Learning with Heart

After 10 months being away from home and studying on our Road2STEM scholarship, KongNov and SreyMey finally returned home on their school holidays.  “If you are not willing to learn, no one can help you. If you are determined to learn, no one can stop you.”  This quote from Zig Ziglar aptly sums up how KongNov and SreyMey master their learning amidst the hurdles faced being away from home and having extended school closures due to the pandemic. ​

For KongNov, mastering the computer language is the most exciting part of her learning. She raved, “Before I came to Phnom Penh, I don´t know about STEM and I study little bit computer. Then I join a competition called “Technovation”. I'm really excited because I'm interested in coding and I am a coder part of team.  I am especially happy I can work with my Team to create app to help solve problems in our society.” 
 
On the other hand, SreyMey has always found Physics difficult to understand and didn’t like it when she was in the village school. Guess what? She started to enjoy learning Physics now!  What has caused this turnaround? She attributed, “The teacher teaches us to practise it in real life and he teaches us through a website called "Khan academy". It's really easy to understand.”  

Learning has not been a bed of roses for them. In fact, KongNov had a first taste of failure studying STEM when she failed Maths for the very first time. While she was heartbroken, she resolved to do Maths questions everyday till she passed her exams. She not only passed her Maths exams but went on to score even better than before!  Her persistence had paid off!  

​With the prolonged school closures and learning taking place online, the girls had problems that were inevitable due to the inadequate network coverage. While most students just lamented about the problem, KongNov found a solution for the unstable network, “I need to learn and research before the teacher and when Teacher teaches me, I can understand.  I also ask my friends when I need help.” ​

She continued, “At my new school, we have a lot of STEM assignments to do.  I always do it before the deadline so I don’t have pressure with projects or assignments.” 
  
Looks like being prepared and starting early are KongNov’s ‘secret recipe’ of overcoming the challenges posed by online learning. 
  
SreyMey’s father passed away just before she moved to Phnom Penh.  She believes if he were there today, he would have said, “You go to study in Phnom Penh, but please don’t forget our village. Studying in Phnom Penh is not easy, so try to study and not be led to do the wrong things.  Living alone is being successful, but when you have a career that can help yourself, family, and society, that is the most successful.” 

These advices resonate with all of us at PeopleStories.  With such loving advice in mind, SreyMey and KongNov have been mastering their learning with heart.  The heart to one day, lift the others in the village and also their country out of poverty. The growth of these girls has been nothing short of phenomenal.  We are really proud and heartened to have played a part in unlocking their potential. 
 
Join us in our quest to unlock the potential of more children in rural Cambodia.  Read more about our Road2STEM scholarship: https://www.peoplestories.net/school-for-life.html 

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Story written by: Volunteer Bok Hoon Ong ​