In Khmer (the majority language in Cambodia), drinking water is called “tuk suat,” which directly translates to “water pretty.”
Many families in rural Cambodia have drinking water that is far from pretty, and instead of giving them the energy they need to work, can put them in the hospital with a hefty medical bill in tow.
Kanyo is from Kalai commune in Ratanakiri province, Cambodia. His village is an agricultural community that relies on bountiful rain during rainy season for their crops and for drinking water.
Their families live on small plots of land and survive on the rice, vegetables, and meat they can grow. In this area, if households have a family well, it is often unprotected and shallow.
“Before we got the water filter, our family drank rainwater that was collected in jars, well water, or stream water,” Kanyo shared.
The unhygienic water sources can cause waterborne illnesses that have a lasting effect on people’s ability to continue working and caring for their families.
“We understand that such water is not hygienic…and can cause various diseases such as diarrhea or stomach cramps and we often have to go to the doctor for treatment,” Kanyo said.
Can you imagine knowing your water will make you sick but not having any other choice?
In 2023, in partnership with local leaders, CWEF gave 60 bio-sand filters to households, including Kanyo’s household, in three villages.We checked in with Kanyo a year and a half after he received his filter, and it is still operational and working great. The filters should last 15+ years if maintained.
Kanyo is grateful for his water filter:
“Thank God for CWEF! After we received the water filter, our family’s life has improved. Because our entire family is free of diseases, we don’t have to spend as much on medical treatment as before. We have time to work happily.“
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Thank you for your generous donations through CWEF! Because of you, families in rural Cambodia like Kanyo’s are not only drinking healthy, clean, PRETTY water, they also have more money, greater health, and greater happiness. THANK YOU!!!
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By Hayley Steinbauer, Program Impact Coordinator, Cambodia
Interview with Navin, CWEF Scholarship Student studying Public Administration
Navin climbs the steep stairs to show me where she and the other students sleep. The room is large and has around three bunk beds. There is a bathroom unattached from the bedroom. She lives in a Christian dorm with six other girls while she studies in Phnom Penh. Most universities in Cambodia do not have housing options on campus; students either live with family or rent out a single, windowless small room big enough for a bed and a few belongings.
Those from rural areas may not have family living in Phnom Penh and renting a room may be too expensive. It’s a roadblock for many students. On top of that, young believers are leaving their church communities back home. In a country that is 3% Christian, young Christian believers, who are often first-generation Christians, are thrust into a new environment without their usual support systems.
Can you imagine living your whole life in a village with less than 115 families and then moving to a city with 3 million people where you don’t know anyone? Can you imagine being a new believer and having to leave your church community? It sounds like a recipe for leaving the faith and dropping out of school, doesn’t it? But it doesn’t have to be that way.
CWEF recognizes that graduating with a degree is one achievement but also growing in character and faith is vital. We care about who they are becoming, not just what they know. So, we connect our Cambodian scholarship recipients with vetted dorms that can also be spiritual communities.
That is Navin’s story. As a recipient of a CWEF scholarship, we connected Navin with a Christian dorm in Phnom Penh. The dorm is safe, clean, and provides her with continued spiritual and emotional support. The Christian community further develops her faith while she is attending university.
Navin enjoyed her first year studying Public Administration. She participated in many group projects and trips that allowed her to grow professionally. And she also had a lot of chances to build relationships in her dorm.
None of this would be possible without your donations. Thank you for supporting new believers as they grow academically and spiritually. By giving to the scholarship program in Cambodia, you are helping to make disciples of all nations!
Q&A WITH NAVIN:
Tell me about your family. How would you describe your hometown? For girls, what is the norm in your hometown – do girls get married young, drop out of school, graduate from high school? My name is Navin. I have 5 siblings, 2 brothers, 2 sisters and me. My father passed away in 2013. In the last few years my mother was not sick. She went to the rice field in seasons to do farming. When she has time free and is not working in the rice field she does housework. My village is a remote area. It is not far from district, but it is not too big. There are only 115 families. People know my village because we have a lot of children there who do not go to school. The majority of girls stop studying at the age of 15 years old and are then up for marriage. Other girls work outside the country.
How many people were in your high school graduating class? Six hundred people have graduated from my high school. My class had 33 students, 19 girls and there were only 5 girls that continued onto university.
How many of your family members have been to university? In my family, I’m the only one to study at university.
How has your family reacted to you wanting to attend university? I told my mother, I would continue to the university. She allowed me to attend, but she did not have enough money for me if I continued. So I needed to find someone to support me because she was not able to support me.
What will this university degree do for your future? After I graduate, I am going to apply to a good job.
Is it easy or hard to get a job with the degree you are getting? Why or why not? When I get my graduation certificate it is easy to apply for jobs. Recently, they need people who have graduated with degrees in public administration.
How much does a someone in public administration make in a year? The income for working in public administration is $3160 to $5600 a year.
Why did you want to go to university? I went to university because I want to help myself, family, and my external society through my special skills and resources that I have, especially in learning the Bible from Jesus.
Would you have been able to attend university without this scholarship? I continued in the university without a scholarship, but I was troubled with finances between studying and working together.
If you could say something to one of our donors, what would you say? If I met with the donors, I would like to say thank you for supporting my study in the university.
My name is Yinglian, (a CWEF scholarship recipient). Throughout my freshman year, with your generous support, I was able to overcome the financial burden that had been weighing heavily on my academic pursuits, allowing me ample time to focus on my studies. I am here to express my heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you for your selfless contributions. Your kindness is like a warm ray of light that illuminates my path towards the future.
As a child from a poverty-stricken rural mountainous area, I understand the profound importance of education. Through relentless efforts in junior high school, I was fortunate enough to be admitted to the best high school in Nujiang Prefecture. While the country’s favorable policies have played a crucial role in helping me realize my dream of attending high school, the financial strain on my family only intensified once I started my high school journey. My family’s already tight finances were further strained by my mother’s unemployment, leaving us at a loss for what to do. It was then that my teacher introduced me to (CWEF). Just as its name suggests, (CWEF) has become a beacon of hope shining in the darkness, filling me with aspirations and visions for the future.
Thanks to this program, I can finally concentrate on my studies with peace of mind and have access to funds to purchase educational materials, helping me address my weaknesses. Consequently, the pressure on my parents has eased significantly, and I have seen smiles return to their faces. With the support of the Concordia Hope High School Program, my academic performance has also improved. It has not only extended a helping hand during my difficult times but has also nurtured my intellect and nourished my soul. It has taught me gratitude and planted in my heart the seeds of responsibility, gratitude, and courage to strive forward. These seeds will undoubtedly grow into towering trees, forever lush and thriving.
No matter how flowery the words or how eloquent the language, they cannot fully convey the immense gratitude I feel within.Thank you for your wholehearted support, which has given me the courage to face life’s challenges, the confidence to venture out of the mountains, and the vision to embrace a bright future filled with shining stars and endless hope.
May I wish all of you, the kind-hearted individuals, good health and success in all your endeavors!
With utmost respect,
Recipient: Yinglian
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Help more young people like Yinglian by donating to scholarships here!
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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Want to help more young people like Phunry? Donate here.
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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
It’s easy to overlook the importance of communicating well. If someone has never been taught good communication skills or witnessed it in others, an individual may not even know the ways that he/she is communicating poorly. For teachers, communication is the primary effort almost all day, every day. What would the impact be on the lives of students and the teachers themselves if teachers mastered healthy communication skills?
CWEF saw this need and realized the treasure trove of possible long-term benefits. Made possible through your generosity, CWEF supported a group communication counseling session for 20 teachers at Bohua School in Yunnan, China. This is the same school where your giving continues to enable multiple mental health programs. Teachers participated in a game that focused on practicing and improving their communication skills by describing cards to each other. Communication and reflective listening continued until the receiving party could clearly and accurately understand the card’s appearance based solely on the verbal description given.
Communication skills that the teachers at Bohua School learned and practiced through this activity:
1. Recognizing the difference between facts and opinions
2. Checking and confirming understanding of what was said in a timely manner
3. Using a gentle and respectful tone of voice
4. Employing empathy and respect for another person’s perspective
5. Working towards understanding another’s point of view
6. Teamwork – working together to complete a task
If you’ve ever been spoken to by someone using these skills, you may appreciate how much more effective the communication can be, and how much better you felt afterwards, when these elements are present vs. when they are not!
Again, this activity is just one example of many mental health initiatives and opportunities that your giving is providing to the teachers and students at Bohua School in Yunnan! As teachers work to improve their communication, it’s easy to see the potential for great positive impact on not only the teachers’ lives but also on the lives of their students, entire classroom, and school for years to come.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY IN SUPPORTING MENTAL HEALTH FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS AT BOHUA SCHOOL IN RURAL CHINA! You are providing invaluable mental health care and education in a less-resourced region where mental health support is greatly needed. You are helping to create an environment that educates and equips young people so that they can become leaders in their own communities!
Want to receive updates about your impact or how you can be involved? Sign up to receive updates here!
Love the work we’re doing and want to join in? Donate here.
“The water looked clear and clean,” Romaskean said, “but it started to give us diarrhea and hurt our stomachs.”
In partnership with CLEAN Cambodia, Concordia Welfare & Education Foundation (CWEF) gave Romaskean and her family a bio-sand filter in June 2023. Biosand filters, also called slow sand filters, use a combination of sand and a biofilm to remove pathogens, iron, and turbidity from the water. Users dump water into the top of the filter, and it slowly passes through the biofilm layer and then through the sand layers, purifying the water in the process.
The benefit of a biosand filter is they can last up to 15 years and don’t require electricity or fuel to work. Each day Romaskean must pour water into the biosand filter three times to keep the biofilm alive and active. Because Romaskean received training on how to maintain the water filter, she knows how to regularly add water and swirl the top later of sand. During a visit to her village in November 2024, CWEF staff checked-in on Romaskean and her biosand filter.
Romaskean with her brand-new water filter – thanks to donors like you!
She uses it every day and her family continues to no longer have the symptoms caused by waterborne illnesses. She is grateful for her long-lasting, easy to use purification system that provides clean drinking water to her whole family.
Romaskean lives in this house with 7 others. Her family farms cassava and rice. Their water source is a well dug behind their house.
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To those of you that support CWEF,THANK YOU for your generous giving! Because of donors like you, Romaskean can live her life free of waterborne illnesses! Now that’s LIFE-CHANGING!!
New to CWEF? Receive update e-mails from us by clicking here.
“I remember when I first entered high school, I was very anxious and uneasy. At this moment, the hope (of a scholarship from CWEF) surged into my heart like a clear spring in the desert.
I was hesitant and uneasy because I feared losing my education due to financial difficulties, but CWEF has alleviated my anxiety. With the progress of the CWEF’s hope project, I began to move forward with determination.
In this context, I became a member of the experimental class for physics, chemistry and biology in combination. In the last joint examination with Yunxian County, I achieved the seventh place in the whole school.
Without the hope given to me by CWEF, I would not be able to learn without any hesitation and may stop due to external interference. If I am a lost pedestrian, then you are the Big Dipper.”
From a letter by Yue, a high school student from Yunnan China that received a CWEF scholarship.
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Because of you, fewer obstacles stand in the way of higher education for Chinese girls like Yue! Thank you for being, as Yue said, their ‘Big Dipper’ and ‘spring in the desert.’ Your sacrificial giving is educating and equipping these girls to become strong leaders in their own communities!
Note: due to current policies in China, we are no longer able to share pictures of the students who receive our scholarships. Please allow Yue’s words of gratitude to paint the picture of your impact on her life instead!
This letter is written by Yingping, one of CWEF's high school scholarship recipients in China.
Dear Donors:
Greetings to all of you!
Thank you very much for the attention of the state, the school, and the donors to us poor students and for giving us practical help. We can’t express our gratitude in person, but we can only express our deep gratitude to the school and all the people who care about us and help us poor students.
SCHOOL-RELATED EXPENSES ARE TOO HIGH
Society is developing. For a poor family, educating a student is not easy. Besides, my family doesn’t only have one student to provide for, but I also have a younger brother in junior high school.
The distance from home to school is quite far for me, traveling back and forth costs 90 yuan. So sometimes I stay at school overnight.
MANY FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE CHRONIC ILLNESSES
When my parents were young, I didn’t have a lot of pressure. But now my parents are slowly getting older. In the blink of an eye, they are more than halfway to 100 years old. Their bodies are not in good shape.
My father has bronchitis. He takes medication all year round. My older brother and younger brother also suffer from bronchitis.
When I was a child, my brother fell ill, and we had to spend the family’s savings on his treatment. My parents often say that their bodies hurt, but they refuse to go to the hospital for checkups because they are afraid of spending money.
In a year, they cannot afford to buy one pair of shoes. All their clothing was given to them by relatives who did not want them anymore. This makes my heart ache deeply.
YOU PROVE THAT YOU CARE
Under such circumstances, the state and the school allowed me to have better study conditions, in part, by providing me a CWEF scholarship. Thanks to the state and the school for not forgetting us poor students.
In the school, the teachers prove that they care for us students by their actions. Thanks to your help I have the heart to work hard to get ahead.
“Thanks to your help, I have the heart to work hard to get ahead.”
Yingping, CWEF Scholarship Recipient from China
I will try my best to finish my current studies and be ready for my future studies. Thank you to the country, the school, the leaders, and all the donors.
Yingping
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THANK YOU to all of you who have demonstrated your caring heart for young girls from low-income families in China through your giving and volunteer work!
You are making it possible for Yingping and many others like her to pursue higher education. Your generosity through CWEF is raising up hundreds of Chinese students to become strong servant leaders in their own communities!
Love the work of CWEF? Get connected with us! Receive our updates and newsletters by clicking here.
As an adult, are there things you wish someone had told you earlier in life? To help young people be well-prepared on important life issues, CWEF is incorporating practical life lessons into its mental health course. CWEF partners teach this course to 250 migrant children at Bohua School in a rural area of Yunnan, China.
Connecting with the students through humor
Icebreakers before the start of class
Preparing for Adulthood. One of these recent mental health classes focused on preparing sixth grade students for many of the physical and emotional changes they will experience in puberty. At first the students shyly declined to speak. But under their teacher’s guidance, they eventually opened up about this normally-taboo subject. Through the class, teachers encouraged the students to also accept themselves and the changes they will experience. Teachers encouraged students to look forward to becoming adults.
Talking about the physical changes of puberty
Live intentionally. To help students be intentional with their futures, the teachers gave every student a paper which was folded into 10 sections. The students assumed, for the sake fo the exercise, that their lives would be 100 years long and that each section of the folded paper represented 10 years of their life. Then each student closed their eyes. They reflected on how they felt about the first ten years of their life, which is all the years that they’ve lived so far.
Writing down one of her dreams for the future
After this they tore off the first section of paper, wrote their feelings down, and put the torn off paper into a box. Then the teachers instructed them to take some time to think. Think about what they wanted to do with the 9 remaining sections of their lives. In this way, students appreciated how they can’t get the past back. But they also reflected on how they can make the most of the time they have left.
By supporting our work in Yunnan, you are providing migrant children with the opportunity to cultivate vision for their futures and learn practical life lessons that may pay out enormous dividends over their lives. THANK YOU for partnering with CWEF to educate and equip children from disadvantaged areas of China, helping them to become servant leaders in their own communities!
Would you like to hear about opportunities to help educate young people from disadvantaged areas of China? If so, sign up for our mailing list by clicking here: RECEIVE CWEF UPDATES.
When I was a child, I often felt scared. The other people in my village didn’t like me. They didn’t like me because of my father: he would often get drunk and do violent things. When I was 4 or 5 years old, my mom and dad decided to divorce. In my dad’s absence, my mom worked the land as a subsistence farmer, took care of the household chores, and raised me and my four sisters all by herself. Then many years later when I was 17 years old, my dad died.
Pov recently reading in his university-level English class!
My mom worked as a subsistence farmer; so she did not earn money like other people do from their jobs. Therefore, it was challenging for her to fund the education of me and my four sisters. The financial situation caused me and my sisters to miss classes. We also didn’t have the money to buy study materials. Like books. Or backpacks. Or other materials.
Pov and his friends showcasing some products that they made to sell for a class!
The next concern for my family was that we didn’t have enough money to pay for university. When Concordia Welfare & Education Foundation (CWEF) awarded me a scholarship, my situation got a lot better. It relieved the burden on my family to pay for my school. CWEF pays for my school fees and school supplies every year from the first year until now.
When Concordia Welfare & Education Foundation (CWEF) awarded me a scholarship, my situation got a lot better. It relieved the burden on my family to pay for my school. -Pov, a Cambodian college student
Pov making an ‘S’ statuefor a visual design course
Pov speaking at church
Finally, I am so grateful to CWEF for providing me with a scholarship to help me purchase my study materials and pay for college tuition. I appreciate that the donors support my university education. It is so helpful to all the students that need knowledge who come from impoverished communities or other places where people do not have enough support.
Pov and his classmates discussing various class assignments
Today, I am 22 years old, and I’m in my 3rd year at Phnom Penh University of Arts (PPUA) studying visual communication.
Thank you!
– Pov
THANK YOU for your willingness to help a young Cambodian in need go to college! And thank you to each of you that sacrificially gives to pay for his college expenses so that he can leave a life of poverty behind him!
Are you new to CWEF? Would you like to help more young Cambodian men like Pov attend college? $1500 sends one student to college in Cambodia for a year but any amount helps! Click here to donate today!
