Korng & Sreymao – Cookers, KVLC
Korng: We are sisters and we started working here in 2018 when PLF first opened KVLC. Our kids were already PLF students at Knar school and we used to come to PLF community workshops every month. The PLF staff asked us if we would like to work as cookers. At first, we felt nervous because we only used to cook at home for our families, but now we are used to cooking for lots of students, and we like working together. Today we’re making ‘trey chieng’ – fried fish cake with vegetable and rice. It’s one of the students’ favorite. They always come and ask for more!
PLF really helps our kids with supplies and everything to stay in school. My oldest is now studying engineering at university in Phnom Penh, and one more is still in school. And when my niece came to live with me so she could stay in school because there were problems in her family, PLF gave me extra food bank help to make it possible for her. And now she is also at university in Phnom Penh.
When we were kids, myself I only stayed in school until Grade 3, and Sreymao to Grade 4. So my sister can read and write but for me I’ve forgotten. Our family had seven siblings, and my father was very traditional. He believed that women didn’t need education. So we stopped school and went to help him. He was a palm sugar collector, and we helped him to sell at the market. So we just followed him, dropped from school and then later go to work in the rice field.
Now I’m very happy when I see my children can finish their school and have a long education. I see that education is very important.
And I’m really happy with this job. The best thing is the feeling when we feed the students, because the children here are like our family. So we make our best food for them and take care of them. We feel happy that we can help them to be at school.”
Sreymao: I love this job and I always feel happy coming to work. For both of us it’s our first regular job, first time ever to get a salary. It helps my family so much. I have two children and they are in school because of PLF support.
Before, I thought that education is not important and if my kids just finish Grade 9 then they can go to work to help the family. But after we come to the PLF workshops, we understand why it is important. Now I would like my kids to finish university. I could not afford it by myself but with PLF support it’s possible. And it’s very important for my kids so that in the future they will get a good job for themselves, and they can help our family life to be better.
We really enjoy working together and although it is hot work sometimes, it is much better than work in the field. We have shade from the sun and shelter from the rain. And we have work everyday, not just like one week for pick mangoes then stop work again.
And I especially love that my job helps the kids in my community, the way that PLF always help me and my kids too.
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