Education Cambodia Project #30714

Breaking the Cycle of Poverty in Rural Cambodia

by Trailblazer Foundation

Project Report | Mar 23, 2026
A 2026 Impact Report: A New Chapter for Our Schools

By Chris Coats | Executive Director

Canteen

They say it takes a village to raise a child, but sometimes, it takes a visionary to empower the village.

The schools of Tapang, Kok Chan and Domrei Kon have a lot to celebrate and be grateful for. Through an incredibly generous investment from Jim D., these three communities have been transformed. We aren’t just delivering supplies; together we are building an infrastructure for future leaders.

Tapang Primary: Fueling Body & Mind

Mobility & Care: Students now arrive on new bicycles, which stay protected from the elements under a custom-built covered parking area.
The Nutrition Center: Our crowning achievement here is the newly constructed kitchen and canteen, providing a dignified, covered space for students to start their day with a nutritious breakfast.
The Tools: From iPads to teacher uniforms, the staff is now equipped with the professional tools and technology needed to compete globally.

Kok Chan Primary: The Digital Gateway

The Tech Hub: With new desktops, laptops, and smart TVs, the classroom has gone digital. A new projector and screen have turned the hall into a collaborative learning space.
The Foundation: We didn't just look inside the classroom; we looked underfoot. New soil and a professional drainage system mean the playground stays safe and dry, even in the rainy season.

Domrei Kon: Pride & Protection

Identity: Every student and teacher now stands tall in new uniforms, creating a sense of belonging and school spirit.
Security: A new main gate serves as a literal and symbolic guardian of the school’s progress, ensuring the property remains a safe sanctuary for learning.

Impact at a Glance

Technology: Laptops, Smart TVs, iPads; Bridges the digital divide for rural students.

Infrastructure: Canteen, Drainage, Gates; Creates a safe, healthy and permanent campus.

Student Essentials: Uniforms, Bicycles, Supplies; Removes the barriers that keep kids out of school.

We deeply are thankful to donors like Jim D. who has supported the staff of these schools in not just teaching lessons; but showing their students that people, like Jim D., believe in their potential.

You too can make a life-changing impact with your investment today in the education of rural Cambodian students, and put the foundation beneath their feet. Thank you.

bikes

computers

supplies

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Dec 1, 2025
Reasons for Inadequate Learning

By Chris Coats | Executive Director

Although the following information comes from several reports about education in Cambodia, Trailblazer is aware of these same issues and has been addressing removing barriers to learning since our first major project in 2006 - building a primary school in a rural village.

The core challenge that all students have the right to learn is universal, but the reality in Cambodia is that children, especially those in poor rural areas, are disproportionately falling behind. The main reasons for this learning gap and the barriers that prevent children from reaching their potential includes:

Affordability: While basic education is officially free, families still face costs for uniforms, supplies and bicycles. The strong demand for English in rural areas highlights the lack of quality English instruction in rural public schools, forcing students to rely on expensive private tutoring or higher education to acquire this essential employment skill. However, extra tutoring creates an economic barrier for the poor
Longer Commutes: For a child to complete their primary education, they often have to travel significantly farther to a larger, central school that offers the higher grades (5 and 6). In rural areas, this involves walking long distances on poor roads or requiring a bicycle, which adds a significant, often impossible, cost and safety risk for the family
Increased Dropout Risk: The combination of distance, travel costs, and the need for children to contribute to household labor means that students from poor families are highly likely to drop out before completing the primary cycle

Cambodia's development strategy relies on its young, dynamic, and mobile population as a key contributor to sustainable development and economic growth. The ultimate aim is to improve the quality of education so that Cambodian children can embark on a life-long learning journey. Yet inadequate early learning and insufficient nutrition can lead to children being developmentally behind.

Many schools, especially in rural areas, lack basic infrastructure like clean Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) facilities, which particularly affects adolescent girls and students with disabilities. This lack of infrastructure exacerbates the existing challenges of poverty and remoteness, creating a significant disparity in educational access and quality between rural and urban centers.

The issue—where most Cambodian villages have a primary school, but many do not offer the full Grade 1-6 curriculum—forces poor families to make difficult choices. The scarcity of complete school facilities, particularly in rural areas, is a major structural impediment to achieving universal, quality education in Cambodia.

Because education is viewed as an investment in the future of children efforts are focused on removing obstacles that keep children out of school, such as poverty and remoteness.

Trailblazer works alongside the Cambodian government's Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS) on initiatives such as:

Building new schools that include WASH facilities in remote villages
Supplying essential learning materials, including textbooks and digital resources
Supplying bicycles for transportation and uniforms

These efforts are vital to ensuring that remoteness and poverty no longer dictate a child's educational future in Cambodia. Your support can help us continue developing and expanding student learning.

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Aug 8, 2025
Much needed supplies for two schools

By Chris Coats | Executive Director

Sometimes we receive testimonies from volunteers and/or donors who have participated in Trailblazer projects. Below is one such testimony from Jim D., a retired biomedical research scientist living in Kauai.

"My first visit to Cambodia was with a Small Group Tour in 2017 where we visited several SE Asia countries. We visited a rural Siem Reap home where a previous client had donated a well, and I was hooked on helping the beautiful Khmer people. I have been indirectly interacting with the Trailblazer Foundation since 2017 as they oversee all Siem Reap construction projects supported by the philanthropic tour company I use for travel.

In December 2022 and 2023 I was in Cambodia for several weeks. Cambodia has pretty much become my adopted country and I try to help as many people as I can on my trips. I have supported the construction of wells and donated money for the construction of the Tapang and Kok Chan schools, as well as supported playground equipment, administrative and school supplies over the years.

I am extremely impressed by Trailblazer, and the exceptional Field Director Mr. Ratanak. I am especially impressed with the speed at which construction projects occur from building wells to school buildings, it all happens so fast. The tour company has told me that everything about Trailblazer’s Siem Reap operation represents the gold standard for organizations that partner with them and simply loves their organization.

It never ceases to amaze me how fast Mr. Ratanak and his staff operate, the contractors as well. I am so very happy to be working with Trailblazer on all of these projects. Thank you for the opportunity to express my profound thanks for helping me to support the beautiful Cambodian people. They have all had a profound impact on my perception of life."

Additional support that Jim has provided in 2025 to the Kok Chan school includes:

Installation of electricity in the principal’s office including fans and lights
Demolishing old unused toilet block and building a new 6 stall toilet block for students
Bicycle Parking with zinc roof (also used for parents gathering and school meetings)
Building a new fence at the back of the school
New laptops & computers, administration materials & supplies, teaching materials & supplies, study materials & equipment

Additional support that Jim has provided in 2025 to the Tapang school includes:

Installation of electricity into the 2024 building and the newly built conference room, equipped with fans and lights
2 toilet buildings with 8 stall toilets for the teachers and students
Renovation of the 2 old wooden buildings, replaced with concrete buildings and zinc roofs
Renovation of the school gates
Installation of a the water tank and hand washing stands
Bicycle parking building
Administration materials & supplies, teaching materials & supplies, study materials & equipment, 25 bikes, and 500 uniforms

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