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

Back to School?

After ten years making clothes in a factory in Phnom Penh, Chanthy decided to change jobs. She took a new job as a janitor in a Bible school. But while she cleaned the school, she dreamed of furthering her education. She dreamed of someday having an even better life. Then one day she spoke with her sister-in-law who encouraged Chanthy to pursue her dreams and take the national high school exam. 

Chanthy (on the front right) traveling to a recent CWEF event

The suggestion was very daunting. More than a decade had passed since Chanthy last took classes. Back then, her father worked hard cultivating rice, growing vegetables, and catching fish to support his eight children; but in the end, there was only enough money for a few children to further their education, and the family gave the boys priority. So, Chanthy dropped out of school in ninth grade. Instead of finishing high school, she helped her family work at home and in the rice field. 

Chanthy riding home for Khmer New Year

But now many years later, Chanthy decided to follow her sister-in-law’s advice. She would try to go back to school. Outside of work, she began intensely studying all the high school subjects she previously missed, including English. Chanthy struggled significantly preparing for the high school exam. But in the end, all her hard work paid off. She overcame all the obstacles she faced and passed! 

Pursuing Her Dream

Chanthy next desired to go to college, but she felt anxious about the school fees. With the help of generous people like you and the CWEF scholarship program, Chanthy successfully enrolled at Norton College.  

While there, she sadly faced even more hardships. During her second year of college, her father had a severe stroke. Chanthy cared for her ailing father throughout her studies. It was a great loss for Chanthy when he passed away two years later. Still, Chanthy tried to study hard through this, believing that the knowledge she was gaining could help her escape poverty. 

Despite her great motivation, Chanthy received acceptable but never excellent grades. But her professors and classmates noted her hard work, kindness, and friendliness. Finally, in 2022, Chanthy achieved one of her dreams and successfully graduated from Norton University with a major in English for Teaching! 

Chanthy preparing fish for a Khmer New Year’s dinner

Determination

“I always told myself that I would never drop out of university, especially when many challenges in my family happened nonstop: my dad getting very sick, my family needing more money, and my study result being not so good. But I didn’t give up. And one more thing, I am so grateful for the scholarship you gave me that helped me to study, and I didn’t want it to go in vain. 

I am so grateful to all my beloved people around me that God sent into my life…especially CWEF, who provides me with scholarships. This organization is a big part of what helps, guides, and supports me along the way. Even though I was discouraged at times, I remained motivated…four years later, I finally made it.” 

Because of previously experiencing her family’s struggles as well as experiencing factory working conditions, Chanthy never stopped pursuing her dream and strongly believes that education is the only thing that will lead her to a better future.

In the End

Chanthy transformed herself from high school dropout to university graduate and English teacher. She is also a faithful Christian and gifted at working with children. So, in addition to her work, she serves as a Sunday school teacher. Chanthy married in 2021 and is now 33. She is the only one of her sister-siblings to graduate from college.  

Thank you so much for choosing to generously equip Cambodian students like Chanthy to fulfill their potential and achieve their dreams of a better life!  You are transforming lives!

Sunset behind Chanthy’s house over Khmer New Year