Help keep a Cambodian Music and Dance School open

Salvation Centre Cambodia (SCC) is a non-profit and non-government organization established in 1994 that continues to support and encourage Cambodian youth to continue their education effort. We commit to producing more and more youth who is able to earn income by themselves from Khmer traditions music through entertaining local and international visitors in any events to support their own education and their family livelihood. The most important thing is to contribute to keeping Khmer traditional music that’s Cambodia's identity.

Nakia, 16 years old, is the third child in a poor family living in Siem Reap province of Cambodia with his parents who have four children in charge of which two are girls. In the past, he wanted to drop out of school because of poor living-condition. However, he is currently in Grade 10 at Angkor High School in Siem Reap. He is very interested in the study of Khmer traditional music, Pleng Pinpeat. Identifying his talents and the poor living situation of his family, the SCC staff and Khmer traditional music teacher in Siem Reap selected him to enroll in study Pleng Pinpeat at SCC School of Khmer traditional music. Nakia has been learning this skill from 2019 until today. He took up the skill of playing Sralai (a Cambodian wind instrument that uses a quadruple reed to produce sound) and playing other types of Khmer traditional music. "I have many chances to play Pleng Pinpeat, Khmer traditional music, in restaurants, hotels, guesthouses, and festivals in the province with many friends," Nakia said. He added that this knowledge made him earn some money to support either his own education or his poor parents. He has been paid 20 US dollars for every performance. “Another important thing is that I'm willing to transfer this Khmer tradition music skill heritage from one generation to another,” he said.

According to his mother said, "He becomes a good child since joint with the school,". He is obedient to me and his father, and he helps with household chores such as making Khmer cakes when he is free from learning and playing music. Moreover, he commits to continue studying till graduating the university so that he will be able to help his family, community, and country. She added that my husband and I are very happy and will support him to finish university as his will.

In the end, Nakia would like to urge other young people to study hard, do not take this precious time with useless things. In particular, stay away from drugs, alcohol, which can cause young people to lose dementia, forgetfulness, and possibly HIV transmission.

All of our activities are a result of contributions like you who are supporting our work to strengthen the education of poor and vulnerable children in Siem Reap province where Angkor Temple is one of the most important archaeological sites in South-East Asia.