“I became a PLF student when I was in Grade 10. I heard that PLF help students who really need it the most. I needed to get extra classes because in government school cannot get enough knowledge to pass without paying extra to the teacher, especially in subjects like math, physics, chemistry. I was so happy when PLF approve my request. I not only got extra science classes, but also school supplies, a bicycle and the opportunity to study English.

Originally I’m from Takeo province, which is far from Siem Reap. When my father died I followed my mum as she had to look for work anywhere she could. We moved around a lot and I randomly stayed with many people so that I could continue school. I was two years in Odor Meanchy province but at that time there was a lot of fighting at the border with Thailand. So I needed to move again. Siem Reap was more stable. I came by myself and stayed with my uncle but then he went to another province. So I stayed with his son, but after a while he decided to go back to our homeland.

By this time, I was in Grade 8, and I got a job to support staying alone. I love to study since I was young, that’s why I am not give up. And because of this experience I learned how to stay strong, be responsible, and do what I need for myself. I started to get a dream what I want to do in the future, about working in science, and I make a connection with a friend who has the same dream as me. And we still work together now.

We both loved to study and to explore something new and we start to create small science and technology projects. Not only formula but we take it to practice in real life. For example we created a telephone. And we study about electricity and where it come from, we make experiment with the soil that it can make a battery, it can generate electricity. Not a lot but it have a result.

We start from ourselves and we don’t have any money, but PLF and our teachers encourage us a lot. And also the government, they start to know our group. And they invite us to go and show at an exhibition at Phnom Penh.

And we’re very happy because we don’t think that we have that kind of power to make it happen. But we can create something we can share. We want to give our experience to everyone, especially other students. They can come and do with us.

And that’s the year when we finish Grade 11. We finish that project, and we also take it to join the exhibition at Malaysia. And when we come back we finish Grade 12.

I studied IT at university and then worked as a data programmer. But now I am CEO on our startup that we execute by ourself. Our goal is to build products that solve any problem in the country. If we talk about advanced technologies, research and development, until now mostly all this is done outside the country. So we want to change that. We want to make sure that Cambodia can do advanced technologies and can research by ourselves. And deliver that product all over the country and to other countries too.

If we are strong enough, our next plan is to make sure that students around Cambodia have opportunity to explore more on technologies, besides having to go to Phnom Penh. So we want to create a fab lab that students can explore, can research and develop what kinds of product they have in their mind. If we have the lab where they can experience it, it will help them a lot. They can produce it by themselves. So this is our goal.

When I give the mentorship talk, I’m happy and proud of the students, they ask a lot of questions. And they are lucky. Because I remember when I was their age, I don’t know who I can ask. Mostly I discuss only with the teachers, but they had limited education and only know general about it. So if we can ask a person with specific experience, the information is more clear and helpful. And it’s a very important time for them right now, especially if they’re in Grade 12.

I’m very proud of PLF because they help students a lot. And some students without this support, they will drop out of study. PLF knows why education is important. They push them to make sure that they will success in the future. So I hope we can grow and keep up and support the young generation. Because if they are thinking maybe I’m going to drop out, we need to motivate as much as possible. Re-inspire them, so they have a goal. They have a dream for their future.

𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙢𝙚, 𝙚𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙄 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙮. 𝘽𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙬𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙖 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙙𝙤 𝙖 𝙟𝙤𝙗 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙤. 𝘽𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙚𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙙𝙞𝙛𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙪𝙡𝙩 𝙟𝙤𝙗𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚. 𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙮 𝙄 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙮. 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙖 𝙟𝙤𝙗 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚.”