University Education for Young Women in Cambodia

Huth is a twenty-year-old that is currently in the 12^th grade. Huth’s family lives 24 kms away from school so we traveled to her home to conduct a check in with her and her family.

Because of the distance, when school is in session Huth stays at her high school’s residential housing. Huth has been enrolled in the GATE program since the 9^th grade. For the last four years she has been receiving support from Lotus Outreach. She is the fifth of six children in her family and she is the only one that has remained in school for this long. Three of her siblings are married and her younger brother recently dropped out of the eighth grade so that Huth could remain in school.

Huth’s mom tells us that their family has been having a hard time making ends meet. She stated that even with support from the program it’s hard to keep food on the table. She tells us, “I’m the only one earning in this family and for which I do farm work. My husband is not strong and can only catch fish for us to live on so all our cash needs are provided by me”. Huth’s mother also experiences chronic neck and shoulder pain which requires expensive medicine.

Even so, her mother is a strong advocate for her continued schooling beyond the 12^th grade. She states, “the reason I have kept her in school this long is that I didn’t get a chance to be education and I always wanted my children to be educated. Unfortunately, all of my other children had to drop out around grade eight due to our poverty. I even told Huth to drop out in grade nine but one of Huth’s teachers told Huth to push back and she refused to stop studying. We could not afford it but we somehow made it happen.”

It was at this time that one of Huth’s teachers presented the opportunity of the GATE program. Huth secretly applied for it. After a scholarship officer conducted a social audit at their home, she was selected. Huth’s Mum then agreed to let her remain in school as long as she was getting the support.

Huth tells us with tears in her eyes, “I was so happy at that time I cannot describe it. I loved studying at that time, I was enjoying it so much, I cried when I got the news. In terms of my academic performance, I was 5^th of 25 students in grade 9 and now I’m around 20^th of 60. After completing year 12, I want to continue studying to be a high school teacher, though it’s up to my parents if I can.”

Huth and her parents discussed with us about how important it is for her to remain in school and complete a course of professional studies in order to be sure she gets a well-paying job. Huth’s parents voiced concern about paying for college. We told them that we have supported hundreds of girls just like her and that she will be able to apply to our CATALYST program and receive the same support she has been receiving through GATE while she is at college. Huth’s mom replied, “if she gets support from Lotus Outreach we will allow her to continue”.

Our Cambodian Office Manager Pisey shared with them that she has also come from a poor background and was supported by the program since the eighth grade until college and is now earning a great salary with Lotus Outreach.

At the end of the visit, Huth’s family was optimistic about the education opportunities in front of Huth. We were happy to know that Huth will be applying to the CATALYST program and will continue to strive for a bright future.