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People of Siem Reap


In 2017, I embarked on my volunteering experiences in Laos, Thailand and Cambodia.  

Along my journey, I have encountered many beautiful people and learned about their stories.
 

People of Siem Reap is my debut project of PeopleStories.

Lisa's Story

23/9/2022

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My love for Lisa 🧡

My tears rushed down as I looked straight into Lisa’s eyes and heard her words, “Teacher, I want to go back to school.”

This is Lisa’s story… 

Lisa (not her real name) came from a poor family in rural Cambodia. Since 2018, Lisa has been in #PeopleStories #SchoolForLife scholarship program. A family from Germany has been sponsoring her education.

I met Lisa when she was 12 years old and studying at grade 7 (the first year in secondary school). I also met her parents during a home visit in 2018. 

Lisa is a bright girl and full of courage. I always see her big smiles and she says, “Good morning Victoria. How are you?”
She performs well at school and is always active, out spoken. I remember she once told me, “My dream is to become a nurse one day!”

The pandemic parted us for 2.5 years. Similar to the many village children, Lisa fell into a “black hole” when schools in Cambodia were closed for most of the 2 years.

Let me remind everyone that most of the village children don’t have access to online learning. Lack of connectivity, devices and online education capabilities are just some of the common issues.

Early this year, Veasna told me, “I am sad to share that Lisa has dropped out of school. She has run away from home!” Lisa was only 15!!!! What is happening to her?

A couple months passed by, we finally heard from Lisa’s mum. Lisa was getting married! We were all so relieved to know that she is back with the families, settling down and now building her own family. However, we were also unsure how she was doing.

We heard that the boy (Lisa’s hubby) was 16 and had also dropped out of school. He started working at a construction site in order to provide for the family.

Lisa was pregnant and expecting her baby at the age of 16. Although underage marriage and parenting are acceptable in most of the villagers’ eyes, I wondered how a 16 year old girl could handle those heavy responsibilities in life.

Weather changed. Storm came…

Lisa’s hubby sadly passed away whilst working at a construction site. He fell off from higher ground and passed at the age of 16. He didn’t even get a chance to meet his own daughter.

As to Lisa, she decided to move back to be with mum. I caught up with her and mum at their home…

What did I expect? Not much actually. I asked myself to be ME and not PeopleStories, just keep my mind open, listen to Lisa and be there for her like a sister.

Lisa looks reasonably healthy considering she just gave birth a week ago to her beautiful daughter. She looks content…but her glances are a bit more deemed than usual. It could be the parenting duties, or the unclear future… I was not sure.

Our lovely chats just flowed… like two girl friends catching up. We exchanged parenting notes and complained about the lack of sleep.

Lisa looked down, went quiet… she said, “Sorry I made a mistake in life.” Please don’t forget, she is only 16! It is unfair for a child to bear all these responsibilities.

I was unexpectedly calm and collected, and said, “No Lisa. You didn’t make a mistake. You just made a decision in life and your path is now more challenging than planned.”

“We make decisions in life. Some get us to a better place and some make life just a bit harder.” I continued.

Our chat continued to flow and I got to an important question, “Lisa, what do you want to do?”

She thought about it, looked straight at my eyes… her sights were like x-ray, going straight to my soul. Lisa said, “Teacher, I want to go back to school!”

My tears rushed down.

🤔 What shall Lisa do?
👊 How can we support her?

Drop me a message or comments below to share.

With gratitude
Victoria Miloschewsky






#VicsDiary #OpenJournal #PurposeDrivenLife #PowerOfStories #GrowingUp #Motherhood #School #Education #Decisions #HelpingOthers #Cambodia
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A bike can change lives?

25/5/2022

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Happy May to all! This month is all about love, love and more love!  Hence the story you're about to read is about how a bike represents our love to the deserving children in rural Cambodia.

As you know, we have given 150 scholarships early this year which the children are in our care & support. But a couple of weeks ago, PeopleStories CEO & Founder, Victoria received some news about Dara (name changed for privacy reasons), a boy in Grade 12 (last year of high school) who was about to drop out of school.
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The reason was that his family is so poor that he doesn’t even have a bike to ride to school.  All these years, he has been sharing a friend’s bike to get to school.  However, since this friend has moved away, he was left with no access to school but to walk.

After trying a few weeks of walking a few kilometres each way to school and back, Dara finally decided to quit as it was getting too hard especially in the hot season. To add to that, his family also wanted him to start working at a construction site to bring home a few dollars a day.  When asked about the decision, Dara responded, "I'm thinking of dropping out of school because I don't have a bike to ride to school. I'm also learning rather slowly in school hence I wanted to leave school to work as a construction worker."
When Vic was told about the situation, her heart dropped!  All these years PeopleStories mission is to serve and help the deserving children complete school. Thus she got emotional when she knew how little Dara and his family had that he had to make the decision to leave school! We also realized how important a simple bike is for him!  In our modern world, mobility is a given and we don’t really think about it. In contrast, here in Cambodia, having a simple bike can break or fulfill a child's education which can consequently change their life.
Vic's heart didn’t just drop…it went out to this boy!  It travelled across the ocean and landed to reach Dara!

To provide as much assistance as she could, Vic worked with Veasna (from our local team) to visit this boy at home. We are so proud that Veasna is so clear on his purpose and we could clearly witness the love he has for the children.  He didn’t delay and went straight to Dara's home on the same day! 

With his visit, Veasna saw that Dara's home is really poor and he doesn’t have much! His parents were also at work hence he did not get to meet them.  Veasna had a good discussion with Dara and coached him about the importance of education. When he asked Dara about what he needed to stay in school, he replied simply "Just a bike." So, we provided him with a bicycle on that very same day.”
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"I'd feel excited if I was offered a scholarship. I also hope I'll do good work in the future with it." Dara said. Hearing this, and with a few more days of reviewing his situation, Dara is now receiving our School for Life scholarship!

His dream is to become a car mechanic and if he had magic, Dara would want to repair 100 cars in 1 hour!  We do wish his dream comes true and the path to his dreams becomes easier with him finishing his education! 

If you'd like to support students like Dara to finish school head on over here to back our mission!

Sending so much love to all in the month of May! We hope you have enjoyed Dara's story and you can be sure that he will be travelling miles to school in the next few months, with your support and love!
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Story written by: Volunteer Zeleen
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New Year.  New Opportunities.

23/4/2022

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Our friends and families in Cambodia just celebrated Khmer New Year (KNY) between April 14th and 16th.  Everyone enjoyed the three day public holiday to the fullest as it has been 2 years without any celebration due to the pandemic.

Khmer New Year (KNY) is full of tradition and customs. It also marks the end of the harvest season, a time to rest for farmers who have been working hard on their crops all season.  With the harvest season winding down in mid-April, farming communities shift their attention to the new year, before the rainy season that typically begins in late May. ​
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Here is a wonderful article full of stories about Khmer New Year traditions, including food, family and community rituals, and details about what each day of the new year means. While old traditions remain in place, others have evolved. Today, crowds of people like to gather in the streets and soak each other with water hoses, super soakers, and throw buckets of water, soaking everyone around them.  

To learn about the KNY activities, we had the pleasure of connecting with one of PeopleStories newest local volunteers.  Pheak Heng who was born and raised in the capital city of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, has many stories to share about KNY traditions in her family. She excitedly said, “This is one of the biggest holidays in the country and people usually leave the city to travel to their hometown.”  
Pheak’s family sets up a table with fruit, drinks, etc., in front of their house, as an offering to the devata (angel).”  She further explained, “There is usually a specific time for the angel’s arrival to the human realm and we light incense at that moment with hope and prayer that the new angel will give her blessing to us.”  
The first day of the new year is called “Maha Sangkran”.  Sangkran means movement and refers to the sun moving into a new zodiac sign (Aries) and Maha means great.  Some say that Maha Sangkran means welcome to the new spirits.  Pheak shared, “Siem Reap is the biggest hub of Khmer New Year celebration - Sangkran.  Before the pandemic, an annual celebration was hosted with people travelling from different parts of the country to participate in water splashing, throwing water balloons, and enjoying live music.  I heard this year was in no exception” 

Khmer New Year is slowly returning to pre-pandemic style but not in full force just yet.  Pheak spent her New Year in Phnom Penh and shared, “I had the opportunity to visit Siem Reap right before Khmer New Year while the preparations were being made and saw people preparing for the parade of big figures of angels and animals.  There were also government tour guides stationed in various temples to get ready for the influx of people into Siem Reap for the New Year.  Streets were becoming busier as well.”
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The last day of KNY is all about ‘cleansing’.  Pheak described how this day is celebrated in her family.  “On the last day, we wash our Buddha statues and elders with perfumed water blessed by months.  This is a symbolic practice to pay respect and ask forgiveness for past mistakes.” 
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Pheak agrees traditions have changed over the years and reflected, “With modernization occurring, some of the traditional activities such as folk games are not enjoyed as much as before.”  Water play has always been a big way to celebrate KNY and Pheak has seen the younger generation take this fun activity to a new level; explaining, “Everyone has a water gun and people went out in the street and had a blast.  KNY is such a great season for water play because it’s extremely hot this time of year, so a splash of water feels quite refreshing.” She continued, “Nothing can change the fact that KNY is always time for gathering. This has continued for many years, and I hope it will remain a season that brings friends and families closer.”  

Like everyone around the world, Pheak’s way of doing things changed during the pandemic.  Now, with some pandemic restrictions being eased she excitedly shared, “The ‘new normal’ shifted all our celebrations with family and loved ones online through Zoom and video call last year, so it feels great to be able to meet up with friends and family over dinner in a physical space during KNY this year.” To conclude, Pheak had this message to share, “Celebrate Khmer New Year to the fullest but always remember to take care and stay safe.” ​
Learning about other cultures and traditions is a true gift.  Family and friends, celebrations, food; all of these things have no boundaries.  Everyone can relate, it’s universal.  KNY is all about rest, reflection, forgiveness, gratitude, and respect.  

PeopleStories wishes all of our friends and families in Cambodia and around the world a happy and healthy New Year!

To read more about the local lives in Cambodia: https://bit.ly/PS_PoSR


Story written by:  Volunteer Kathy Aunkst
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A Grandma's Dream

17/3/2022

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Standing tall and speaking loud at the 2022 School for Life Scholarship ceremony, a grandmother spoke with her full heart, ‘I would like to advise our students to study hard and listen to teacher during class and please do your best to complete your education.’ .  
 
It is our pleasure to introduce Doeung Yom, a grandma of one of the 150 PeopleStories scholars, who has inspired many not just with her heartful speech at the Ceremony but the story behind her strength, resilience and be the biggest dreams catcher!
Growing up during the civil war, grandma Doeung Yom did not get a chance to receive any education. Instead, she learnt how to grow rice and vegetables to help her family. When she built her own family, Cambodia was still reeling from the devastating effects of the Khmer Rouge regime. Much as she wished for her five sons to complete school, they had to stop school between Grade 3 and 5 as there was no money for them to complete school. 

When it rains, it pours!  Grandma Doeung Yom was dealt with a severe blow when her husband died 21 years ago.  For the past 21 years, she not only had to single-handedly raise her five sons, but also had to help to bring up 2 grandchildren after a son’s divorce. 
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Having received little education, all her five sons worked as fish sellers. Relying heavily on the environmental factors, her sons barely made enough money to support their families.  Being the witness of the power of education, grandma believes that education is essential for children especially the ones who come from the poor families.  It is a chance to change their lives.  With that spirit, grandma Doeung Yom sometimes gave what little she had to help all her seven school-going grandchildren to complete school.​
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Grandma Doeung Yom was filled with relief and immense happiness when her Grade 11 granddaughter was qualified for School For Life Scholarship since 2017.  The impossible dream of education for her generation, interrupted one for her sons, is now a dream coming true for her grandchildren!  She constantly reminds her grandchildren to study hard so that they can change their lives and help the family.  

‘I would like to appreciate PeopleStories and Madam Victoria for bringing scholarships for our children and I felt unmatched happiness and thankful for receiving the books, uniform, bicycles and rice for our children,’ 
thanked grandma Doeung Yom fervently. 
 
So, what is grandma Doeung Yom’s dream?  It is proudly to see her grandchildren graduate, get good jobs and have a better future.  ​
Her dream is now coming true because you have played a part. Please continue to help the children of rural Cambodia to complete school, give them a helping hand and gift a donation today.  
 
Story written by: volunteer Bok Hoon Ong ​
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Newest scholar, Reaksmey!

17/3/2022

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The new school year has started in Cambodia!  This year Victoria, our Founder and CEO, was able to return to Cambodia to take part at the annual scholarship ceremony together with other honourable guests including the Governor of Bakong district and the Direct of Education Ministry.  It was not only a celebrative moment, but it also gave the children and their families a boost of confidence in life as their much needed scholarships remain possible. ​
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This year we provided 150 scholarships, 30 more than last year! We are ecstatic that with each coming year we get to support more and more children with their education journey. We would like to sincerely thank YOU for helping us with that!  

​Among the many new scholarship students, there is Hem Reaksmey – a Grade 7 student at the school in the famous floating village by the name of Kompong Phluk.  In this village, people build their homes on water as it is located in the biggest inland lake in Asia – Tonle Sap.  Houses there are very high and are pretty far away from the town.  Children travel by boats to school during raining season and ride their bikes when the dry weather hits. ​
Due to the nature of their work, Reaksmey's parents are hardly at home. Hence, the 8 siblings usually have to take care of one another. As a middle child, Reaksmey shares, “I always help to look after my younger brothers and sisters as well as the housework in my family. Sometimes, I will need to help my mother with tying fishing hooks until midnight.”  While these are normal tasks for Reaksmey to do, they may seem physically demanding and challenging for other children in more developed countries. ​
Having said that, Reaksmey laments that what makes it difficult is that she hardly has enough time to review lessons or do homework from school.  “I would appreciate it if I can be better supported both in school and at home” she said.  
 
We truly hope that with the scholarship, a small help is there to alleviate any worries she or her family has about school finances. In doing so, she may be able to dedicate more time and energy towards her studies.  

​Reaksmey dreams of becoming an excellent teacher when she grows up. 
”I want to help educate or teach the next generation children in my community.”  We certainly are backing her and her dreams! With her experience of taking care of her siblings we have no doubt that she would be an amazing teacher in the future!  ​
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“When I was selected for the scholarship, I felt happy and lucky. My family was also very happy and urged me to study hard to show my gratitude to the scholarship team, my family as well as my country.” She shared emotionally. 
 
We are glad that Reaksmey and her family feel supported. While we do not need her to show her gratitude to us, what we do hope is that she will study well for her dreams and hopes.  
 
We hope you have been inspired by Reaksmey’s story because we most certainly have! Please support children like Reaksmey to complete school, head on over to our donation page! We would greatly appreciate your help! 
 
Story written by: volunteer Zeleen Thum ​
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Courageous KongNov

17/3/2022

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“Taking my final step onto the stage facing hundreds of audiences at an ICT conference, I hold my head high!” student KongNov recalled her recent amazing achievement as part of PeopleStories STEM4Girls scholar.  
 
Student KongNov’s background is not all that different from many other children in rural Cambodia. Her family is poor and has very little. KongNov’s mother, from early on, instilled determination and courage in her children.  KongNov has always been motivated and determined to better her life and better the lives of those who need her help.  Having the role model of her strong mother to look up to, KongNov was destined for great things.  What makes her story different from the many others is just one thing -  an opportunity!  
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In 2017, young KongNov (11 years old then) met PeopleStories Founder & CEO Victoria Miloschewsky which led to her opening the many doors many opportunities. She had the courage to request a personal gift from Victoria which was a whiteboard, a simple tool to bring closer to her dreams – to become a teacher! 
 
KongNov recalled her first reaction when a scholarship was given to her, “I was really happy that I could go to school with the scholarship from PeopleStories and I knew I could do anything with an education.”  She continued, “I want to help others. When I was young I would see others with difficulties and struggles and I always wanted to help.” 
Thinking about the first three years of her scholarship journey, KongNov was asked to reflect on how her life changed. She confidently responded and said, “My life has changed 360 degrees. My family didn’t have money for my studies and then PeopleStories helped me; they gave me a bicycle and what I need to get to school.”
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The changes and opportunities didn’t end there.  At the end of Grade 9 another door was about to open for KongNov… 
STEM For Girls! A trip to the capital city of Phnom Penh was in order.  

Prospective students must take an exam to be accepted into a highly respected STEM high school.  KongNov shared, 
“When I was told I would move to Phnom Penh for STEM education I was really surprised and wasn’t sure if I could pass the exam.  But I would do it and try my best. My mother said, ‘please go to the exam’ and said it was partly for me and partly for her.”  KongNov passed her STEM exam, “When I passed the exam my mother, father, and Victoria were so happy for me!” ​
KongNov is now 16 years old and works hard to be successful with her education. She’s very proud of her accomplishments with her STEM studies and said, “Many think STEM is for boys and even though I am a girl from a poor family, I and we (girls) can do what the boys can do.  My family and PeopleStories support me and encourage me.  Both girls and boys can do STEM.”   

​A year and a half into STEM, KongNov is still working hard at her STEM classes.  She still has her hopes and dreams to keep her focused.  “I want to be a Professor of Biology. Maybe a doctor, too.”   
 
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Coming from humble beginnings doesn't have to define us.  The willingness to learn, the determination to want better can change lives. Just 5 years ago, KongNov was in her village with her family, not in school. She was given an opportunity to attend school and she took it. One door after another has opened and KongNov has walked through. Sometimes it was exciting, sometimes it was scary, but that brave little girl from the village kept going.  She’s still going and shows no signs of slowing down.

Wrapping up her speech facing hundreds of audiences at an ICT conference, she spoke loud and clear,
 “I hope in the future a Cambodian child will have a personal skill. I also encourage all students to seize these great opportunities.  Don’t be afraid to fail, but be afraid to not try.” 
 
Why not join us to uplift more girls for their STEM education?  100% of your generous donation helps a child finish school. 
 
Story written by: Volunteer Kathy Aunkst ​
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The Power of Positivity

25/7/2021

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When Da Dot was 28 years old, he stepped on a landmine, on his family’s farm, and lost both of his legs.  “Dot” means legless.  ​

Victoria met with Da Dot in 2017 and we’ve all been interested to see how he is doing four years later.   Da Dot’s story really touched many hearts especially our newest team member Kathy.  She spoke with much emotion, “I read about Da Dot’s story as part of the People of Siem Reap.  Having dealt with such adverse challenges in life, Da Dot’s positivity inspired me greatly and I immediately found myself wanting to learn more about him.” 
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With no time to waste, Kathy started working with our local volunteer Veasna who subsequently visited Da Dot at his village home.  
 
Times are tough right now and Da Dot currently has no orders for his wood carvings which is quite sad.  “There are no tourists or guests ordering my sculptures.”  He shared with much disappointment as we know that wood sculpturing is his lifelong interest as well as a good source of income prior to the pandemic. 
 
With little income, life is very difficult for Da Dot and his family.  Kathy was interested to learn how Da Dot’s family is doing during the pandemic and he said, “Covid-19 has had effect on my life, making me lose my job and family situation even more difficult.”   
 
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Speaking about his family further, Da Dot said, “I have two older children working as construction workers but now Covid-19 is very contagious in Siem Reap and both children are unemployed because their place of work is temporarily closed.”   
Covid-19 is spreading fast and wide in Cambodia.  Many people in the rural villages are not fully educated on the handling but Da Dot told us with much pride, “Because Covid-19 is highly contagious in the community, I have followed the instructions of the local authorities as well as the Ministry of Health on how to prevent Covid.” 
 
With so much adversity in life, Da Dot’s amazing positivity isn’t hiding away!   In fact, he has started a little corner store selling snacks and soft drinks!  Hoping nearby neighbours will visit his store and to earn what he can to provide for his family.  His incredible level of resilience absolutely is shining and there is so much for all of us to learn from Da Dot.   
 
We’re all thinking of Da Dot and his family and wishing them well, especially during the continued struggles due to Covid-19. 
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​Story written by: volunteer Kathy Aunkst
 
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My Online Bookstore

24/7/2021

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PeopleStories provides students in need with greater access to education and Sambath is one of our 120 scholarship students who is studying at grade 9 in Rolous Secondary School this year. ​
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Sambath is the fourth son in his family of five boys.  His elder brothers are fishermen and working hard to provide for the families.   So how did he decide to start a business, let alone know what business to go into?  His simple yet meaningful vision, “I want to share the sources of knowledge with people.  I want to learn more about books.” 

​As we know, the digital world is not that well connected in the rural villages.  So, how did Sambath learn so much about e-commerce?  He started out by joining an online book selling group, where he got to know his business mentor Syna Kha.  She then shared her knowledge generously and even played the role of business consultant to him.   

He shared, “To make my business successful, I need to advertise.  I need to look for a place to inform my customers about my books.  I target places where there is sharing of knowledge and also places where everyone likes reading books.”
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At the age of 17, Sambath surprisingly has demonstrated a good level of entrepreneurship.  So, how does he run the business?  He explained, “When someone orders books through me, I always ask the bookshop to send them to me from Phnom Penh. It is called Norkor Book Bookstore located in the capital city of Cambodia, Phnom Penh.” 
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​With limited access to internet, we wonder who are his customers?  He said, “My customers are not just the students. They can be children or adults.  They are anyone who likes reading or searching for  new knowledge.”  
  
​Our curiosity continues, “Has he encountered any problems in running his business?”  He then replied openly, “I have some problems with my customers, like sometimes, the delivery was late or the books did not reach the customers or it got lost.”   Surprisingly, he counted ‘solving the problems in his business’ as something he feels happy about.  He also likes the fact that he is learning the marketing process and the running of the business.  

-It sounds like Sambath’s online book store is going well and we wonder if he has any plans to venture into something new, his down-to-earth answer, “I now try hard to study.  When I graduate, then I think again.”  Although he is on our scholarship program, he still wishes to generate income from his online bookstore and defray some of his school expenses plus helping his family financially.

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In fact, he has up to 4,000 titles of books including novels, psychology, encouragement / motivation, business, dictionaries, legends, history, history of the world-famous people, education, language books (English, Korean, Thai, Chinese…) for self-learning, kids’ books (numbers, alphabets) and story books for young children.  A well-stocked book store indeed! 
 
With your help, PeopleStories School for Life scholarship program is making positive changes to students’ lives. 

Want to support students like Sambath to complete school?  Here is how: 
https://bit.ly/PS100Dreams202021 ​

Story written by: volunteer Bok Hoon Ong 
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A mother’s appeal

29/3/2021

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A special agenda in 2021 School for Life ceremony became the most talked about segment for the attendees.  Can you guess what it was?  It was the speech by KongNov’s mother, Oeurn Sakhorn!  ​
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Ma KongNov (mother of student KongNov) has never attended school nor owned any significant assets, but we were impressed that she bravely accepted the challenge to give a speech in front of 300 people.  Everyone was amazed and moved by her heartfelt words. 
 
Ma KongNov came from a very poor family and has never attended school.  She has been washing plates, picking and selling green plums to earn $1 to $2 a day so that her daughters could receive education.  Even then, her income was never regular nor enough. 
 
She shared that when Victoria asked about her daughters’ learning needs, her daughter requested to have whiteboards and books as she really wanted to study and have knowledge like other children.  ​
Although she was not educated, she was willing to learn.  When PeopleStories offered her the job of cooking for the volunteers visiting the school, she was hesitant first as she felt that her cooking was not good enough.  Victoria took her to the market to share about the ingredients that would be welcomed by our volunteers.  She tried out a few dishes and perfected them.  She was paid for half a day’s work to cook at the school and she was grateful and happy. 
She said, “I have no knowledge and don’t want my children to be poor like me. I only have income when my husband is feeling well but he is always sick, so I don’t have any savings. I’ve been working hard until one of my children can study in Phnom Penh and I’m very happy that my hopes have come true.”  
 
She encouraged earnestly, “I would like to encourage all students to study hard and all parents to support our children to study. When I come back from work, I would go through my children’s work to see which subject, she is not doing well in. From there, I will note it in my children’s report book to let their teacher know about it. Our teachers are attentive and help her on the weaker subjects. Last of all, thank you to all teachers and Madam Victoria for supporting my children, thank you!” ​
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It is heartening to note that while she may not be educated, she understands the value of education and chooses to put in the efforts for her daughters to attend school.  Very often, daughters in poor families had to sacrifice their education to bring food on the table for the family.  KongNov is indeed fortunate to have a mother like her.  
 
Do join us in our mission to help other rural Cambodian families in similar situation by providing them with ladder out of the well.   ​

A Mother's Appeal from PeopleStories Charity on Vimeo.

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A Letter From Student KongNov

24/12/2020

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My name is KongNov and I am 14 years old. I would like to share my story with you and how PeopleStories is changing my life.
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We had a lot of difficult in my family such as my father is always drunk, so sometimes my mother just raising children on her own. Sometimes we don’t have money to buy food so we need to eat salt fish sauce prahok with rice. Sometime I picked up jujube from the ground to sell in the market to help my mum. There are young children in my village who were forced to work, and my sister also had to dropped out from study to help our family.
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First time I met Victoria, she gave me important memories - a whiteboard! I am very happy because my dream is to have a whiteboard but my parents don’t have money to buy it and I want to be a teacher. I want to teach other children!

PeopleStories has been helping me for the last 3 years, helping me with many things, such as providing school supplies, bicycle, blackboards, memos, helping to pay extra tuition fees and also helping to ease the burden on my family.

The scholarship really mean a lot of to me! They are the key or the tools that help me learn and alleviate my family’s burdens. If there were no PeopleStories, my mother did not have enough money to give me enough education years.

I also think that the scholarships are helping my sister, my friends and many students in my village who are from poor family to study, give them power and the opportunity to go to places.
My life has changed a lot. I can gradually see clear about the world and the future. When I heard that I was selected for the Road to STEM scholarship, I felt very happy and excited. I don’t want to believe it! I think this scholarship will help change my life.

Imagine 5 years later, I can see myself achieve my job (professor), help PeopleStories as a member, and help children especially from poor families.

I have some advice to all students that please do not stop studying! If we stop studying, it is like being in the pit of darkness. If we quit school at a young age, we cannot do any work and have a life time of regrets, especially poor students. We must work hard to save our family. Get out of poverty as well as help out our children, the next generation. Remember knowledge is wealth!

Supporters to PeopleStories like you give me strength. Guide me on the path. I will be determined to learn as much as I can.

Thank you!
​
KongNov
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    Dedication


    "People of Siem Reap, you have an incredible ability to bounce back.  I am forever grateful for your love, kindness and openness to share."

    ​Victoria Keeys

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