The Magic Pencil: Celebrating 10 years of partnership

Children of the Mekong and Writing Through share a strong and steadfast partnership grounded in trust and shared purpose. Writing Through developed from a standalone series of workshops to a registered international charity as a response to Children of the Mekong’s request for creative writing workshops across all of its Cambodian centres. This deeply meaningful partnership has now spanned more than a decade and continues to blossom through new and evolving programs and ongoing development.

Over the years, Writing Through has run over 50 workshops in all six Children of the Mekong centres throughout Cambodia. Each workshop consists of five ninety-minute sessions that introduce students to poetry, storytelling, and group journaling in their second language of English. Most students begin the workshop with uncertainty, disbelief in their capabilities, or fear of the unknown. However, Writing Through’s tried and tested techniques open their minds to a whole new realm of possibility, and the students leave with a sense of accomplishment and a magazine with their photos and their work.

The facilitator encourages engagement by creating an Cambodia atmosphere of relaxed fun. Assuring participants that there are no mistakes and supporting them to feel confident sharing and cultivating their own unique voice. We also introduce a little bit of Magic! Each student gets a special colourful pencil called the Magic Pencil, which they are encouraged to save for creative writing. The use of brainstorming and Socratic questioning encourages the development of critical thinking and self-expression. The workshop concludes with what is known as the ‘Big Event,’ where every participant, supported by instruction and encouragement from the facilitator and their classmates, stands proudly to read aloud a piece they have written during the workshop. The shy yet triumphant smiles on their faces as they return to their seats reflect Writing Through’s mission to nurture self-esteem, language fluency, and the confidence to question the limitations they have placed upon themselves.

Following the Big Event, a strong sense of achievement and celebration fills the air. Each participant receives a certificate of completion and a printed magazine featuring all of the writing created during the workshop. Although the workshops last only a few days, their impact often continues long afterwards. Many students express a renewed motivation to continue writing, improving their English language skills and embracing creativity as a tool for self-discovery and learning. Thanks to the collaboration and continued partnership, often Children of the Mekong students are able to do more than one workshop, where they are pushed to go beyond the basics and enhance their metaphorical thinking and creativity.

Each year, the workshops are guided by an overarching theme, allowing students to explore broad ideas from their own perspectives and reflect on their experiences. Previous themes have included Change, Taking Risks, Power, Time, the Natural World, Bridges, and Freedom.

Cambodia

Cambodia To date, 934 participants across Children of the Mekong centres have collectively written 889 poems, 23 journal entries, and 327 stories. While these figures highlight the scale of the program, the true impact lies in Writing Through’s shared mission with Children of the Mekong to nurture confident, curious, and empowered young people through creative expression.

The partnership continues to evolve with the development of a teacher training program designed to support Children of the Mekong teachers in bringing more active learning methods and creativity into their classrooms. Writing Through greatly values the knowledge and experience of Khmer teachers and works alongside them to share ideas, address common classroom challenges, and co-create innovative lesson plans and activities. This program will continue to be developed through 2026, further strengthening the long-term impact of the partnership.