We’re delighted to share a success story
The success story of Kimi
In 2007, a young boy called Kimi was provided full boarding and education support at the Samrong education centre in northwest Cambodia. His family lived too far away to allow him to attend the after-school tuition classes offered at the centre. The support lasted for all three years of high school. He was an “average” student but his motivation allowed him to join a recognized computer science school in Phnom Penh and then continue his studies at the school of agriculture. Our local volunteers recently met him at a dinner in his sister’s “Khmer Barbecue” restaurant in Samrong. He is now 32 years old!
At this dinner, he acknowledged and thanked Martin, the Operations Director of Cambodia, whom he had not seen for 12 years. It was a very touching reunion. Kimi asked us for the contact details of his Child Sponsor at the time because he had lost contact following the end of his studies. He wished to thank her for her support which had enabled him to study and to get a job that he finds fulfilling. Even today, his gratitude to his sponsor is, immense and sincere. ?
Kimi told us how proud he is to have an administrative position at the Department of Environment in Samrong today. You can help us reach more children like Kimi if you make a donation to Children of the Mekong.
Offer a chance to other children to have success stories to share, by supporting the Samrong Education Centre!
By supporting the Samrong centre, you allow brilliant students from very poor families to enrol in the best university courses in the country. The centre is dedicated to providing a living and working environment to allow the students to succeed in their studies.
The Samrong Education Centre provides accommodation and school fees for children. Our centre also offers students a friendly family environment, allowing them to think about the success they want for themself. Many activities promote this vision, such as sports, singing, painting and gardening. The centre also helps to increase the children’s self-confidence and helps them to build a professional future that suits them.
By supporting the Samrong Education Centre, you allow children to develop their potential and realise their dreams.
I am 17 and I live with my grandparents in my village as my mother is in Thailand. My family is very poor, and my mother told me: “I don’t have any money to give to you, so you have to study and find the money yourself”.
I am in Grade 12 and have been at the centre since I entered Grade 7. When I was in my village, I didn’t have any friends and I used to play with the boys. Ever since I arrived at the centre, I have gained brothers and sisters, many nice friends. The food is very tasty. I can play many games, but even better, I can study, especially English, which is a subject I didn’t know before, I find it very fun.
Children of the Mekong is teaching me how to become a better person, how to study well to have a beautiful future and a great job when I will finish my studies. Finally, I want to thank you, you and Children of the Mekong for your help.
Thany Sokun : An outstanding student from the Samrong center.
Thany Sokun has 17 years old. He was born on the 10th, October 2003. He has been sponsored for almost 5 years, since 2016. He is studying in grade 12 at Oddor Mean Chey Hun Sen high school. He is an intelligent and outstanding student. He was the top one of outstanding student in physics subject among the candidates from more than 35 schools across the province in provincial competition 2017, and he was ranked 35th for the national competition in the year as well. In recent, for his grade 12 this year he was also ranking up to the top one of outstanding student in physics for the provincial contest, but this year he missed the national competition because of covid-19 pandemic threatening.
He loves the social science subject. He likes solving problems and reading books. He loves fried food with sauce. He comes to the centre because he wants to change his perspective on life and get a higher education. His family is poor and in hard condition. His parents are farmers and Khmer noodles producers.
There are 3 hectares of rice field and every year could make around 20 to 30 bags of rice, but only ten bags he kept for his family consumption and the other is to sale, to pay for tractor and harvester machines. Besides working as Farmers, his family tried to make Khmer noodles to make income for supporting the family. They could earn around 4-5$ per day. He has one younger sister only she is 14 years old, grade 6.