By Raksmey Var | Country Representative
The new academic year in Cambodia finally kicked off on January 11th, 2021 after being interrupted by COVID-19 since mid-March 2020. The effects of COVID-19 have been felt at every level, from interruptions in travel, trade and investment as well as day to day happenings. The pandemic has had a particularly devastating effect on low income families whose financial hardship has been only exacerbated even as prices for goods increase. This makes our mission to ensure that girls have a way to get to school even more crucial.
We often say: educate a girl, transform her community. By giving a girl a bicycle, we ensure she reaches school safely so that she may gain the skills she needs to succeed. When she succeeds, so too does her family and community. We see this first hand every day, and are astounded at the determination of these girls when they are given the tools they need to reach their full potential.
Since the start of the new academic year, Lotus Pedals has gifted 82 bicycles to female students in Phnom Penh Capital and Siem Reap Province. Votey is one of the recipients. She is in 7th grade at the Hun Sen Siem Reap Lower Secondary School.
Votey is 13 years old, and is the third child of six siblings. Her parents have a cart from which they sell fruits in the Angkor Wat area, together they earn around $150 a month which is all they have to support their eight member family. When she was in primary school, Votey would share a ride to school on her sister’s bicycle. But the Secondary School is much further from her home and in a different direction than her sister's school. As her family could not afford another bicycle during the pandemic and with no other means of transportation, Votey was at risk of having to drop out. Luckily, through Lotus Pedals, Votey now has a new bicycle of her own. She said, "I will take good care of the bicycle and will study hard to finish school and become a teacher. Thank you for your kindness.”
We are so happy to be able to support girls like Votey in breaking barriers in their families and communities. A huge thank you to all who make our work possible.
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