A full stomach is a focused mind — that’s why Action Education / Aide et Action’s school feeding programmes serve more than just meals; they feed young minds, nurture equal access to education, and make each meal a key ingredient for academic success.
As the sun rose over the rice fields of Damnak Chang Eur this morning, the cheerful chatter of children filled the air at the local community preschool. By 8 o’clock, tiny hands were already reaching eagerly towards a neatly arranged table of food.
Today’s menu featured a traditional Khmer dessert — a comforting blend of rice, coconut, and beans — a nourishing treat to start the day.
San Vantha, the pre-school’s dedicated teacher, had arrived early to prepare the table, helped this morning by two young volunteers from Action Education / Aide et Action. Her recipe for success today, as every day, was simple but essential: to ensure every child started the day nourished and ready to learn.
“The school feeding programme is important to help poor families,” she explained. “Children can count on good food here at school.”
A Taste of Kindness: Nourishing Childhoods
Damnak Chang Eur, a rural district surrounding Kep city, is a patchwork of salt fields, fishing villages, and farmland — a quiet harvest of natural beauty. Though tourism and real estate are beginning to sprout, many households still rely on fragile livelihoods like farming and fishing.
For these households, even one free nutritious meal a day can make a difference. Four-year-old Chin Davin, cradled in his mother’s arms, summed it up simply: “I like the food today!”
Five-year-old Srey Mi, daughter of a cleaner and a fisherman, smiled shyly: “I like my teacher because she’s kind and she gives me food.”
Nearby, four-year-old Srey Ni, whose parents work in a factory and construction, chimed in with joy: “My teacher is nice. She gives me food and she loves me!”
After breakfast, the children rushed to help their teacher with the dishes, laughing as they splashed in the water — small acts that build responsibility and joy.
Feeding Hope: Education Starts with Breakfast
The preschool first took root in 2013, built by Action Education / Aide et Action, and received a new building in 2022. Today, it stands as both a place of early learning and a pillar of the community.
Programmes like the school feeding initiative do more than fill stomachs; they stimulate school attendance, level the playing field, and allow children from vulnerable families to start the day on equal footing.
“The goal is to promote healthy food to the children, and also to encourage regular school attendance — especially for children from poor families,” explained Ann Channy, Field Officer for Action Education / Aide et Action. “They eat before class, which helps them to concentrate well during the lesson.”
Across Cambodia’s four coastal provinces, the impact of the CO-SAVED project, co-funded by the EU, is growing. “There are 19 community pre-schools supported by the school feeding programme,” continued Channy. “Kep: 6, Kampot: 5, Koh Kong: 6, and Preah Sihanoukville: 2.”
Our message is clear: in quiet rural corners of Cambodia, small actions — a good meal, a kind teacher, a helping hand — are shaping big futures.
