School 135 poor Cambodian children to prosperity.

The target children mostly come from farming or migrant families who have moved to informal settlements in Phnom Penh. Their parents and guardians primarily work in the informal economy with low and irregular incomes as construction workers, factory employees, motorcycle/tuk-tuk drivers, street vendors, cleaners, and waste collectors. With more than two children per household and high city living costs, education expenses are a heavy burden for them. Due to the intense pressure of earning a living "from dawn until dusk" to manage daily survival, most parents lack the time to monitor their children's studies or provide encouragement. Previously, they often held the view that education was solely the responsibility of teachers, which led to a high risk of school dropout and a lack of communication between families and the school.

To address these challenges, Salvation Centre Cambodia (SCC) implemented strategic activities, including the establishment of the SCC Community School to provide non-formal education to orphans and vulnerable children, including those living with HIV. The goal is to increase their knowledge, confidence, and physical and mental health. The organization works closely with local authorities, state schools, and parents to monitor academic progress and facilitate necessary legal documents, such as birth certificates. Additionally, the organization organized parent meetings to integrate knowledge regarding children's rights, positive parenting, and the importance of community involvement in education.

According to group discussions held in late July 2025 and a parent meeting on March 25, 2026, the results clearly showed a positive change in behavior. The ten parents who participated in the discussion confirmed they have stopped forcing their children to do excessive housework that interferes with learning and have made efforts to arrange study spaces and provide necessary materials for their children. In the parent meeting, there were a total of 38 participants (including 30 women) who gained a clearer understanding of their role in promoting their children's education. As a practical achievement, a total of nine students received outstanding results in state schools in January and were awarded incentives from SCC. Among them, one student ranked 1st and received 20kg of rice, $10 USD, and a full set of school supplies. Three students ranked 2nd and each received 20kg of rice and school supplies, while five students ranked 3rd and each received 20kg of rice to help relieve the family's living burden.

The impact of these activities is reflected through the words of the mother of a young boy named Thona in Sangkat Srah Chak: “I used to think that as long as I sent my child to school, my job was done. But after participating in the meeting and seeing my child's academic results, I now realize that my encouragement at home is very important for my child”.

The mother of a young girl named Leanghor in Sangkat Srah Chak stated: “I am incredibly happy and moved that the SCC Community School always pays such close attention to monitoring my daughter’s studies so. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the organization for providing her with this incentive award, which serves as a great source of motivation for my daughter to continue striving in her studies moving forward”.

The mother of a young girl named Riya in Sangkat Srah Chak stated: “I am truly delighted that the SCC Community School has put so much effort into monitoring my daughter’s studies, something I was never aware of before. Through this dedicated attention, I commit to continuing to urge and encourage my child to study even harder to achieve even better results”.

Your continued support is helping transform not only children's lives, but also the attitudes of parents—creating stronger families where education is valued, children are encouraged, and hope for a brighter future continues to grow.