Sipar

Sipar is a French non-profit organization founded in 1982 to support refugees displaced by conflict in Southeast Asia. Its initial work focused on language education and vocational training in refugee camps along the Thai-Cambodian border. In 1991, at the request of Cambodia's Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS), Sipar transitioned from humanitarian assistance to long-term development and established its operations in Cambodia. In a country where decades of conflict had devastated the education system and left generations without access to books or learning resources, Sipar chose reading and access to knowledge as powerful tools for reconstruction and human development. Today,... read more Sipar is a French non-profit organization founded in 1982 to support refugees displaced by conflict in Southeast Asia. Its initial work focused on language education and vocational training in refugee camps along the Thai-Cambodian border. In 1991, at the request of Cambodia's Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS), Sipar transitioned from humanitarian assistance to long-term development and established its operations in Cambodia. In a country where decades of conflict had devastated the education system and left generations without access to books or learning resources, Sipar chose reading and access to knowledge as powerful tools for reconstruction and human development. Today, Sipar's mission is to contribute to Cambodia's human development by promoting literacy, education, and youth empowerment, with a particular focus on vulnerable populations. Each year, our programs reach more than 360,000 children, youth, and adults across all provinces of Cambodia. For more than 20 years, Sipar worked alongside the Ministry of Education to strengthen primary education through the creation of school libraries. Between 1993 and 2023, the organization established and equipped more than 318 primary school libraries nationwide, helping generations of Cambodian children discover reading and develop foundational literacy skills. Building on this experience, Sipar now implements its flagship Reading for All program, which brings books and learning opportunities to communities with limited access to educational resources. The program operates 11 mobile libraries serving remote rural areas and supports reading promotion initiatives in Cambodia's 28 prisons and in 32 brick factories, where children and families often face significant barriers to education. Through these activities, Sipar seeks to ensure that reading and learning opportunities are accessible to everyone, regardless of their location or circumstances. Recognizing that access to education must be accompanied by opportunities for personal development and future planning, Sipar also implements a Youth Empowerment Program in 25 public rural high schools. Developed in close collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport and aligned with national education priorities, the program strengthens youth participation, leadership, civic engagement, and career guidance. It helps students develop the knowledge, confidence, and skills needed to pursue further education, access employment opportunities, and become active contributors to their communities. Complementing these field programs, Sipar operates one of Cambodia's leading children's publishing houses, producing high-quality books in Khmer for young readers. By creating culturally relevant reading materials and supporting the development of a local reading culture, Sipar contributes to both literacy development and the long-term sustainability of Cambodia's educational ecosystem. Through these interconnected programs, Sipar promotes a lifelong culture of reading, learning, and civic engagement, empowering children and young people to build brighter futures for themselves and their communities.