Build dreams! Send Cambodian Students to College!

This report is the third in a series that highlights the accomplishments of three young women in the Kasumisou Scholars program. The first two reports highlighted the accomplishments of two of our students who have now completed  or who are within weeks of achieving their goal of a college degree.  This third report will introduce  Ms. T, age 19 and  new member of the group. 

Ms.T has been studying dance at our Champey Academy of Arts since 2017. She graduated from High School in December 2023, passing the national exam.  Ms. T  is an extremely talented and committed student of dance. Earlier this year, in recognition of her skill as a dancer and her teaching skills, particularly with  some of the younger children, we promoted  Ms. T to the position of Assistant Dance Teacher. She earns a living wage that is similar to an entry level office job. 

Like other  members in our program, Ms. T , despite her young age, has experienced significant hardship and the need to take on great responsibility. Approximately one year ago, Ms. T’s father abandoned the family. Ms. T  has one younger sister who dropped out of high school without graduating  and who does not work. Ms. T’s mother works selling soft drinks from a cart on the city streets but, very sadly, she suffers from a serious  gambling addiction which consumes most and sometimes all of the income that she earns from selling soft drinks. With her father gone, the situation left Ms. T  with the responsibility of paying for  the rent and most of the costs of living for the family.

Earlier this summer, exhausted by her mother’s constant need  for money to pay off  gambling debts, Ms. T  asked for  permission to live at our school. We agreed, and she has made a space for herself. She now lives, rent free,  occupying part  of a storeroom in the school. Ms. T’s goal is to enter a bachelor’s degree in English language and literature in the coming autumn while continuing to work full time at Champey.   It is our hope that we will be able to help her by covering the cost of her tuition  which is approximately $500 per year for four years.

Our Ms. T, a dedicated student for more than 7 years, is another shining example of a brave young women who refuses to accept a lesser future, instead choosing , with great courage and conviction, to move forward in her job as a dance  teacher and to dare to  aim for the dream of completing a college education.

None of this would have been possible without the generous and kind support of you,  our donors. You have transformed the world for Ms. T and others. We hope that you will  continue your support of Kasumisou Foundation.

We hope that you will join with us on July 10 for the GlobalGiving July Bonus Day when GlobalGiving will offer a donor match of 20%  to 40% on donations of $100 to $1000.

It is easy to lament that we, as individuals, cannot change “ the world” as we stand by and watch world events. Yet,  Ms. T  is an inspiring  example of  an accomplished young woman who has stayed the course, overcoming great adversity to move herself forward as she works to change her own world.  Our sincere thanks to you,  our wonderful donors. This is another opportunity that has been  made possible  by each one of you.

We are deeply grateful to you all for your support.

Barbara & Mark 

Congratulations to Ms. S for her  dedicated passion,  pursuit and achievement of excellence!

First of all, our sincere thanks to all of our wonderful donors, who, through their loyalty and generosity, have empowered our newest college graduate Ms. S to graduate this past month from university .

Ms. S is 28 years old . Throughout her college years and before, she has been  working full time ( 6 days per week)  doing bookkeeping and accounting , in the office at Champey Academy of Arts in Phnom Penh. Champey Academy is Kasumisou Foundation’s arts school which provides instruction in traditional arts (dance, music, drawing and painting) to young people in Phnom Penh totally free of charge.

Since she was just a toddler, Ms. S and her family have been receiving support of various kinds from Kasumisou Foundation. At times, during  those many years, Ms. S  and her family had experienced significant hardship. However, with support from Kasumisou and one very generous family in New York City,  Ms. S never waivered in her pursuit of her goals. She   completed her bachelor’s degree  in English late last year and she walked, earlier this month,  in the  official graduation ceremony  of her university, the Pannasastra University of Cambodia (PUC).  PUC is a private university that was originally established in1997 and opened in 2000. PUC is the first higher learning institution in Cambodia that  provides an English- based education in all subjects and it  is officially  accredited by Cambodia’s Ministry of Education.  

This very talented and motivated young woman already speaks excellent English and she is now looking forward to pursuing a Master’s degree in English language and literature  this  fall.  Her ultimate goal is to become a university professor of English. The tuition cost for her two year Master’s degree program will be slightly more than $1,500 per year and we hope to be able to provide her with significant financial support.

We hope that you will join with us in offering our congratulations to Ms. S for her remarkable achievements to date and our best wishes for even more to come in her future endeavors!

We often stand by and watch world events and bemoan that we, as individuals, cannot change “ the world”. Yet, here is Ms. S, who, over the years,  has become an accomplished young adult. Your support  has indeed changed her world.  Our sincere thanks to our wonderful donors. This has been  made possible  by each one of you.

We hope that you will join us on July 10 for the GlobalGiving July Bonus  Day when GlobalGiving will offer a donar match of 20% to 40% on donations  of $100 to $ 1000. 

As the saying goes, it sometimes takes a village to get thngs done.... so please, consider joining our "Village" to empower young adults like Ms.  S to pursue the dream of a college degree.

Thank you ,

Barbara & Mark