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A School Director’s Dream

23/2/2024

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For the past 17 years, school director Kimchoeun Hak has dedicated his professional life to being the best leader for the many teachers and students at Ta Ey's secondary and high school.
Back in 2006, the local government increased the number of secondary schools in every commune in Cambodia.  With that, teachers with the ability to become school directors were necessary in order to lead the schools.  This was the moment that everything changed for director Kimchoeun, as he was chosen to take over the chair at Ta Ey School. 
With this opportunity in hand, director Kimchoeun wanted—and still wants—to help children in rural villages and develop the school together with the local community.
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And this journey is far from an end, since he still has a dream for Ta Ey School and shared, “I would like to see the school become one of the best places that can provide a good quality of education, especially when we talk about technology knowledge. 
For that, he says that the school still needs help from outside to support special programmes for the students as the school funding is limited.   But that's not a reason to give up. On the contrary, it's a reason for greater resilience, as it seeks to empower and encourage the school's teachers to learn and use new teaching techniques or methods that can help students achieve a better quality of education, even with few resources. 
In recent years, the number of students is increasing rapidly, and the school doesn’t have enough classrooms to support them.  Although it is a ‘good problem to have’, director Kimchoeun has to work with the teachers to appeal to potential donors and sponsors.  This is one of the ways to uplift his school ‘s ability to help the many children.
Director Kimchoeun has a dream and shared, “I would like to see our school becoming one of the places that can provide good quality education both in knowledge and morality, especially using technology to share greater knowledge with the students.”

​This dream may be challenging to pursue as the school funding is limited.  However, director Kimchoeun will never give up and has started urging his teachers to learn and use new techniques and methods to teach the students. 

His encouraging words to the teachers are,
"The word ‘teacher’ means model or sample, so you have to do everything to be a good example for the students. Work hard to help them. You can provide a better outcome for Cambodia.“
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Director Kimchoeun believes that the responsibility of quality education is shared amongst teachers, families and of course the students.  He further shared a sounding advice for the students, “Children, our lives in rural villages may be difficult but your hardwork in studying is important, as education is your gateway to a better future.  Your love for education is also your love for your family, your community and Cambodia!”
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With those inspiring words from director Kimchoeun, let’s join forces and give those rural schools a better chance to fight for a brighter future.  Take a step, give a helping hand, you can support Ta Ey’s school directly via https://bit.ly/Donate_PS2024.


Story written by: Volunteer Mariana Pana
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Student Sin Takes Us to School

23/2/2024

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Sometimes it’s hard to imagine what life is like in other parts of the world and what day to day experiences are like, especially children in poverty stricken areas.  For PeopleStories scholarship student, Sin, he was very candid about what he likes to do, what he thinks about, how he solves problems, and so much more.  

Sin started his journey with PeopleStories in 2020 when he was a Grade 7 student at Roluos Secondary School.  Now at 16, Sin studies at Hun Sen Prasat Bakong High School in Siem Reap province, Grade 10.  ​
Sharing a school project he is working on right now, Sin explained how he is growing mushrooms, excitedly saying, “I have tried to grow the mushrooms at home first but that was not successful. I learned that I didn’t put the yeast in at the right time and didn’t use the right amount.” 

​Sin says he learned from the experience and decided to grow them at school. He continues,
“I realized the home growing environment wasn’t good for the mushrooms so that is why I chose to try and grow them at school.”

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It quickly becomes clear that Sin is a thinker and a problem solver. He was eager to share about his favourite subject in school, mathematics.
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 “I enjoy mathematics the most. All of the math exercises have many different ways to solve them but there is always just one right answer. I like that!”  He continues, “Math is easy for me and I don’t need to think too much about it or give a lot of reasons for my answer, I just need to do the formulas.”

For all of us, we can recall lifelong memories from our school days. That is something universal. Sin is no different and he is grateful for the friendships and memories he is making during this time in his life. He shared a little about his good friendship, “My best friend and I understand each other so well. I am a very quiet person and don’t always make friends easily.”  Sin is glad to have someone he can confide in when family life or school life get difficult, “My friend doesn’t judge me and is always by my side when I feel down or am having a problem. It’s rare to find this kind of friendship so I am so lucky to have my friend in my life.”
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While Sin has his friend that is always there for him, he also has some challenges that he is working on.  For one, Sin struggles with English and says, “I am not very good at English, so I often fall behind in lessons.”  He has solutions for that too, and continues, “To overcome this, I will ask my friends for help and can also check the dictionary in the library or use Google Translate.”

For many students in rural Cambodia, getting to school is a problem that many children have. Sin’s family has only one motorcycle and shared, “It’s difficult having one motorcycle at home because I need to share it with my sister. I will also sometimes ask my friend in the same grade as me to give me a ride to school.”
Feedback is always helpful and from a student’s perspective he shared this for his teachers, “My advice for my teachers is to please help review the old lessons before starting the new lessons. This is helpful because not every student in class has recall or review time before class.” Sin’s thoughtfulness for everyone is remarkable and he concluded by saying, “Reviewing lessons will also help students engage with teachers better.”

Sin is well on his way to a bright future, which he does think about. He shared what he’d like to do when he graduates Grade 12, “My goal is to graduate high school with a B grade average and I know it won’t be easy so I have plans.”  Sin’s problem solving is very inspiring and he continued about his plan, “I have started to review lessons in the morning, as my routine. I use the time to practice more exercises and I can also take extra classes.”  He summed up his hopes and goals by expressing gratitude, “By my family’s status, I couldn’t afford to pay for extra classes but I am so grateful to Peoplestories for helping me.”

Education is the key to success in all parts of life. PeopleStories is bringing education to the underserved children in the rural villages of Cambodia. After following a day in Sin’s life, and his vision for his own future, I think we can see that we are making a difference.  

There are many other children just like Sin that have big dreams!  Help up bring education to rural Cambodia today: https://bit.ly/Donate_PS2024



Story written by: Volunteer Kathy Aunkst
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Passionate Teachers of Cambodia

23/2/2024

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Pisey Vei, a 30-year-old teacher from Siem Reap, Cambodia, radiates a passion for education that's infectious. As we spoke with her for an interview with PeopleStories Charity, her dedication to her students shines through.
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"When I started teaching in 2014, I knew it was my calling," Pisey begins with a warm smile. "I believe that helping my society through education is the best way."

​Describing her typical day in the classroom, Pisey's eyes light up.
"We always begin with a fun warm-up activity, like a game or quiz. It gets the students engaged and ready to learn. Then, we dive into the lesson, often with group discussions or individual reflections. I teach both English and Khmer, ensuring my students are proficient in both languages. And of course, I always assign homework to reinforce what they've learned."
But teaching isn't without its challenges, Pisey admits. "Time management can be tough, especially with so much to cover in a limited timeframe. And sometimes, getting students to open up and share their opinions can be a challenge, but it's crucial for their development."
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When asked about unique teaching methods in Cambodian schools, Pisey lights up with pride. "One tradition we have is singing the national anthem together every morning, which unites all of us. And our classes start promptly at 7:00, teaching them the importance of punctuality."​
PeopleStories also spoke to Kimsong Mom, a seasoned math teacher at Chea Smonn Secondary School in Siem Reap, Cambodia. He exudes a sense of dedication that comes from 13 years of teaching experience.
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"My parents inspired me to become a teacher," Kimsong reflects, with a hint of nostalgia in his voice. "They instilled in me a passion for education and the desire to make a difference."

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Describing his typical day, Kimsong explains, "I teach math, but not every day. It's three days a week for grade 9. The rest of the time, I'm focussed on school work for the children."​
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Despite his love for teaching, Kimsong faces challenges. "Some students struggle with math, making it difficult to explain concepts," he admits. "And the workload can be overwhelming, leading to stress.”  

Besides providing education it's important that teachers focus on this aspect, it's not only about educating the subject but a lot of other factors come into play when being a teacher.

When asked about unique teaching methods in Cambodian schools, Kimsong shares, "We start at 7:00 am sharp. Before that, we gather to raise the flag and sing the national anthem. It fosters a sense of unity and pride among students."

As for advice to his students, Kimsong's message is clear: "Study hard and stay committed to completing your education. It's the key to unlocking your future."

Through Kimsong's and Pisey’s story, it's evident that teaching is not just a profession but a calling—a commitment to shaping young minds and empowering the next generation in Cambodia, one lesson at a time.


Story written by: Caroline van ‘t Hoff
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