1- Paintings.

Photo: Gabriel Grela Mesa, Baphnom High School library, 2023, Cambodia, Prey Veng, Ba Phnom.
To create a more attractive library and encourage students to use it more often, the volunteer painted two vibrant wall murals. As a result, the library became not only brighter but also more frequently visited by students. Additionally, the murals provided a source of inspiration for creativity, transforming the library into a more engaging and stimulating environment.
One of the designs depicts a young girl in a meditation pose, floating above an open book that radiates the source of knowledge (Mathematics, History, Geography, Art, and Language among others). On the second level, four adult characters: a nurse, a teacher, a police officer, and a businessman, highlight the outcomes of a strong commitment to studies from a young age. Finally, on the third level, the Angkor Wat temple is surrounded by the colors of the Cambodian flag. The entire composition, from bottom to top, illustrates that education in the youngest generation is the foundation of a solid nation in all aspects.
Painting 1 process
The second painting depicts an Apsara dancer performing at night. Apsara, a traditional Khmer dance form in Cambodia, is performed by girls and young women to welcome the gods into a temple. This dance holds deep symbolic meaning, representing beauty, grace, and artistic expression. Apsara dancers entertain the gods and are closely associated with Cambodian heritage and spirituality.
Painting 2 process
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2 Books request.

Photo: Gabriel Grela Mesa, Baphnom High School Library, 2023, Cambodia, Prey Veng, Ba Phnom.
Students record a video asking for book donations.
For our second activity in our library development journey, a few students from primary, secondary, and high school recorded a video expressing their desire for more books in all subjects, not just English. It is particularly sad to see the bookshelves empty because, after the students have read all the current collections, they do not return since there is nothing left to read.
In response, the Peace Corps volunteer contacted the Peace Book Center in Phnom Penh, a bookstore that generously donated supplies to our school twice in 2023.
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3- Library's roof renovation.
Baphnom High School sought funding to renovate the roof of its library. The structure that supported the roof, the drainage system, and the waterproofing had weakened due to the age of the materials. For these reasons, the roof allowed water and direct sunlight to enter, as there were holes in several areas of the roof. With the constant seepage of water during the rainy season, there was an intense and constant acceleration of the deterioration of the roof and even some cracks in the walls. The combination of all these elements was associated with the risk of an eventual collapse, endangering the resources inside the library and, more importantly, its users.
For this reason, it was a priority for the library to update its structural condition in the following months, before the next rainy season (May/June). Otherwise, the damage and costs would have been much greater and more difficult to manage.

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