Like many Grammarians before them, 23 Year 11 students recently set off for Cambodia to complete the Angkor Wat International Half Marathon and Service Learning Project. Almost every two years since 2014 (excluding COVID, of course) Grammarians have completed this trip with energy and compassion; training and improving themselves for the half marathon while raising money for HAGAR Australia.

HAGAR is an international organisation that is dedicated to preventing modern slavery and supporting affected individuals globally. They work mainly with women and children in Afghanistan, Cambodia and Vietnam. HAGAR helps survivors recover, heal and thrive by assisting them in securing safe accommodation, giving them access to counselling, legal support, education and employment.

Alongside their training for the 21km race, our students have been diligently researching, planning and carrying out their fundraising activities throughout the year, to raise as much money as they can for the organisation. As of 30 November – when they departed – they had raised over $37,500 through many fundraising efforts including raffles, bake sales, casual clothes days, nail painting and other craft activities. Over 200 donors from our School and the wider community have kindly given funds, which has all been given to HAGAR. They have well and truly fulfilled their $21,000 goal. This brings MGGS’s total funds raised for HAGAR across the 2014, 2016 & 2019 trips to over $150,000!

Before leaving for their trip, we sat down with Year 11 participants Sophie Long, Tilly Unsworth and Zoe Paul to hear about their experience so far.

Sophie, Tilly and Zoe all agreed they had been looking forward to this trip for years, after hearing about it from older Grammarians and the positive memories they created with their peers, friends and teachers who accompanied them on previous trips to Cambodia. Tilly was particularly drawn to the fundraising aspect, and the opportunity to see how their funds were positively impacting individuals in Cambodia. Zoe was intrigued by the personal challenge associated with training and competing in the half-marathon and exploring a new country with her friends. Sophie knew that getting involved in this trip “might possibly be one of the biggest highlights of her schooling journey.”

During the 10-day trip they will complete the half marathon in Angkor Wat, and visit several other cities and sites to learn about the culture and history of Cambodia. Tilly is eager to test herself physically and mentally in the race but also in a new environment that is “so different from what [she] is familiar with”.

Zoe is looking forward to learning about the “context behind [their] cause and the mission that HAGAR works towards. In particular, visiting the Killing Fields” to learn about the atrocities that have occurred in Cambodia in the late twentieth century. Despite the sadness and the intensity of the history they are learning about, our Grammarians are empowered by the challenge they have set themselves and the opportunity they have to play a role in advocating and raising funds for HAGAR and the people they support.

Although daunted by their $21,000 fundraising goal initially, the girls have really maximised their efforts by organising activities that involve the whole School community. Through their Run for Freedom page, they’ve shared and kept track of their individual and collective donations throughout the year. Of course, on top of their fundraising they have also had to make time for their training! Due to their academic and co-curricular commitments, it has been difficult for the girls to manage their training, though in time have found that their mission has become a source of motivation, and making time to run alone or with fellow participants has positively impacted their wellbeing.

Sophie says she has already learned so much about the geography of Cambodia and is excited to see and experience the places they have been discussing in their Thursday lunchtime meetings all year. For Sophie, “working as a team” to achieve their goals and manage their training has taught her so much, particularly how to benefit from everyone’s different strengths and connections. Zoe has loved how willingly her peers have given their time and effort to make their fundraising events run smoothly and pushed themselves to run several times a week in preparation for the trip.

At their group 16km run on Sunday 19 November, it was clear everyone had “worked really hard to get to this point and be ready to depart and smash out the half marathon.” By participating in this trip, Tilly is grateful to have learned so much about Cambodian history and culture, which has given her a real understanding of the brutal tragedies that the Cambodian people have faced, that she may not have learned about in the classroom.

Zoe, Sophie and Tilly have each raised over $1000 (and counting!) ahead of the trip and are eager to actually visit the HAGAR headquarters and get a sense of where the money they have raised is going and how it will help HAGAR and the people they support. 

We congratulate all 23 Grammarians on their completion of the half-marathon and can’t wait to hear about their adventures when they return.

Thank you to all students, staff, families and friends who have supported these Grammarians in the planning and organisation of this trip and to all those who have so generously donated to their fundraising efforts.

Keep an eye on our social media for updates from Team Cambodia!