Care for Cambodia

We receive hundreds of photos each week from across our projects — and some simply make us smile. 🙂

Here are a few special moments from this week that reminded us why this work matters so much. 💛

Sometimes the littlest legs carry the biggest dreams. ❤️

This tiny student is determined to learn — even when the chair is too big, her feet can’t quite touch the floor, and she has to stretch just to reach the desk. Book open, pen in hand, eyes focused on the lesson… she keeps trying.

Every child deserves a classroom where they can grow, dream, and discover their potential. Thank you to everyone helping make that possible for children across our communities.

Often, our children’s projects make the headlines — with photos of young, smiling children engaged in study and learning opportunities. And rightly so.

But the value of our youth programme cannot be underestimated.

It has been so encouraging to see youth meetings taking place this weekend across Battambang Province, Kampong Thom Province, Bantheay Meanchey Province and Kampot Province, with healthy numbers of young people attending to strengthen friendships, learn from one another, and support each other through life’s challenges.

These gatherings are about far more than just meetings. They are spaces where young people can study life skills, develop computer skills, learn about responsibility, build confidence, and grow together in a positive and supportive environment.

Investing in youth matters — because today’s young people are tomorrow’s leaders, parents, teachers, and role models.

My name is Hak Neat I am 19 years old and currently studying in Grade 12 in High School.

My father passed away when I was younger, and today I live with my grandmother in a rented home in our community. Life has not always been easy for my family, but education has become a source of hope and opportunity for me.

I first joined the Care for Cambodia project in 2018 when I was still a young child in primary school, around Grade 3 or Grade 4. Since then, the organisation has supported me throughout my educational journey for the past eight years. During that time, I received school supplies, uniforms, learning materials, and encouragement to continue studying and believing in my future.

Care for Cambodia has not only helped me academically, but it has also helped me grow in confidence and character. Through the project, I participated in many activities including sports, dancing, youth programmes, community activities, and opportunities to develop leadership skills and teamwork. These experiences helped me become more confident, responsible, and motivated to help others.

Because of the support and encouragement I received growing up, I wanted to give something back to the younger children in the project. Today, while continuing my own studies, I also serve as a volunteer teacher helping teach and support younger students in the community. I am proud to be able to encourage children who are now in the same position I was in many years ago.

I am deeply thankful to Care for Cambodia for supporting me from childhood until now. The organisation has played an important role in my life and has helped shape the person I am today. Their support gave me hope, education, and opportunities that I may not otherwise have had. In the future, I hope to continue my education, help my family, and keep supporting younger children in my community so they can also achieve their dreams.

In many parts of Cambodia, girls have historically faced additional barriers to education — from poverty and household responsibilities to cultural expectations and early marriage. While huge progress has been made, gender inequality in education is still a real issue for many families.

Interestingly, across Care for Cambodia projects, around 60% of the children and young people we support are girls, with around 40% boys. This wasn’t intentional, but it does reflect a wider trend being seen in Cambodia, where boys are increasingly disengaging from education and leaving school early for work or migration.

We believe every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and build a better future — girls and boys alike.

That means continuing to champion girls’ education and empowerment, whilst also recognising the growing need to encourage and support boys to remain engaged in learning.

Education changes lives. And strong communities need both girls and boys to thrive.

At Care for Cambodia, we are continually approached by villages and community leaders asking if we can partner with them to start children’s and youth programs in their local areas.

It is both encouraging and humbling to see so many communities eager to invest in the next generation. At present, we have a growing waiting list of projects hoping to join with us.

Unfortunately, our resources are limited, and we are not able to accept every request immediately. In some cases, we ask interested communities to wait until funding, staffing, and support systems are available. In others, after careful assessment, we may decide that a partnership would not be the right fit at this time.

Because of this, we are constantly assessing new locations, building relationships, and prayerfully considering where and when new projects can be opened sustainably and effectively.

Some of the photos shared here are from one of our recently opened projects in Battambang Province — a reminder of the impact that can happen when the right partnerships come together at the right time.

Thank you to everyone who supports this work and helps make these opportunities possible for children and young people across Cambodia.

Each year every child attending our projects receives a school pack containing essentials such as a school bag, uniform, books, pens, and pencils.

These may seem like simple items, but they remove one of the biggest barriers standing between children and their education. By ensuring children have what they need to attend school and learn with confidence and dignity, we can help them stay in school, access a quality education, and continue pursuing their dreams.

Thank you to everyone who supports this work and helps make opportunities like this possible for so many children.

Education works best when schools and families stand together.

Through regular home visits, our teachers build trust with parents, encourage learning at home, and help break down barriers between the community and our projects.

When children are supported both in the classroom and at home, real change begins. 💚

Not every hero stands on a stage or appears in polished photographs. Some simply show up, day after day, year after year, faithfully teaching, encouraging, and caring for the children in their community.

This wonderful lady, called Sarim, has served with Care for Cambodia in Prey Veng Province for more than 15 years. She isn’t posting snazzy photos on social media, sending impressive updates, or looking for recognition — but she is deeply loved by the children, respected throughout her village, and quietly changing lives through her perseverance, gentleness, kindness, and dedication.

As an organisation, we are so dependent on faithful people like her. Behind every famous success story are men and women, like Sarim, who work quietly in the background, not for publicity or praise, but because they genuinely care for the children God has placed before them.