Warning: "continue" targeting switch is equivalent to "break". Did you mean to use "continue 2"? in /home/u640474905/domains/watopot.org/public_html/wp-content/plugins/lessphp/less-php/less.php on line 9716

Warning: "continue" targeting switch is equivalent to "break". Did you mean to use "continue 2"? in /home/u640474905/domains/watopot.org/public_html/wp-content/plugins/lessphp/less-php/less.php on line 9724

Warning: "continue" targeting switch is equivalent to "break". Did you mean to use "continue 2"? in /home/u640474905/domains/watopot.org/public_html/wp-content/plugins/lessphp/less-php/less.php on line 9729

Warning: "continue" targeting switch is equivalent to "break". Did you mean to use "continue 2"? in /home/u640474905/domains/watopot.org/public_html/wp-content/plugins/lessphp/less-php/less.php on line 9735

Warning: "continue" targeting switch is equivalent to "break". Did you mean to use "continue 2"? in /home/u640474905/domains/watopot.org/public_html/wp-content/plugins/lessphp/less-php/less.php on line 9745

Warning: "continue" targeting switch is equivalent to "break". Did you mean to use "continue 2"? in /home/u640474905/domains/watopot.org/public_html/wp-content/plugins/lessphp/less-php/less.php on line 9748

Warning: "continue" targeting switch is equivalent to "break". Did you mean to use "continue 2"? in /home/u640474905/domains/watopot.org/public_html/wp-content/plugins/lessphp/less-php/less.php on line 9768

Warning: "continue" targeting switch is equivalent to "break". Did you mean to use "continue 2"? in /home/u640474905/domains/watopot.org/public_html/wp-content/plugins/lessphp/less-php/less.php on line 9773

Warning: "continue" targeting switch is equivalent to "break". Did you mean to use "continue 2"? in /home/u640474905/domains/watopot.org/public_html/wp-content/plugins/lessphp/less-php/less.php on line 9794

Warning: "continue" targeting switch is equivalent to "break". Did you mean to use "continue 2"? in /home/u640474905/domains/watopot.org/public_html/wp-content/plugins/lessphp/less-php/less.php on line 9801

Deprecated: Function create_function() is deprecated in /home/u640474905/domains/watopot.org/public_html/wp-content/plugins/osd-blog-search-widget/osd-blog-search-widget.php on line 102

Notice: Undefined variable: theOptions in /home/u640474905/domains/watopot.org/public_html/wp-content/plugins/lightbox-plus/lightboxplus.php on line 267

Notice: Undefined variable: theOptions in /home/u640474905/domains/watopot.org/public_html/wp-content/plugins/lightbox-plus/lightboxplus.php on line 269
New Kitchen is finally finished! - Wat Opot Children's Community
Wat Opot Children's Community
  • ABOUT
    • WHAT WE DO
    • OUR TEAM
    • FINANCIAL
  • GET INVOLVED
    • VOLUNTEER
      • FAQS
      • RULES
    • WISHLIST
  • BLOG
  • CONTACT
  • |
  • DONATE
  • ABOUT
    • WHAT WE DO
    • OUR TEAM
    • FINANCIAL
  • GET INVOLVED
    • VOLUNTEER
      • FAQS
      • RULES
    • WISHLIST
  • BLOG
  • CONTACT
  • |
  • DONATE
July 30, 2016  |  By Melinda In General

New Kitchen is finally finished!

z-dining-room

Wat Opot Children’s Community kitchen is a large 8 sided building, originally constructed with a thatch roof and open walls.  It was nice and breezy…until rainy season, then it became a flowing stream, It was slowly updated over the years with walls, windows and a sturdy roof and eventually, three small additional rooms for cooking and a bathroom were added on.

outside before

outside before-after (2)

 

After 10 years or so what was once a nice new bright and shiny kitchen, became dark rooms with black charcoal stained walls.  As Wat Opot changed so did the needs of the kitchen.  Cabinets were broken down with use and unused spaces became mounds of unorganized clutter.  Our wonderful cooks never complained.  They continued to cook as they always did (with charcoal) and improvised as needed.

IMG_0642

Our kitchen needed a massive face-lift, but the large amount of money needed to fully update with modern furnishings and equipment just wasn’t available.  Enter the Coffman family who got wind of our needs and they, along with friends and two generous corporate sponsors (QuickSpark and Stormwind), raised over $16,000!  The dream of an updated kitchen, one without messy and unhealthy charcoal would finally come true.

With professional blueprints (well, professional compared to the napkin drawings over breakfast given to Mr. Pheab for the volunteer dorm), in hand we had somewhere for Mr. Pheab to start.

This is how the kitchen layout looked before renovation.  Not really any flow and too many small rooms to maneuver around.  In the dish washing area, we had to close up the doors to the outside as that became a local hangout for village dogs.  With 40+ kids eating 3 meals a day, that’s a lot of scraps!

20160410_092348

This is how the new kitchen was envisioned!  An open floor plan, with a time saving flow having everything within reach, especially the pantry and dish washing area.

20160410_092514

You can view the process from start to finished in the Facebook album, Mike Coffman created by clicking here.  Or  read on for a narrated version.

The original plan was to just gut out the interior and renovate…but after a good look at the outside walls (which were additions many years ago), you could see they were cracking and in some cases pulling apart and would not have stood on their own without the inner walls stabilizing them.  Funny how you never notice things until you actually “look” at them.

IMG_0622

IMG_0621

IMG_0619

IMG_0618

Thus the complete knock-down renovation began.  And we were very happy to have a constructive destructive outlet for the children as they willingly helped.

IMG_0658

During the renovation, our kitchen staff moved outside, where they patiently cooked for over a month.

outside kitchen (1)

outside kitchen (2)

outside kitchen (3)

This is the former serving and dish washing areas

inside (1)

inside (4)

inside (6)

inside (7)

inside (8)

Here is the washing area before and after,

dishwashing 1

dishwashing 2

and the serving area specifically:

inside (2)

inside 9

As this area evolved, we were able to incorporate a hand washing station to the right of the serving area and buy a cold water filter to the left.  The metal grate above the serving area folds down to secure the kitchen against mischievous children and animals.  The Buddha painting was created by a former Wat Opot child resident who is now attending the Phnom Penh Royal University of Art.

Looking inside the kitchen (in the initial blue print standing at the bathroom looking through the washing station doors).

Bar (1)

Bar (2)

Bar (3)

Bar (4)

bar 5

 

Food Prep area is now modern and more comfortable.

 

food prep 1

food prep 2

View looking towards the back of the kitchen (in the initial blue print standing at the serving station looking towards the door by the bathroom).

length (0)
length (1)

length (2)

length (3)

length (4)

length (5)

length 6

The bathroom was the only original structure that was able to be salvaged, although we did a complete renovation with new toilet, door, tile and paint.  The bathroom was formerly used as a vegetable/food cleaning area, as there wasn’t another place available.  Now the kitchen boasts an additional sink separate from the dish washing area for the preparation of fruits and vegetables.  The cleaned up washing area in the bathroom can be used for cleaning fish, poultry and meats.

bathroom 0

bathroom 1

 

bathroom 2

bathroom 3

bathroom 4

Our former charcoal cooking area was replaced with an industrial gas stove/oven

stove 2

stove 1

stove 3

and a gas industrial rice cooker (the children’s community eats about 10 kilos of rice a day).  When renovating, we were able to incorporate little innovations such as plumbing water to the rice cooker which is next to the serving area so the ladies do not have to move the heavy pots of rice from one spot to another.

stove 4

After (and actually during) the kitchen renovation, the large octagonal stage area was renovated as well.  The stage, as many of you who have had the luxury (and dare I say privilege) to visit us know, is a main component of Wat Opot Children’s Community.  Dance contests, singing contests, nightly meditation, nap time, play time, group meetings, events…you name it, this area is used for it.

Stage right – we tore down the right side wall which separated the stage from the kitchen (unused area on the initial blueprint).

stage (1)

stage (2)

stage (3)

stage (3.5)

stage (4.5)

stage (5)

Stage left – We tore down the old pantry/storage area.  Nak and Wayne knocked the cement and brick walls down in under an hour.

stage left (1)

stage left (2)

stage left (3)

stage left (4)

And the final result….an enlarged open stage area with the speakers/media electronics incorporated into the built-in cabinets on both sides of the stage.

 

stage 6

On the exterior, the side of the kitchen went from a barred in small washing room to a windowed area letting the breeze enter the length of the kitchen.  (note:  We are still working on the landscaping on the outside areas).

 

side (1)

side (2)

 

side (3)

side (4)

side (5)

side (6)

side (7)

And the back:

 

 

outside (0)

outside (1)

outside (2)

outside (3)

outside (4)

With the amazing amount of money the Coffman family raised, we were able to do everything needed on the entire building, not just the kitchen.  We were able to  replace the rusted windows with new metal ones and new roofing instead of re-using the old, and the entire building, stage area and new kitchen tiled and painted.  We were also able to buy 40 chairs and utilize some previously donated tables all of which can be broken down and stacked to clear the room for meditation and fun each evening!

Windows

window 1

window 2

You can see the coal blackened (formerly green) bathroom wall

roof 1

roof 2

 

Floors:

 

floor 1

floor 2

It’s now fully functional!!

z ladies cooking (2)

z ladies cooking (1)

Breakfast before school:

z dining room

z serving

 

So to wrap this up, here’s panoramic views:

 

pano (1)

pano (2)

pano (3)

pano (4)

pano kitchen

Words just can’t express our thankfulness for the ability to do this.  It turned out better than we could have expected AND we will hold a Wat Opot Community and Village Community dance contest on our new stage next week!

Thanks for stopping in!

The Watopotians

Previous StoryRAIN RAIN please please STAY and PLEASE come back another day!
Next StoryThe Rewards of Endurance

Latest Posts

  • FESTIVAL AT THE WAT Sunday, 13, Mar
  • chalk Art76
    Chalk fun! Thursday, 22, Jul
  • Sunday fun11
    Superhero invasion Tuesday, 13, Jul
  • Saturday photo shoot117
    A brief moment in time. Friday, 9, Jul
  • Hair cuts June 202114 (1)
    Giving back Wednesday, 23, Jun

Archives

  • March 2022
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • August 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • June 2019
  • April 2019
  • February 2019
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • December 2015
  • October 2015
  • August 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • March 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • February 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • May 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • November 2009
  • September 2009
  • August 2009
  • July 2009
  • June 2009
  • April 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
  • November 2008

WHO WE ARE

  • WHAT WE DO
  • OUR TEAM
  • FINANCIAL

WHAT WE DO

  • VOLUNTEER
  • DONATE
  • WISHLIST

MEDIA

  • VIDEOS
  • IN A ROCKET MADE OF ICE

Links

  • WAT OPOT CHILDREN'S FUND
  • PARTNERS IN COMPASSION CAMBODIA