Guernsey couple return from visiting school their charity built in Cambodia

• Kate Prout has been learning more about the couple's trip to Cambodia.

A couple from Guernsey have returned from visiting a school their charity built in Asia.

Nick and Claudine Paluch say the facility will provide education for 100 children in a village in northeastern Cambodia.

Called Chak Chap, it is in a part of the country that was previously deemed too remote for the Cambodian government to build a school.

This means local young people in the area were not receiving any education until recently.

However, now that a facility has been built, the authorities have agreed to take over staffing and running costs after a year.

The couple's charity, Guernsey Aid, is a local organisation that helps people in need across the world.

It has done humanitarian work in a number of countries in Africa and Asia, including Myanmar, Zambia, Malawi and Bangladesh.

For this project in Cambodia, it has not only built a school, but its money has also covered the cost of a toilet block, library, solar-powered well, and separate teacher accommodation.

Nick is a retired doctor, and Claudine a practising midwife, so the pair are able to use their medical experiences on their trips.

As part of this journey, they went on a floating clinic - this is a boat that sails around providing healthcare to people living in villages by the water.

Now that they are back on the island, they say the trip showed how much of an impact their work has had on the locals.

"We really enjoy it and the people are so welcoming. But with a small amount of money, you can make a huge difference."

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