A Mother's Hope for a Better Future

She never had the opportunity to go to school.

Growing up during the Khmer Rouge regime, education was forbidden. Like many Cambodians of her generation, she was denied the chance to learn to read and write — something she still regrets every day.

"Life without education is very hard," she says quietly. "I have struggled all my life because I cannot read or write. That is why I want my children to have a better future than mine."

For many years, parents in her remote village worried that their children would face the same hardships. With no school nearby, many children stayed at home, worked with their families, or dropped out of school at an early age.

Today, that fear is turning into hope.

Through the support of Rural Education Experts Cambodia (REEC), a new school is being built in the village. For the first time, children will have the opportunity to learn close to home and dream of a brighter future.

The community has warmly welcomed the project. Parents are excited and eager to work alongside REEC to make the school a reality. Families have volunteered their time and labour, and the community has generously donated land so that the school can be built for their children and future generations.

"We are very happy that REEC came to our village," the mother says with tears in her eyes. "This school will change our children's lives. We do not want them to suffer as we did."

For these parents, the school is more than just a building — it is a symbol of hope, opportunity, and a promise that their children will have the education they never received.

Together with the community, REEC is helping to break the cycle of poverty by bringing education to some of Cambodia's most remote villages and ensuring that every child has the chance to learn and build a better future.

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