Chan Chhroeun # 226

The Cambodia Rural School Project The Kuniko Koyama School Front view of the Kuniko Koyama School Mr. Chan Chhroeun is the 34-year old vice principle of the Kuniko Koyama School. He is married and has five children (three boys and two girls), all of whom attend school here. His family makes a living as farmers […]

The Cambodia Rural School Project

The Kuniko Koyama School


Front view of the Kuniko Koyama School

Mr. Chan Chhroeun is the 34-year old vice principle of the Kuniko Koyama School. He is married and has five children (three boys and two girls), all of whom attend school here. His family makes a living as farmers during school breaks, when he isn’t teaching. He lives right next door to the school in a home that he built himself, but his real home is 5 kilometers away.

“I was born in this very same village. I was a teenager during the Pol Pot regime, so I was made to work hard like everyone else. Once the war was over, I went to be educated at a Pedagogy training school from ’87 to ’89. Then I taught as a teacher at Angkoy for a while before transferring here. I’ve been here for a total of three years now. I wanted to become a teacher so that I could help educate Cambodian children.”

“We hold award ceremonies for the children for those ranked one to three. Prizes were usually gifts of clothing, which were donations from an organization named KIP, but we’ve run out of funds at the moment. We also tried to dig a well so that we could obtain some water, but we ran out of funds and weren’t able to finish that project. Right now, there is no water to even flush the toilets.”

“The dynamics surrounding the new school are very different than the old one. The kids absolutely love the new school. The old building was so leaky whenever it rained, and it had far too many holes. They were always looking outside through the holes in the walls and not paying attention. It was also too hot during the hot season. These problems don’t exist in the new building.”

“Parents were worried about sending their kids to school in the old building. Some complained that it was too far, and others didn’t trust the sturdiness of it. However, now that we have the new building parents are more enthusiastic about sending their kids to school. Everyone is interested in education with the new building. The entire community is concerned with its well-being, and even conducted an opening ceremony when we first unlocked its doors.”

“I would like to thank the donors first and foremost. In Cambodia, we like use the phrase ‘wish you are doing well.’ I hope that you will continue to help Cambodia’s children. Anything that you could do to help our country will always be appreciated.”