OVER 1,000 CHILDREN EQUIPPED FOR SCHOOL!

Today, we want to share a very special event in the villages, to which our organization was invited.
The Cambodian school year concluded at the end of September, and the schools we work with invited us to attend their closing ceremony.

At these end-of-year celebrations, all parents and community leaders—such as the police, village chiefs, and local councils—are invited. Outstanding students are honored, and the 6th graders are celebrated as they move on to high school at other schools.

As we mentioned in our last newsletter, we wanted to take this special occasion as an opportunity to provide the students with essential school supply packages..
Each package included various notebooks, writing utensils (pens, pencils, rulers, erasers, etc.), a prescribed school uniform, and a backpack.

Since most families in the communities where we work struggle to afford school supplies, we specifically raised donations to make this possible. This allowed us to participate in four school year-end ceremonies, helping to organize them and distribute over 750 complete school packages, as well as more than 400 smaller packages (without uniforms and backpacks) to the children..

These materials play a key role in the children’s academic success, ensuring they start the new school year well-prepared. What an amazing accomplishment! None of this would have been possible without your generous support — especially thanks to SAM Global,who contributed a large portion. We are still truly overwhelmed with gratitude!

The public events at the schools were quite formal. We had to sit in the front rows in front of the parents, and each community leader had the opportunity to give a speech. What truly moved and impressed us was that whenever the teachers spoke about our work at their school, their gratitude was so genuine and heartfelt. They asked us to continue teaching at their schools because they can see the positive changes in the children. “Please don’t stop coming!”

Other community leaders also praised our work. We were even asked if we could teach at other schools or extend our programs to high schools as well. At some schools, especially in the areas near the brick factories, children came to us who had stopped attending school some time ago—or who had never been to school at all. They asked if we could help them enroll. This allowed us to visit their families and include them in our program, which is incredibly valuable.

This is exactly where we can make such a big difference for these children - whether they remain out of school, exposed to all the risks of exploitation, or whether they gain enough education to actively shape their own future.

Often, a healthy combination of both is needed: personal responsibility and initiative on the part of those in need, and the necessary support from others— without which development or improvement would be extremely difficult.

In many ways, school supply packages are like seeds. When they are planted and cared for properly, they can grow into something fruitful. Through our close collaboration with schools and individual families, our team can help children and families take responsibility for themselves and nurture this growth.

As one mother expressed it: “I am so grateful that your organization came to support us. Thank you for giving the children an education, not just the school supplies. This is such a big help for me and my family.”In some places, the potential for growth is greater, while in others the needs are so great that more support is required. The brick factories are a particularly challenging place.
Here, a disproportionately high number of children either do not attend school at all or go only irregularly..
The two main reasons are that most families cannot afford school supplies, and some children must help their parents work in the factories to earn enough to survive—though “living” is hardly an accurate description here.
The living conditions are very difficult, and the working conditions are far from good..

Some families there are trapped in debt bondage.They borrow money from the factory owners because their earnings are insufficient.
However, these debts grow ever larger due to high interest rates, forcing parents to work more. As a result, child laboris especially common here, as children are needed to help pay off the family debt.

In these areas, more intensive support from our side is required.However, we must act wisely and carefully when working in these factories. It is already a miracle that we were granted access at all. We hope that, with patience and the right measures, we can contribute to positive change in the brick factories. Please pray that God grants us wisdom in our work and guides us to take the right steps to support both children and adults in a sustainable way.

At one of the school events, a student play in particular surprised and moved us. It was performed in front of the teachers and parents.

The story depicted a family in which the father drinks, the mother is abusive, and the little money they have goes to alcohol, preventing the child from attending school. The child tells the teacher about the situation, and the teacher tries to help. Together with the village chief, they speak with the father, and in the end, everything concludes with a positive resolution.

What was truly remarkable about this play was that the children acted out experiences they themselves have faced at home. In a culture like Cambodia’s, where shame often keeps such issues hidden, it is extremely rare for topics like these to be addressed at all. The parents’ reactions clearly showed their surprise.We were deeply moved by the courage of the children and by the teachers who gave them this platform to speak out!

We are grateful for every collaboration in the villages.Especially at the schools, we are already seeing positive changes, which gives us hope—hope that more and more people can live free from hardship, coercion, and suffering.

We also sincerely desire that people may experience hope and love through Jesus and encounter Him in very practical ways. Please join us in prayer, asking that God meet the people in these communities.