Phorn Chansamphos, 14, studies in the 5th grade at Daun Try Primary School in Moung Russey District, Battambang Province ( in the far northwest of the country). She has three siblings, living with her mother, who has a physical disability. And her father earns an income by doing a low-paid job as a construction worker. Due to the family’s fragile living conditions, her father sometimes goes fishing for freshwater fish to earn an extra income.
Samphors’ family decided to let her drop out of school to work as a dishwasher for a shop in Pursat province, making 400,000 riels/100$ monthly as an extra income to support her family. With the facilitation of her cousin, who works in Thailand, Samphos’s family allows her to come back home so she can continue her studies, as her relative agrees to contribute to cover all the daily expenses of her studies.
Aide et Action/Action Education implemented in Moung Russey district, and with the coordination of the District Office of Department of Education selected the school Chansamphos was studying as a target for the project. After re-enrollment in early 2022, the school committee chose her targeted child.
Before being given an in-kind scholarship, Chansamphos had difficulty commuting to school due to the distance between her house and the school. On the other hand, her family couldn’t get a sense of studying and constantly get her support family, thus making her less likely to come to school regularly. But since she was selected, she has received a scholarship from Aide et Action/Action Education, which has reduced her family’s expenses and schooling time, and she has come to school more regularly.
She said: “I do not want to stop studying and go wash the dishes. I could have a good job to support my parents when I get higher education. In the past, my parents could not afford to buy a bicycle and school materials for me. Now I have a bike and the study materials that the organisation has sponsored; I can ride my bike to school on time without arguing about riding a bike with the little brothers anymore.” She added, “With the support of the project, her family is more understanding and appreciates the value of their children’s education due to the frequent visits of teacher and parent meetings with the school.”
Phorn Samphors wants to be a teacher in the future. She is a grateful child to her parents and family. In addition to studying, she often assists with household chores such as cooking, washing clothes, peering on younger brothers at home, and taking care of a mother with a disability at home.
“If the project withdraws from my school, I will be faced with difficulty and other students in my commune because the project has contributed a lot to raising the value of education and supporting out-of-school students,” she said.
Samphos expressed her gratitude to the Consortium for Out of School Children (CCOSC) for providing school supplies and a bicycle to make life easier for her to attend school regularly. More importantly, she thanks people who persuaded her family to understand the value of learning, no longer prohibiting her from going to school. She promises to study hard until she finishes her Diploma II with good results.
