More Than a Partnership: A Year of Connection, Learning and Impact with REACH

Contributed by: Alex Ireland, Director of Global Citizenship and Zoe Moss, REACH Siem Reap Project Lead

One year ago, the College embarked on a partnership with REACH Siem Reap, a charity supporting underserved families and youth. What began as a shared commitment to education and global citizenship has grown a meaningful relationship built on connection, learning, and a shared belief in the transformative power of education.

Putting support into action

Across the College, students found purposeful ways to turn compassion into meaningful impact. From fundraising initiatives such as the Year 12-led Roses for REACH, where hundreds of origami roses were carefully folded, to DUCKS with their hand painted cards and Year 9 students with story recordings that were shared with children in Cambodia, these small but significant acts connected the College together in a shared purpose to doing good.

Most rewarding was the strength of response from the community. With strong support from students, staff, families and Friends of Dulwich (FoD), SG$19,000 was raised during the first year. FoD in particular, have been steadfast champions of this partnership and without them, our fundraising would not have reached the heights that it has. To the committee and all the volunteers, we are deeply grateful.

These funds will directly support REACH’s free evening classes in the Purple Room where REACH students benefit from English lessons, alongside access to REACH’s Youth Pathways programme to develop their soft skills and receive guidance towards scholarships and employment. One such example is Menea, who secured a role as an assistant in REACH’s volunteer programme following our sponsorship.

In addition, the funds will support five at-risk Cambodian youths for REACH’s Side by Side campaign, providing REACH youths in Cambodia with weekly mountain biking lessons that build teamwork, resilience and leadership.