Fundraiser Gives Hope for Remote Cambodia School Children
By: Heng Sreylin Cambodianess, Fri, February 28, 2025
The Oral Mountain community school has only one old wooden building. Photo provided
PHNOM PENH – Volunteer San Dara Vit is raising funds for a new community school building in Kampong Speu province amid a severe lack of proper infrastructure, study supplies and teachers.
The Oral Mountain community school has only one old wooden building, with no classroom or library for proper study. It is in a remote village in Trapaing Chor commune, Oral district.
Construction is estimated to cost about $9,000 and they need another $4,000. After construction, nearly 200 students will benefit from a better learning environment and more comprehensive education.
Dara Vit began saving money and reaching out to donors for construction materials for the new building which will be 10m wide and 35m long, with three classrooms.
“My savings can only cover costs for cement, steel poles and part of the construction workers’ wages. However, we are still short of money for bricks and corrugated metal roofs,” he said.
“Most importantly, the transportation of materials is costly because the site is 35km from the rubberized asphalt road.”
Dara Vit and his team have been teaching local students for over a year. Their objective is to identify the challenges and work with public schools to offer solutions, including providing school supplies and bicycles.
“Teachers from Phnom Penh return home after two to three weeks of teaching. To tackle the issue of taking turns in teaching, we are providing training for teachers in the community, including some from the capital. However, we still need to recruit four more teachers. A dormitory is being prepared for teachers,” he said.
There are 170 children in the Oral Mountain community, with 120 currently enrolled in the school. Students will get a wide range of English, agriculture, general knowledge and literature.
The new building will also serve as a community meeting hall when needed.
Parental factors and family difficulties are among the biggest hurdles for children in the area. The school is far from many homes and parents’ limited understanding of education means nearly 90 percent of children drop out at the primary level. Many boys go to work in the fields while most girls work in factories.
“If you saw like I did, would you consider it important for the place to be developed?” he said.
“We should build schools in remote areas to help develop the next generation as they deserve higher education. You are welcome to join us in making this initiative sustainable.”
This is not Dara Vit’s first initiative to help underprivileged children gain access to education. He has established a free school in Dangkor district for children whose families cannot afford school fees.
https://cambodianess.com/article/fundraiser-gives-hope-for-remote-school-children
SOURCE: Cambodianess, Cambodia Fri, February 28, 2025
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