Give Phnong Children the Gift of Education

Since the last PEI update, all of the 31 scholarship students passed their exams. In other news, in late may, three of the PEI girl scholars attended a women’s volleyball competition. Their team won the first round of the competition and received a volleyball, sport suits, as well as a prize of 100,000 Riels. This was their first time to travel outside the province; they reported that they felt happy and nervous about this competition. In June, an agriculture teacher at Oraing high school conducted training on vegetable growing to all the PEI scholars. Teachers demonstrated methods of growing vegetables and making vegetable gardens in school. The girl scholars reportedly enjoyed the training and were very interested in growing vegetables at their own homes after the training.

Sopheap is a 15 year-old scholarship Phnong student studying in 8th grade at Oraing High School, which is about eight Kilometres away from her house. Sopheap’s walks forty-five minutes to school, up the mountain and through the quiet forest. She lives in Oraing district, Mondulkir province with her widowed mother and four siblings (3 girls, 1 boy). She is the second child in the family. Her father died when she was in 6^th grade. Her mother works in the rice fields, and sometimes works as a seed collector to earn enough money support her children. Sopheap also helps her mother to earn money by working in the cassava plantation during the weekends and holidays. Sopheap and her family work hard to earn a living.

Sopheap has received a scholarship funded by Lotus Outreach International since she was in the 7th grade. Since then, she has received 20 note books, 10 pens, 2 sets of uniform, a school bag and $20 monthly stipends (for buying exam papers and food). “I feel extremely happy to have uniforms to wear, more note books to write in and monthly stipend to support my study”, she said.

Sopheap is a hard-working and outstanding student in her class. She is ranked number second among 40 students. Her strongest subjects are math and writing. She is active in school activities and participates in research activities and student council.

Sopheap wishes to finish grade 12 and would like to go on to be a teacher. Her mother expressed that she feels so happy to see that her daughter is a clever student and respectful child and she hopes that she will be a teacher in the future.

With out the support of PEI, students like Sopheap would be forced to drop out of school. Sopheap would like to express her gratitude to all those that have helped with her education including Lotus Outreach and all of its donors.