At the end of a small village, surrounded by rice fields, lies Kilo Leak Boun Primary School. We visited this school, which serves 198 students, on our trip in 2022. CVF scholarship graduate Seyha Tren is a teacher at the school. Seyha had told us of the need for new classrooms at her school. Following our assessment, the commune leaders agreed that building new classroom was a top priority. Construction started in January 2023 and was finished in December. The festive opening celebration, including a Buddhist blessing, took place in January 2024 – a wonderful housewarming, in keeping with Cambodian culture.
Like many of our scholarship recipients Seyha made it her goal to give back to the community and help her country. After graduating from college, Seyha moved back to the village to teach the next generation.
On January 25th we were excited to attend the opening ceremony. Preparations for the special day had started days earlier fueling anticipation in the children and parents of the small community. Colorful banners fluttered in the gentle breeze. Students, dressed in their white and blue school uniforms, lined the entrance, greeting us with big smiles while waving Cambodian and American flags. A high ranking representative from the Cambodian Government was the guest of honor- his excellency, Mr. Malin Chin, Secretary of State from the Ministry of Justice. He came all the way from the capitol Phnom Penh.
The ceremony began with a traditional blessing, as monks from the local pagoda offered prayers for the success and prosperity of the school and its students. This spiritual invocation set the tone for the festivities adding an atmosphere of reverence and gratitude
Several speakers took to the stage including Bill, Nancy and Silke. The most important though was the government representative Mr. Malin Chin. His presence underlined the significance of the occasion. In a country where access to education is very limited, particularly in rural areas, the importance of school is an constant reminder of the transformative power of learning.
For many families in this rural community, education is a pathway out of poverty. These moments of recognition reinforce the benefits of attending and staying in school.
The new school honors our dedicated local volunteer Venerable Sovechea. We named it the Dr. Vy Sovechea Learning Center
After the speeches, the cheerful crowd moved toward the new school building for the ribbon-cutting. This symbolic event marks the beginning of a new chapter in the lives of the students, who will now be the occupants of this school.
The new building includes a library, a wonderful place for the children of Kilo Leak Boun to discover a variety of books and with it, the world around them. This library is called Manni and Gitti Library and honors Silke’s parents, who live in Germany. Silke decided to give additional funding for the library as a gesture of appreciation toward her parents, who fostered her passion for books and reading. (If you are interested in honoring someone in form of a CVF humanitarian project, please send us an email.)
A Khmer Rosewood tree was planted. In Cambodia, tree planting holds deep cultural and symbolic significance, especially when conducted to commemorate the construction of a new house. Planting a tree during a housewarming ceremony symbolizes the establishment of roots, both literal and metaphorical, in the new building and in the community.
Finally, the crowd dispersed to visit the classrooms, mingle, talk and enjoy refreshments.
Education stands as a beacon of hope on a path towards a brighter future. Through ceremonies like this, communities come together to reaffirm their commitment to education.
If you, too, see the benefits of education, please help us in giving children in Cambodia better access to learning.
