendy Dawson, Andrew and Sue Hinchcliffe, Julie and Wayne Marsden, Bev Jordan and Peter Wills. Photo: Rachael Hinchcliffe

I have always wanted to go to Cambodia and always wanted to work on an overseas project so when the chance to help Raw Impact with my daughter came along I said yes in an instant.

There will be 19 of us heading out to Cambodia and the magic of it all is that our team, From The Ground Up, includes parents and Gen Y children who will be working side-by-side for nearly two weeks.

Raw Impact’s projects include building and agricultural projects in three major locations in Cambodia. It’s a charity that several of the former William Clarke College students have supported for some time.

Electrician Zac Marsden from Baulkham Hills has volunteered with the organisation for 12 months and Castle Hill’s Mitch Hinchcliffe, also an electrician, has volunteered there for six months. Their parents, Julie and Wayne Marsden and Andrew and Sue Hinchcliffe will join them this time round.

Jennifer Wills from Baulkham Hills will be returning with her dad, Peter and sister Liz while James Coller from Glenhaven is returning with his parents Helen and Bruce Coller. All in all, the From the Ground Up team includes six Hills families.

We will initially work on a community centre at Ta Skor near Phnom Penh (known locally as Gunty’s Island) and on an agricultural project near Kratie which is helping 200 families learn sustainable living.

Raw Impact has Khmer staff on the ground who work alongside volunteers.

Raw Impact’s volunteer co-ordinator Harriet Boyd says the work being done makes a huge difference to the lives of the local Khmer people but also the volunteers.

“”The majority of our groups are Year 11 and 12 students which is a really vital time in their lives.

“The program shows them what they are capable of and that they can be whatever they want to be.”

I have no idea what the two weeks will hold but I know it will be life changing.

We are very grateful to all the many people and groups who have sponsored us. To find out more or to donate visit www.rawimpact.org

HILLS residents Zac Marsden, Jennifer Wills, Harriet Boyd, Mitch Hinchcliffe and James Coller are returning to Cambodia to continue their work for the Raw Impact charity and taking family and friends with them.