On one of the visits to the schools in the villages outside of Siem Reap, Team PHF met an inspiring young lady – she is 21-year-old Ms Sin Sokong.
While many of us were still in university or preparing for our first jobs when we turn 21, Ms Sokong has blazed the trail and changed many lives here in the remote village, a bumpy two hour drive outside of Siem reap.
Ms Sokong is a city girl, she hails from Siem Reap but was assigned to the Chub Tatrav School after she finished her teacher training course. Ms Sokong candidly shared her initial reactions when she arrived at Chub Tatrav: “I did not want to stay initially, this place felt like a jungle to me.”
Luckily for the students, Ms Sokong decided to stay at the school even after she completed her three-month placement at the school.
Today, at the tender age of 21, Ms Sokong is both the principal and a teacher at the school, one that provides free education to 75 students.
When asked what is her dream for her students, Ms Sokong replied: “I want them to gain skills and knowledge so that they can be empowered to break out of the poverty cycle.”
It may seem like a tall order for a rural school principal in a country with more than 30% of its population living under the national poverty line and 90% of that lin rural areas. However, we are certain that where Ms Sokong is, anything is achievable.
Ms Sokong is currently raising funds to build a teachers’ quarters to attract more teachers to teach at the school so that more students can be enrolled. The school has a current enrollment of 75 with three full time teachers, including Ms Sokong herself. She is also looking to build a life skills building so that students can learn practical skill such as sewing to provide them with a better chance at employment.
If you’d like to support the development of the above, please email connect@projecthappyfeet.org.
