Empowering Cambodian Children with English 2026

April 20th, 2026

Dear Friends and Supporters of ODC,

Welcome to our first quarterly update of 2026, and thank you for taking the time to walk with us through this part of ODC’s journey. Even in a time when many families in Cambodia continue to face economic hardship, ODC has kept moving forward with hope, determination, and belief in the future of the children we serve. We are thankful that our team has remained safe and committed, and that our students continue coming to school with enthusiasm and a desire to learn. During the first three months of this year, our work has continued steadily, and we are grateful for the chance to share this progress with you. Your support and generosity continue to make a real difference, and they help us keep opening doors of hope and opportunity for our students.

Our student body continues to reflect the strong need for quality education in our community. As noted above, we started 2026 with 219 students in our 9 in person classes and 10 students in 1 online class, while around 100 more children remain on the waiting list. This shows both the continued trust families place in ODC and the growing demand for educational opportunities that help children build not only English ability, but also confidence, discipline, and character. During the first quarter of the year, our students continued learning regularly and making progress through structured lessons, daily practice, and the support of committed teachers. At the same time, we have remained thoughtful about how to help each group of students grow well. For our younger children especially, we have made changes to create a more encouraging learning experience by focusing first on self esteem, confidence, respect, and a sense of success before introducing exams and stricter academic expectations in later years. Through this approach, we hope to build a stronger foundation for long term growth, so that our students do not only stay in school, but also develop the motivation and confidence to keep moving forward.

Based on our new pipeline system (a more structured way of planning student intake, class progression, and yearly budget needs), our operational team has also become slightly smaller this year. In 2026, ODC’s operational team consists of 12 members, including 1 Headmaster, 1 Admin staff member who also works as a teacher, 1 Fundraiser who also serves as Head of Curriculum, 5 teachers, 2 teaching scholars, 1 environmental caretaker, and 2 volunteers. Regrettably, ODC is no longer supported by international Board members following a governance transition and organizational restructuring process, which also led to the withdrawal of their financial support. Nevertheless, ODC continues to be led and managed by a local leadership team, including local board members, with the support of both international and local advisors.

During the first three months of the year, we were also very pleased to welcome an international volunteer from Australia. During her time with us, she supported our Cambodian children in meaningful ways by assisting with learning activities, encouraging students to practice English, building positive relationships with them, and helping broaden their understanding of the world beyond their immediate environment. She also led a 6 week Sunday program in which she taught our students about ways of life in Australia, including student life, culture, and everyday living. This gave our students a valuable opportunity to learn from someone from another country, expand their perspective, and build greater curiosity and confidence in engaging with the wider world.

As we look ahead, our top priority is to secure additional funding to address the gap left by the withdrawal of international board fundings, so that ODC can continue serving the 219 students currently enrolled this year. While we do have some reserve funds that should enable us to operate until the end of the year, this is only a short term measure. To respond to this challenge, we have already taken important steps, including reducing operational costs and making financial sacrifices at both staff and top management levels. We have also increased student fees for families who are in a position to afford more, though a significant gap still remains. At the same time, we hope to further develop our social enterprise so that it can generate income to support ODC more sustainably in the years ahead. If we are able to raise enough funds, we also plan to repaint the Tree of Life mural, which is the soul of ODC, and build an overhang to protect the mural while also providing shade for the children. Through this, we hope the mural can continue teaching our students the values of ODC and help them reflect more deeply on life and morality through its meaning. We have also been considering the possibility of running computer classes, which may generate some income in the future if we are able to secure enough funding to build the computer lab and provide the facilities needed. This is a very important time for ODC, and support during this period will make a direct difference in helping us protect this place of learning, hope, and opportunity for the children we serve. Even in this difficult season, we remain committed to keeping the school strong and protecting the opportunities it provides for our students.

In closing, we would like to express our sincere gratitude for your continued support and belief in ODC’s mission. Your generosity is helping us keep this place of learning, hope, and opportunity open for the children we serve, especially during this challenging time. We remain committed to protecting and strengthening this work, and we thank you for standing with us on this journey.

With deepest gratitude,

Chhaiya Im
Founder and Headmaster, ODC