2. About
The SIPAR is a French NGO that
works toward the reconstruction of
Cambodia through education of the
youth.
SIPAR’s goal is to open doors on
the world through the
pleasures of reading. Their
project is to get children and young
people on the road towards
knowledge, the first step in the
battle against illiteracy and poverty.
SIPAR aims to offer all children
and young people an access to
quality education by fighting
illiteracy and giving every child the
taste of reading.
For SIPAR, education builds the future!
3. Background
FRANCE
1982 SIPAR founded
Over a period of 12 years more than 3000 refugees were helped by Sipar via 160
reception groups in all of France (shelter, employment, education, moral support).
THAILAND
In 1986, in a refugee camp, founding of the first school for teaching French language and
culture, in order to facilitate insertion of refugees upon arrival in France; the school was closed
down in 1995.
1989 : Presence of Sipar on the Frontier Sites along the Thai-Cambodian border in order to
prepare the population for return to its native country (training of teachers and teaching of
French).
CAMBODIA
Early 1991 : emphasis on teaching techniques: counsellors and pedagogical materials
provided for the formation of primary school teachers.
1993 : founding of the first library in the provinces, followed by launching, the year after of a
school library program in the primary schools. Beginning of library training program.
4. Reading for all programs
Since 2000, Sipar has developed a new point of focus : reading for all
outside the school system, in varied disadvantaged environments.
Complementary programs:
• School Libraries
• Centers for Public
Reading
• SIPAR Books
• Pro-Poor program
5. School Libraries
SIPAR aims to create a
network of school
libraries. Since 1993,
230 primary school
libraries have been set
up in the whole country.
This project is carried
out with the Ministry of
Education and the local
authorities. Training
sessions for librarians
are offered on a regular
basis.
6. Centers for Public Reading
SIPAR has established 43
Centers for Public
Reading in remote
villages, prisons and
hospitals, to offer the
local population -
children, teenagers and
adults - a space for
reading and an access to
documentation. 8
mobile libraries
circulate in the suburbs
of Phnom Penh and the
neighbouring provinces.
9. Communal Centers of Education For All (CEFA) :
Reading Centers in rural areas.
10. Libraries in prison : by 2014 reading made
accessible to 15 000 prisoners, 200 guards and
their families
11. SIPAR Books
Sipar Books was created
in 2000 as a division of
SIPAR. They publish
books in Khmer
language designed for
the Cambodian youth,
from early childhood to
adulthood. Quality is
their main
preoccupation!
13. Pro-Poor program
SIPAR wishes to build the capacity
of commune councils in
designing, implementing and
managing education
development plans and projects,
and to propose tailored
educational services based on
each commune’s needs and
constraints, in link with local
and national service providers.
There are 10 projects of
communal educational services
development set up in 2
provinces.
14.
15. Key Figures
• 200 000 new readers among children
• 230 school libraries
• 26 public Reading Centers
• 8 mobile libraries in 3 provinces
• 2000 school librarians trained
• 12 000 teachers trainees initiated
• 10 projects of communal educational services development
• 95 titles for young people in Khmer
• 1 million books were published
