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Cambodian School Kids supports children in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, who desire to attend school but lack the resources to do so. In a country entrenched in poverty and seething from deep social problems, CSK provides hope for youths who are serious about getting an education. The organization pays tuition for students and provides necessary school uniforms and supplies. CSK also provides housing assistance for program participants, most of whom would otherwise live on the streets, and supplies a ration of rice to students and their families. These contributions are necessary to avoid participants feeling like their time in school would be better spent on the streets begging, as do so many of their peers.
Participants in CSK’s education program have risen through ranks – several have gone on to education beyond high school, and many now hold jobs that support themselves and their families. The organization also provides medical and dental care for children in its program. By providing the resources and a boost of confidence, CSK helps instil a sense of dignity in participants and gives them hope for a brighter future.
Scholarships provided by CSK, which cover tuition, uniforms, supplies, and food and include a rental subsidy, are highly sought after by ambitious youths who are serious about getting an education. Such support is greatly appreciated in a city where some 300,000 persons live in one of more than 560 slum areas. It is rare that a child’s family has the resources to afford all that is entailed with paying for an education. Around half of the country’s population lives on less than $0.50 per day.
CSK supports between 15 and 20 students per year. Students’ progress is regularly monitored, with CSK staff providing tutoring and mentoring. CSK also sponsors outreach events, where students are encouraged to give back to others in need in their community. Giving underprivileged youths an opportunity to enhance themselves and control their own future is what CSK does, and the lives of many Cambodian children have been made better for it.
Affiliate History
Cambodian School Kids was formed in 2003 by a U.S. Diplomat and his wife. Posted to Cambodia, the two were overwhelmed by the crushing poverty in which so many among the population lived, and were particularly distressed by the number of street children they encountered. A survey of the youths who were out of school revealed that instead begging or working in difficult conditions in manual labor for menial wages, they had a strong interest in going to school that was unfortunately outweighed by the need of kids to provide income for their families. CSK was formed to provide the resources for kids to get an education while resting assured that their immediate needs and those of their families would be met.
