Education for 300 Urban Poor Children

Project Summary

Sunshine Cambodia (SC) has worked in five urban poor communities in Phnom Penh. SC’s project supports 350 poor children and youth, especially girls, to have self-confidence, to enjoy and to exercise their rights, to access education, to receive knowledge and skills. They are also prevented and protected from any kind of abuse, violence, trafficking, and exploitation. Moreover, through this project children and youth are equipped to be active actors and leaders for their family and community.

At the same time, SC’s project has worked with their parents for promoting and improving their full responsibilities for their family living conditions and their children’s studies. Apart from this, the project has engaged the participation of the legal duty bearers such as teachers, local authorities and the Community Committee of Women and Children (CCWC) to involve in protecting and preventing the children from any kinds of abuse and harm.

We are encouraged to many boys, girls, youth and their families have shown they are improving. Actually, many of them have got knowledge and skills. Some are studying at university and some have jobs. Through our project we also see some families managed to run a small business and have jobs, while some of them bought some necessary stuff for their family’s needs. Additionally, they also show that they care for their children regarding study and health.

A story of a girl: The support that brings a girl back to school

Sreiya, 11, studies in grade 5 at a primary school. She lives with her parents in Tropaing Anchanh village. Her father is a construction worker, and her mother sells sugar cane juice on the street side. Previously, she did not want to study. She missed her class very often. We had a conversation with Sreiya during the children’s club, and she told us many things about her past. “Once, I wanted to stop studying. I did not want to go to class. Sometimes, I told my mother that I got sick or headache when I did not want to go to my class. Sometimes, I told her that I already asked my friend to ask for permission from my teacher not to go to school. I miss class many times at that time so I did not get a good school result. My mother went to meet my teacher at school, then, she knew that I missed class very often. She was upset, but she still encouraged and explained to me many things about the importance of the study. SC’s staff also encouraged me about this and my plan in the future.” Sreiya said.

“My daughter missed her class very often. She did not go to school. She was lazy sometimes. When she didn’t want to go to school, she told me that she got sick or headache. She told me like this,” her mother said. Truly, her mother wants her to study and have a good job when she grows up. Her mother discussed with SC’s staff many times to find a way to encourage Sreiya since she was selected into SC’s project in 2018.

As a result, Sreiya shows her improving and changing. Her attitude and habit of laziness also changed remarkably. She built a good relationship with other children and has fun in club. This makes her mother very happy. Her mother said, “My daughter goes to study regularly now. She gets a good school result too. This makes me very proud of her and happy too. I am thankful for SC’s staff who always encourages and motivates my daughter.” She also shared her dream while we had a conversation with her during that time. “Now I try very hard to study. I go to study regularly. I want my dream to come true. I want to work in a bank. I like the children’s club. It makes me happy and brings me many friends. I am very happy that Sunshine Cambodia supports my family and my study.”

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