Here Phallen, our third new scholarship recipient, talks about how her family have scrimped and saved to support her as best they could to study at university, despite not being able to afford clothes and other basics. 

"My name is KUCH Phallen. I am 21 years old. I am from KompongCham province and I have four siblings. As a girl who come from a small-scale farming family, which is one of the worst-off familes in the community. I am the first child of six. My clothes were given to me by the neighbor and aunt.

Because of our rural area community, people do not value the education. When I nearly finished high school, my mother broke the bad news to me that I might not be able to study at university, because my mother and my father would not be able to support me. They wanted me to work as a tailor. I was concerned since I did not want to drop out of school, and promised myself that I would pursue to further my education.

Fortunately, when I finished high school in 2016, I passed the Chevening internship program, supported by the British Embassy of Cambodia. It gave me a chance to work as assistant legal and tax service in DFDL Company; through this I got the chance to study a bachelor’s degree at Royal University of law and Economic which majority is International relation. At that time, many of consequences were attend myself, because living in city it can be meet any problem all the time, and I was unsure with the situation.

Because of financial problem and lack of information I had drop out of university for one year after I finished my foundation year. Luckily, I was fortunate to be introduced to a scholarship program at Advanced Centre for Empowerment (ACE), in Phnom Penh that provides a free accommodation and leadership training skills for university students and also gave me great opportunity to study English at Australia Centre for Education which I could develop myself and got the chance to teach children who live in the slum, wait for my mum to help save up some money to afford my university. So every year, I am so worried about how I am getting on with the university fee without study one year and then stop one year to save, then study."

The second of our new students for 2019/20, Sreythuch has had to work in a footwear factory, but hasn't lost sight of her dream.

"Pursuing tertiary education is what every student dreams of, but there are a couple hindrances that make them cannot achieve their dreams. Personally, the reason why I need support for my study at the University because I have faced a financial hardship.
Due to this problem, I have to take a gap year for one year and work in a footwear factory (producing glove, socks, shoes), and I cannot continue my studying like other children; however, I never give up. Every day, I try all my best to seek for any opportunity that could help me to pursue my education which is my big dream, but until now I have not got scholarship for university yet.

​Furthermore, I am a student coming from province. My parents are farmers; hence, they cannot earn sufficient money to support our daily living. At the same time, there is not only me who need to continue my studying, but also do my siblings. So, it is the big burden for my parents to support us.

In short, studying at the university costs many things that I and my parents find it is hard to support. Although I am in this trouble I never think that I have to drop out of school, I still have a strong believe that I will reach my dream one day. I believe college education would give me the opportunity to explore new ideas, improve critical thinking, and enhance my skills. It is the best gateway to better options and a chance to succeed in life. In my mind, I have always wanted to move on to college and finish well and proud of myself.

Moreover, as a student in University not only provide me knowledge, but it will provide me with the tools and information to serve my community with excellence and make a difference due to my future career."

Vuthy Phai Er is the first of the four young people living at the Advanced Centre for Empowerment we will be providing with scholarships this year. Below is her statement describing her background, and her dreams for the future. 

​Scholarship is very important for me to continue to study and achieve my future goal. I was born in a poor farming family in the countryside. In my family, there are five members, two brothers and three sisters and am a youngest. My mother name is Sok Neang. She is a farmer, 60 years old. My father name is Iy Vuthy. He is a cowboy (taking care of a few cows), 65 years old. My parents can earn around 5$ or less per day.

As the first-generation student in my family who growing up in a rural area community many obstacles have been stuck in my way of my life, but since I am the one who love learning, understanding the value of high education and how it would impact my life. I know that a college education would give me the opportunity to explore new ideas, improve critical thinking, and enhance my skills. It is the best gateway to better options and a chance to succeed in life. In my mind, I have always wanted to move on to college and finish well and feel the pride. Moreover, as a student in university not only provide me knowledge, but it will provide me with the tools and information to serve my community with excellence and make me difference due to my future career.

However, I graduated from high school since 2015. After one year to another until 2019, I still cannot go to university because of my family’s financial challenge (I even go to work in a garment factory to help earn some income), so it made me really upset and cry for many times. I saw my friends and my villagers go to study in city, it made me feel jealous and yet proud of them. But I don’t know how to do. What I can do just asking my-self the same questions every day that “Will I have a chance to study in university like other?” But it never got an answer. And I knew that it was impossible. I spent one year to be a seller/vendor (small store that sold soft drinks and children packed-snack food) in one of public school near my house called “KOKITHOM PRIMARY SCHOOL”. Then, I got a chance to be an ABC English Teacher in that school village. A month later, I can earn around forty dollars a month, but I still cannot go to study at university due to I can’t support myself for university fee, school supplies, accommodation and food. And it made me felt hopeless. But in my mind, I still believe that there are some ways that I can do and I never give up, I always told myself one day I will go to study at university.

Fortunately, my great change was coming because I had met one aunty in my village her mane is Pov. She told me that now Advanced Centre for Empowerment (ACE) provide accommodation for university student, then I applied to stay at ACE with unsure if I was selected. With great opportunity, I pass. ACE offer me a place to stay and could only find scholarship for me to improve my English, so that I can volunteer to work as an English Teacher at the slum community center and not only being as an English Teacher, but you will have a chance to develop yourself to be better person in the future especially being a good leader. I am currently staying at ACE, with little compensation allowance ACE could afford. I am looking to go to university this October 2019 with hope of scholarship opportunity.