Consortium for Sustainable Alternatives and Voice for Equitable Development (Co-SAVED) with financial support from EU, co-implemented by Aide et Action (AEA), Bandos Komar (BK), Buddhist for Social Development Action Organization (BSDA) and Kampuchea Action to Promote Education (KAPE) organized a scholarship material distribution event for 449 poor students from seven target schools in Sre Ambel district, Koh Kong province on December 15, 2023.

 

The scholarship material distribution was aiming to raise awareness among partners implementing collaborative intervention programs under the COSAVED project to reduce dropout rates in the 2023 school year.

 

“I am very happy that KAPE provides my child with a bicycle to ride to school. My family is poor. This contributes to reducing my family's expenses and making my child easier to travel to school," said Mrs. Khlor Mom, the scholarship student’s parent.

 

The scholarship material distribution encourages poor students who receive scholarship materials to be happy and committed to study hard. “I am very happy to receive a bag, pens and books. I will take care of these materials and pass them on to my younger brother to use. I would like to thank KAPE for distributing books, pens, bags and school uniforms to students at this school in order to reduce their expenses and my expenses. I will be committed to studying hard to get good marks. In the future, I want to become a teacher because I can help teach the younger generation to understand the culture, religion and respect the elders. It is my passion from a young age as well,” said Ny Dalin, the Grade 8 student of Sre Ambel high school.

 

This was the third year that KAPE has implemented the COSAVED project at the target schools in collaboration with provincial/district offices of education, youth and sport to take part developing competency and strengthen partnerships for local economic development. Particularly, it has strengthening the education service provisions and access to clean water and sanitation.

 

“Today, I bring my grandchild to receive scholarship materials such as a bicycle, which helps ease the students’ expensing burden here as well as my grandchild. It includes bicycles, notebooks, pens and school uniforms. I will try to explain and advise my grandchild to study hard and take care of this bike; so, the next generation can use it. I would like to thank KAPE and the teachers who help teach my grandchild to be a good student,” said Mr. Kim Tang Nol, one of the student parents and attended this event.

 

“I am very thrilled that the project has provided this scholarship materials to my students, although small amount, but it has helped alleviate the poor students to have access to school and adequate learning materials. This scholarship material distribution is a way to attract students to come to school and encourage parents to come to school to meet teachers and directors as well,” said Mr. Ear Eab, who was represented to receive 20 bycicles, 25 bags, 300 notebooks, 25 school uniforms, and 250 pens, the director of Dang Peing lower secondary school.

 

“I am very proud of the two partner organizations – KAPE and BSDA  that have supported the schools to focus on educational improvement by providing scholarship packages and bicycles, school uniforms, notebooks and pens at the target schools and other preparing school extensions, especially thanks to the parents who share their priceless time to come with their children to receive the scholarship packages and bicycles," said Mr. Yim Kim Heang, a representative from the Sre Ambel District Office of Education, Youth and Sport.

 

Looking back at the school data, it still showed that there have been more students at risk due to various factors. In that, KAPE has worked hard to build teachers’ capacity and other intervention programs that make the recognition and satisfaction of each target school. Despite limited budget, local people and other development partners have made school activities a top priority.

 

Mr. Loch Phearun, the representative from Koh Kong Provincial Office of Education, Youth and Sports, said, “On behalf of the Provincial Office/District Offices, I would like to profoundly acknowledge and appreciate to all of you are District Officials, School Directors and NGO-partners who closely work together to ensure the quality and quality of education in our province to be better in line with the policy of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport and the Royal Government's Pentagon Strategy, which aims to strategically create economic growth and create more jobs by achieving the goal of reducing poverty, continue to strengthen competency, governance, improve the quality of institutions, including the quality of social and economic development.” He continued, “Human resource development is the first pentagon that focuses on five priority tasks, including: improving the quality of educational sector, sport, science, technology, and technical skills training on improving the people’s health and well-being. Although the materials are small, they are very priceless to help alleviate the poor students to travel to school and study."

 

The CoSAVED project has been using collaborative approaches to enable coastal fishing communities to generate better income. KAPE has partnered with BSDA to provide training on scholarship programs and other essentials. Providing scholarship materials to poor students really has a positive effect on their daily education and expenses.

 

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