Real Lives

San CHANTHAVONGSA (3rd grade elementary school student)

San lives with her parents and four siblings. Her family earns a living through agriculture. Her 40-year-old father has only a third-grade elementary school education, while her mother could not attend school because of extreme poverty.

In addition to attending school everyday, San gathers firewood, looks after chickens, cooks, does the washing, and helps her younger brothers and sisters. She likes reading and wishes to be a teacher in the future, because she can teach while she lives with her parents.

San is grateful for her Darunee Scholarship donor, saying, “Without the scholarship, I would do domestic work from morning ‘til night everyday. I wish to sincerely thank the donor who offers me the scholarship.”

Banthao SINGTHANAVONG (3rd grade elementary school student)

Banthao has two older brothers and an older sister. They can neither go to school nor have a regular occupation, so they work by day. They hardly can obtain enough food, and manage to have only one meal everyday. Banthao’s daily tasks are drawing water, cooking, dishwashing, and so on.

Thanks to the Darunee Scholarship, he can study at school in the morning and afternoon. Banthao talks about his wishes: “I can go to school thanks to the scholarship. I wish I could be a police officer.”

A scholarship student supports her family and fosters her dream. Student dreams of becoming a teacher and dedicating herself to regional development though children’s education

A scholarship student supports her family and fosters her dreamStudent dreams of becoming a teacher and dedicating herself to regional development though children’s education

Neuo Lun was born in Kampong Speu province, a disadvantaged rural area. She has four brothers and sisters; one older sister and two older brothers live away from home. Lun currently lives with her parents and younger brother. She is now in the fifth grade at primary school.

Her parents are farmers, but are economically disadvantaged because their poor health means they cannot consistently work. Lun takes care of cows, waters crops, and prepares meals each day after school. Sometimes she helps her neighbor harvest rice, and makes 70 yen (or US$0.60) per a day to support her family.

The distance from Lun’s home to school is six kilometers. She is late for school every once in a while, because she has to do chores and look after livestock before school. When her mother has a little extra money, Lun gets 15 yen to buy food or snacks at her school. Lun is very studious and good at learning literature. Her dream is to be a teacher and she hopes to contribute to regional development by providing education to children.

A teacher conveys the importance of education to parents by visiting students’ homes. Ratha, a primary school teacher, thinks we cannot develop our community without education.

After high school graduation, Chan Ratha went to school to study pedagogy. He started to teach at Steng Somrong primary school in Koh Kong province after finishing his education. He thinks that poverty, and ignorance resulting from lack of income, are underlying issues that cause various regional problems.

Since many children in disadvantaged rural areas have to support their families by doing chores, looking after younger siblings, and helping with farming, they cannot go to school. Ratha always pays attention to children who are absent from school. When he sees that a child has not attended school for a couple of days, Ratha asks classmates who live close by the student about the home situation. By visiting children’s homes, Ratha conveys to children’s parents the importance of education and the problems of poverty that he feels result from lack of education. He believes that understanding and encouragement from parents are necessary to allow children who tend to remain away from school to attend classes.

The Darunee Scholarship provides an opportunity for children to get an education and to develop the ability to absorb different information and knowledge. This ability plays a crucial role in community development. Ratha says enthusiastically that we cannot develop a region without human capital.

A scholarship student supports her family and fosters her dream
Student dreams of becoming a teacher and dedicating herself to regional development though children’s education

Neuo Lun was born in Kampong Speu province, a disadvantaged rural area. She has four brothers and sisters; one older sister and two older brothers live away from home. Lun currently lives with her parents and younger brother. She is now in the fifth grade at primary school.

Her parents are farmers, but are economically disadvantaged because their poor health means they cannot consistently work. Lun takes care of cows, waters crops, and prepares meals each day after school. Sometimes she helps her neighbor harvest rice, and makes 70 yen (or US$0.60) per a day to support her family.

The distance from Lun’s home to school is six kilometers. She is late for school every once in a while, because she has to do chores and look after livestock before school. When her mother has a little extra money, Lun gets 15 yen to buy food or snacks at her school. Lun is very studious and good at learning literature. Her dream is to be a teacher and she hopes to contribute to regional development by providing education to children.

A teacher conveys the importance of education to parents by visiting students’ homes
Ratha, a primary school teacher, thinks we cannot develop our community without education.

After high school graduation, Chan Ratha went to school to study pedagogy. He started to teach at Steng Somrong primary school in Koh Kong province after finishing his education. He thinks that poverty, and ignorance resulting from lack of income, are underlying issues that cause various regional problems.

Since many children in disadvantaged rural areas have to support their families by doing chores, looking after younger siblings, and helping with farming, they cannot go to school. Ratha always pays attention to children who are absent from school. When he sees that a child has not attended school for a couple of days, Ratha asks classmates who live close by the student about the home situation. By visiting children’s homes, Ratha conveys to children’s parents the importance of education and the problems of poverty that he feels result from lack of education. He believes that understanding and encouragement from parents are necessary to allow children who tend to remain away from school to attend classes.

The Darunee Scholarship provides an opportunity for children to get an education and to develop the ability to absorb different information and knowledge. This ability plays a crucial role in community development. Ratha says enthusiastically that we cannot develop a region without human capital.