CAMBODIANS TO BENEFIT FROM CAPE BOOKS

A drive to collect and send thousands of books to Cambodia was successful, according to drive coordinator Dr. Alan Naslund.

Naslund was working as an English professor in Japan when he heard about Cambodia's need for books. Two Cambodian teachers, Chhun Bora and Peou Hor, visited Japan to talk about their country and ask for books.

Under the communist Khmer Rouge, led by Pol Pot, most of the country's teachers were shot and books were burned. People who knew or tried to learn English were killed by communist soldiers.

Now Cambodia is trying to rebuild its education system and its economy. A knowledge of English is essential, Bora and Hor said, because the language is used in world trade.

Several Cape Girardeau residents helped Naslund gather books and the money needed to mail them. Most books were donated by Southeast Missouri State University, and Christ Episcopal Church donated funds for postage.

The Asian Foundation recently received 5,400 pounds of books from Cape and will distribute them to schools in developing Asian countries, with the bulk of the contribution designated for Cambodia.

Naslund has accepted contributions for a second drive from the economics department at Southeast Missouri State University.