YOEURNG KANHCHANA

My name is Yoeurng Kanhchana. I am the eldest of three siblings from Kampong Speu province. My father is a moto-taxi driver and my mother is a factory worker, while my 19-year-old brother had to stop studying to work in a factory. During the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, everything collapsed at once-schools closed, my grandmother fell ill and passed away in September, and my mother’s workplace shut down. Our family faced such severe financial difficulties that I had to work in a factory for a month, and my mother later considered asking me to stop studying altogether when schools closed again for online learning. Despite my passion for design, I knew my family could not afford university.
When I received an educational scholarship from Global Children Cambodia, it was the greatest gift of my life— the opportunity to study architecture. Over the past four years at Norton University, I have gained invaluable knowledge and experience, developed my confidence and communication skills, and discovered a particular passion for urban planning. Though challenging, this journey has been deeply meaningful and has transformed me in countless ways.