University students in white and plaid uniforms bustle around the college campus, paying for the next semester and chatting with friends. The new school year is about to start at Royal University of Law and Economics in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Phunry, a petite girl with a big smile, is in her second year at the school. She is studying public administration and hopes to one day work as an assistant administrator of a commune or district office.
These are big dreams for a girl from Preah Vihear province, a southern province ranked highest in the country in multidimensional poverty (CSES 2016; 2017). Her parents were sustenance farmers, farming a small rice paddy that provided just enough food to feed their family of five.
When her father passed away, the family struggled even more, but Phunry continued to study. She held onto her dream of being something more than a farmer. In Cambodia, women are more than twice as likely as men to have none or only some education (CSES 2016; 2017).
Despite family pressures to stay and work, she continued to pursue higher education. She graduated from high school and enrolled in university, becoming the first in her family to attend university.
“I have the opportunity to study now, and I have to try. I want to be able to support my family and community,” Phunry shared.
In 2023, Phunry applied and was awarded the CWEF student scholarship. The scholarship will cover her tuition fees throughout her education. Her perseverance and grit have served her well during the first year of school and she is excited for year two. Phunry is grateful for you who have made this opportunity possible through your generosity!
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References:
NIS/MoP (National Institue of Statistics/Ministry of Planning) (2018). Cambodia Socio-Economic Survey (years: 2017 and 2016). Phnom Penh. On-line: http://www.nis.gov.kh/index.php/en/14-cses/12-cambodia-socioeconomic-survey-reports
