More poor students receive education support from Cambodian journalist

Kampong Chhnang (October 29, 2014) – Ten more rural poor students living in Chrak Kouv village, Peam commune of Sameakki Meanchy district in Kampong Chhnang province today received education support from Mr. Chhay Sophal, Editor-in-Chief for a local newspaper Cambodia News, and his friends.

From right: Yann Niradei, Chhay Sophal and Dam Srey Neth
From right: Yann Niradei, Chhay Sophal and Dam Srey Neth
Sophal2text 

This is the second time that Mr. Sophal donated bicycles to the students from the poorest families in the village. The move came after he visited the village and donated three bicycles to three poorest students two weeks ago.  The long distance between their houses and the secondary schools and their families’ hardship touched his heart and inspired him to work more to support the poorest students who have no bicycles.

“I have a pity on these children. Their houses are very far from school, but they still struggle to go to school by asking their friends who have bicycles for a ride. I really appreciate their efforts,” Mr. Sophal said.

With love and compassion, Mr. Sophal, who is also a well-known author of a popular book, entitled: “Who Are the 36 Cambodian Prime Ministers?”, contributed his own income and mobilized resources from his friends to support these poor schoolchildren.

Each student got a second-hand bicycle, 10 notebooks, 3 pencils, and 10,000 riels in cash. Mr. Sophal donated two bicycles and 100,000 riels ($25). His friends Mr. Touch Meng Lay donated two bicycles, 100 notebooks and 30 pencils, Mr. Heang Srun and Mr. Sou Sophoanara donated two bicycles each, and two more bicycles donated by Facebook Café and its staff.

The handover ceremony of the donation was organized by LWD in collaboration with the village chief. The ten poor students, half of them are girls, were selected through a transparent process, targeting only those schoolchildren from the poorest families whose houses are located far away from school and have no bicycles. Seven of them study at lower secondary level, while the rest at upper secondary.

Mr. Sophal advised the ten students to study hard and attend their school regularly. He also encouraged the parents to send their children to school. “Education can make lives better and can change the community,” he said.

Yann Niradei
Yann Niradei
 
Dam Srey Neth
Dam Srey Neth
Pak Narong
Pak Narong
 

Yann Niradei, 15, who studies grade 8 at Chrak Sdech Lower Secondary School, some 8km from her house, was very excited to get the bicycle. She said two years ago she went to school with her friend who has a bicycle. She has seven siblings and she is the youngest. Because of poverty, all her older brothers and sisters dropped school.

“I want to study. I love study, and I want to become a teacher,” she said.

Dam Srey Neth, 13, 7th grader, who studies at the same school also expressed the same feeling and gratitude over the generous support. She has 5 siblings and she is the second child. Her two younger siblings study at a primary school in the village, but her older ones dropped school years ago. She had no bicycle to ride to school a year ago. She went to school with her friend who gave her a ride. “I am very happy. Now, I have my own bicycle. I will go to school more regularly,” she said, adding that she also wanted to become a teacher when she finished school.

Pak Narong, 18, 12th grader, who studies at Hun Sen Kraing Sramor Secondary School, some 8km further than Chrak Sdech Lower Secondary School, expressed her gratitude on behalf of the bike recipients to Mr. Sophal and his friends. “We are all committed to study hard in return for the generous support,” she said.

Narong said she went to school by her old bicycle for five years ago. Now, she was very concerned to see her bike getting older and it may be of no use one day, and then it would affect her study, she said. “The donation came in the right time.”

Mr. Mey Sarun, LWD Area Program Manager, deeply thanked Mr. Chhay Sophal and his friends for their generosity and support for education of disadvantaged children in rural Cambodia.