key dates
1982 : Sipar creation in France
Sipar was born to help welcome and integrate Cambodian, Vietnamese and Laotian refugees in France. Sipar then formed "hospitality groups": French people who unite to receive a family of exiles and accompany them until they are autonomous. It then had to find funds to ensure daily life, housing, work, goodwill to accompany in the administrative procedures, the schooling of the children, and then of course the sense of welcome and human warmth to share with those who take refuge with us.
1986: In the camps of Thailand
Sipar s’engage à aider les réfugiés avant leur arrivée en France. Sipar ouvre ses premières classes d’enseignement de français au camp de Phanat Nikhom en Thaïlande, où les réfugiés attendent leur départ pour la France. Les professeurs de Sipar enseignent la langue et la culture française à leurs étudiants pour mieux les préparer à leur intégration en France. En 1989, Sipar commence à travailler dans des sites à la frontière Khmero-Thaï afin de préparer les populations à leur rapatriement au Cambodge, après les Accords de Paris…
1991: Sipar arrives in Cambodia
From 1991, at the request of the Cambodian Ministry of Education, volunteer pedagogical advisors were sent to the Provincial Directorates of Education and the Schools of Pedagogy of Kompong Speu, Kompong Chhnang, Prey Veng and Kandal... Sipar shifts its focus to development aid.
1993 - 1994: First school libraries
After the closure of refugee camps in Thailand in 1992, Sipar opened the first children's library in Cambodia in a wooden house in Kompong Speu in 1993.
Several former teachers are being hired and trained as librarians to lead reading-related activities. No books in khmer: at that time children's books in their language were non-existent. Sipar has selected, purchased and imported books from France and Thailand. The texts were translated and pasted directly into the books.
1993 to 2016: The School Libraries Program
Since 1993, in partnership with the French Ministry of Education, Sipar has set up 318 school libraries. Sipar helps reinforce school library standards and train librarians in elementary school.
As of now, it is entirely under the control of the Ministry of Education, and Sipar now plays only a supporting role.
2000: Start of the "Mobile libraries" program
In 2000, Sipar's first mobile library was born, a minivan, financed from its own funds. Today, there are 10 mobile libraries operating in 7 provinces including Phnom Penh including 6 minivans, 2 tuk-tuk libraries and 2 boat libraries on Tonle Sap Lake.
2001: Birth of the Publishing department
When Sipar started building libraries, no khmer books existed. We translated by hand into khmer directly on the pages of the books the texts in French or English of illustrated albums for children. Since 2001, Sipar has also become a publishing house and pioneer in its field in Cambodia. Since 2001, 3.3 million copies have been printed and 306 titles have been published for all ages and levels.
2011: Start of the "Education in prisons" program
In 2011, Sipar set up a pilot project in four prisons to install libraries and promote reading among inmates.
Today, 28 prisons are equipped with libraries and managed by Cambodia's General Department of Prisons. The program benefits over 61,000 inmates every year.
2011 : Start of youth development program
In 2011, Sipar established “Youth Clubs” in rural areas to promote youth engagement for the development of their communities.
Since 2021, this program has also been helping high school students improve their job prospects through libraries designed to include a career guidance area.
2018 : Start of "Education in brick factories" program
In 2018, Sipar began working in brick factories. The people working there are extremely vulnerable. Sipar is providing services with two mobile libraries (vans) at 12 brick factories.
Since 2023, four mobile libraries have been serving 32 brick factories to support the social and educational development of the workers and their children.
2023 : Sipar Publishing becomes a social enterprise
In 2023, the Khmer-language book publishing program was separated from the activities of the Sipar association.
The Sipar publishing house is now a fully-fledged entity, with the long-term aim of contributing to the association's social missions through the revenues generated by the sale of its books.