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One of Empowering Youth in Cambodia’s (EYC) programs is Lakeside School, offering educational programs and activities which serve the slum community known as Boeung Kok since 2008. With 132 students attending classes daily, Lakeside School has been a pillar in the community. EYC also provides over 35 students with direct support for their advanced studies.

Four years ago one student, Chan Ranuy, was struggling along with his family to make ends meet. His prospects of remaining in school, much less graduating or obtaining marketable skills appeared grim.

Next EYC prepared Ranuy for a program for students from poor families to study IT and life skills intensively, and paid the subsidized tuition when he was accepted. Now, he has completed a 2-year Associates Degree in System and Network Administration. He has obtained a good job with a technology company in computer service, and is making an excellent starting salary while continuing his studies toward a bachelor’s degree in IT.

Ranuy has long days now between a full time job and classes in the evenings, but he is very energized and hopeful for the future. He and his family are very proud and grateful to the support he has received from EYC. “I think that, if I had not received the help from EYC, I really don’t know how my life would be. I would like to say thanks for all of your help and for the knowledge and skill to change and improve my life. I hope that many others can be helped to change their lives like I was,” said Ranuy.

The EYC team knows that when we give a hand up to young people with potential the results are often excellent.

We hope you will help us to help many other children like Ranuy. Please donate here.

A group of EYC students have started an interesting photoblog on Facebook called Humans of Phnom Penh . It gives an insight into the daily lives of some of the capital’s residents through photography and short interviews and it was inspired by a similar blog, Humans of New York. Each student chooses individuals they meet in the city and who they find interesting to include in the project. Phnom Penh through Cambodian eyes. The blog is in Khmer and in English, take a look:
https://www.facebook.com/HoPPCambodia

Also, read the story about Humans of Phnom Penh in The Phnom Penh Post. 

Here’s the first post from Humans of Phnom Penh on March 9th, 2014.

– How long have you been picking tins like this?
I have been doing this for five or six months already.

– Do you like doing this? Why?
Yes, I like doing this because I want to help earn money for my parents.

– Do you think you will do this job forever?
No, nowadays I study at a Christian school and I get good grades as well. This job is just to help my parents during my free time only.

– So what is your goal in the future?
I think I will study hard and I am going to be a business manager and a school principal so poor kids like me will be able to study for free. I am not going to do this forever.

– តើប្អូនមករើសកំបុ័ងបែបនេះយូរប៉ុណ្ណាហើយ ?
ខ្ញុំចាប់ផ្តើមបាន៥,៦ខែហើយ។

– តើប្អូនចូលចិត្តធ្វើបែបនេះទេ? ព្រោះអ្វី?
ខ្ញុំចូលចិត្តពីព្រោះខ្ញុំចង់ជួយរកលុយឲ្យពុកម៉ែរបស់ខ្ញុំ។

– តើប្អូនគិតថាប្អូននឹងធ្វើការបែបនេះរហូតឫ?
អត់ទេ, សព្វថ្ងៃខ្ញុំរៀននៅសាលាគ្រិស្ទាន ហើយខ្ញុំរៀនបានលេខល្អទៀតផង ការងារនេះគឺគ្រាន់តែសំរាប់ជួយឪពុកម្តាយរបស់ខ្ញុំនៅពេលទំនេតែប៉ុណ្ណោះ។

– ចឹងប្អូនមានបំណងបែបណាដែរសំរាប់ថ្ញៃអនាគត?
ខ្ងុំគិតថាខ្ញុំនឹងខិតខំរៀនសូត្រហើយ នឹងចង់ក្លាយទៅជាអ្នកគ្រប់គ្រងអាជីវកម្ម និង នាយកសាលា ដើម្បីឲ្យក្មេងៗដែលក្រីក្រដូចខ្ញុំបានចូលរៀនដោយមិនបាច់អស់លុយ ។ខ្ញុំមិនចង់ធ្វើបែបនេះរហូតនោះទេ ។

The Lakeside School is a dynamic learning center in a slum community in Phnom Penh serving 160 students each day. Started in 2008, the successes of students coming from this project show that with a hand up young people can be empowered to obtain quality employment and valuable life skills.

Lakeside’s programs include 7 hours of English per day for various levels, computer classes throughout the day and evening, a weekly medical clinic, biweekly trips to the dentist, reading (in their new library), community organizing, as well as weekend activities including leadership development, an under-14 soccer team, yoga, cycling, and field trips. Currently 8 students are given financial support for their high school or university education and EYC’s job placement service is open to all. The kids really enjoy going to class and teachers incorporate life skills training and fun activities into teaching lessons. Outside of the school are tough conditions for living with run-down shanty houses, garbage, people drinking, gambling, and in some cases neglecting children, while inside the mood is cheerful and the staff and volunteers are positive.

Lakeside School is primarily an after-school program since government schools teach only 4 hours each day. During the morning and afternoon students are primary school-age, while in the evening they are in high school and university, as well as youth who have dropped out of school and are working, unemployed, or underemployed. Lakeside has an excellent network of supporting partners, committed Cambodian staff, international and local volunteers, and a student team leader group that volunteers and runs much of the operations of the school. Lakeside is more than a school since it is also a favorite gathering place for like-minded young people who are on their way to somewhere better. The school is open most of the day and serves multiple purposes including a gathering/play area for young kids, it has 2 sinks with soap for anyone to use, books for people to read on-site or borrow, and computers with Internet.

At the heart of the school is some excellent staff including Ky Hao, the English teacher from 6:30 to 8:30pm (2 different levels). He is a graduate of a government university “Institute of Foreign Languages” (IFL) and has a bachelor’s degree in English Teaching. He has a grasp of the English language far beyond most non-native speakers. Ky Hao likes to use current events as part of his lessons which also serve to engage students in social issues happening in their country.

Veng Chenghuor is a 20 year old student who has studied at Lakeside School since 2009. She is now a 2nd year university students and has 2 jobs. Chenghuor says “the best part of Lakeside School is her teacher Ky Hao because he is hard working, has good ethics, makes good lesson plans and asks students lots of questions. He also makes class fun and explains things well.” Another thing she likes is that “the school is close to my house and is free for students in the community to study. It is also a place where the community can have a meeting and children can gather to take action, such as a garbage clean-up.”

EYC has plenty of challenges to be able to work in the chaotic slum environment, but the involvement from the people in the community help to make things go smooth. In 2013-2014 additional students will be awarded scholarships to continue their studies at university and EYC is seeking donors to make this possible.