the PHF Story

A visit to Siem Reap in 2007 started it all. We visited two schools in the village of Angkor Tom and had brought along school supplies, sweets and slippers to give away to the children. What we didn’t expect was that there were so many more children without food, without clothes and without footwear.

Despite that, the children still made their way to the village school that offered free primary education. It was their only chance of learning something that would hopefully be their ticket out of poverty and on to a better life.

Yet, most of them may never get the chance to further their education. It was just too expensive – to get a bicycle to get to town, to pay for uniforms, to pay for books. Besides, they are needed to help out in the farms to earn whatever they can to survive.

We felt an urgent need to do something for these children. Be it food, education, or that pair of sandals to protect their little feet as they walk the tens of kilometres (each way) to school.

That’s how we decided to start Project Happy Feet.

Today, Project Happy Feet has walked its way to more than 1,000 children, and more to come as we invite you to follow in our footsteps.