Somut and Ra-Ey

This is about the teachers at the elementary school in Okhabol, an off-the-map village along the Mekong River in Cambodia. 

Even on its good days, the classroom building resembled a rickety shed with a dirt floor. And on those good days, about 90-or-so kids would hike in from different directions to attend class. Local leaders were concerned about the integrity of the walls (and the children’s safety). They requested the regional government to construct a new school but got no reply.  

Teacher Somut (who had previously alerted us to nutritional and sanitation needs in the village) approached our partner, Chenda, requesting help to repair three walls and to add a classroom. That’s where things stood on January 14, 2021. On January 15, a terrifically strong wind changed the scenario completely…by blowing the roof clean off.

Fortunately, no one was hurt.

And what happened next? Did everything grind to a halt, accompanied by the siren-sound of collective wailing? Actually, Chenda reports, the teachers and children lugged their desks to teacher Ra-Ey’s house, where some classes are meeting upstairs in the living quarters and others downstairs in the yard or under the house when it rains.

Teacher Ra-Ey explains:  

Recently the old building was fall down by a strong wind. 

The situation in this village, because of the living condition some of people do migration. At the same time the school was broke, so I decided to allow my home stay for classroom temporary because I don’t want students to skip class too long which made them don’t want to study and parents take them to work.

We were amazed at that move, and we asked Chenda to provide us a little more information regarding the Okhabol teachers. We got information back from two of the three. Here are some things we learned:

Challenges they face:

Samot

I really concerned about the students learning because most of students living far away from school that need them to walk to school, and some of family do migration to other provinces. Parents take their kids with them when they migration to other provinces for earning income which make the kids missed the school. 

Ra-Ey

In Okabol village did not have kindergarten so it difficult for them to start at primary school, also their parents could not taking care or help to teach them well at home and because parents could not read or write well, so it is difficult. Sometime parents stop their kids to go to school and let them to works at farm or follow their job as their living condition is very poor.

On the teaching profession

Somut

I decided to be a teacher because I want the next generation get knowledge and have a good work in the future to help their family living condition and help community development.

Ra-Ey

I love this profession,

This profession could provide knowledge to students as they are a strong pillars for their community and country. The most happy time is my role as teacher to children, I could Teach them to be a good students, good person, good child, Good moral in society and for their future bright. 

What jumped out at me

Both Somut and Ra-Ey were born in the same district as Okhabol. They’re “local kids” who didn’t try to escape the first chance they got.  Instead, they prepared themselves to return to the depressed region to try and make a difference. They’re looking beyond themselves during tough times, drawing meager salaries, trying to help kids develop in less than helpful circumstances. I think they call that nation-building. 

Where things are at

To re-build the school, we’re going “halfsies” with a South Korean NGO. WGLO provided funds to clear the damaged school site and to construct a steel frame and roof.  ChildCare-Korea has committed funding to construct three classrooms, this time with brick walls.  We’ve agreed to ensure funding for concrete floors and teaching supplies.