Age: 22
From: Prey Veng Province
Major: Tourism
School: Build Bright University
I come from the Ta So District Orphanage Center in Prey Veng province. I am one of 10 siblings, 6 girls and 4 boys, including me. I am the youngest. All of my siblings are married and moved away from my village. My mother is now over 70 years old. My father died in 2010. After the death of my father, I became a monk and moved to live in the pagoda. A little over a year later, I renounced monkhood and resumed my education. I was in 7th grade. I still feel bad for having failed my high school exit exam. It makes me cry every time I remember. I did not want to surrender to circumstances so I decided to study harder. My mother always told me to study hard, so that I could have a bright future. That was all she wanted. I felt so bad for disappointing my mother. I promised myself that I would no longer disappoint her, and that I would study very hard when I had a chance to go to university. Back when I lived in Prey Veng Province, I helped my mother on the farm while also going to school.
I heard about Global Children Cambodia through the Orphanage Center where I lived. They were offering the poor students a scholarship for higher education. I filled out and submitted the forms hopelessly. I already lost my faith in continuing my higher education. Later, Sovann, a manager of the organization, called and told me that I was selected to for the scholarship. I was so happy and excited to receive this scholarship. Being in Global Children has been great. I am very happy to have made a lot of friends from other provinces.
I study tourism because I love traveling. I hope to travel around the world in the future. My future goal is I want to be a manager in a luxury hotel. I want to continue my master degree abroad. I keep dreaming about it every night. In the next 10 years, I want to live and work in the United States. I also want to give back to the organization that I’ve lived in, and to help people get out of the poverty. One day, I want to open an organization for elderly and homeless people across Cambodia. I like work that involves helping society.
