Welcome the Newest Student to ACE

Hello everybody! I am very happy to introduce myself to you all. My name is Sotheara Suon and I am 20 years old. I was born in Kandal province, Keinsvay district. I am an oldest child in a family of five sons and a daughter. Currently I’m studying at the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP) majoring in Khmer literature.

While I was studying at high school I always had a wish of passing all my examinations with a (C) grade as it’s very venerable if you’re studying in the countryside and could obtain that grade. As a result, my dream became true! It was not just only me feeling satisfying but so did my whole family as well as my friends! I was really proud of my achievement!

I moved to Phnom Penh in 2008 after I had finished my exam. Initially when I arrived to Phnom Penh for the first time in my life, I knew nothing about my way around in the city. I did not know anyone nor did I have any relatives or friends to stay with. I felt very upset and was very stressful as everything was new to me. Luckily, life in the city has taught me many new things that I had never knew before when I was staying in my home town. Everything is absolutely different from the countryside such as: many roads, lifestyle, the way city people thinking and the list would just go on and on. As days pass by, I become increasingly understandable the way life in the city work. In Phnom Penh, I do not only learn from my university but also from other events that are happening to me and society. My knowledge is mounting up step by step. I then later learn to appreciate those hardships I had encountered during those times because they were my best teachers I would never have a chance to learn from any schools or universities and I would not have learnt to appreciate my life much had I not encountered those issues. Additionally I was very lucky enough to befriend with many good people. They assisted me whenever I faced any issues. They encouraged me to stand up when I lose fate in myself; they encouraged me to become a stronger person whenever I fell down. My friends usually brought knowledge with them to share with me. We had joined many workshops that provide information on current issues happening in our society.

Fortunately, one day I was offered a scholarship to study Khmer Literature at RUPP, again it was a great news for me especially my parents! However along with this happy news, I was still struggling to adapt to a new environment in the city and I also knew that I had to encounter many other financial difficulties such as paying bills for: accommodation, water, electricity and especially foods. Sometimes I dreamed of obtaining another scholarship for accommodation from another university or NGO however it was only a dream. And I thought that dreams do not exist….

One day, one of my friends whose name Phearith, gave me an opportunity to participate in a 2 days course called “Attitude Forum” which was conducted by Mr. Sokchea SAING. After completing the course I was very surprised of how much knowledge I gained from the course! I was pretty much interested in the course, the way him conducting the course as well as administering the class! I was not only impressed with his lesson but also including his teaching skill! He is a very dynamic teacher who I have never and ever met in my whole life! And because of the course I was able to make more good friends such as Savy, Synoeun and so on. They are very interesting people; they shared their ideas with me and my friends. They told me about the Attitude Centre for Education and recommended me to apply for the scholarship there. As it is a centre which provides many opportunities for underprivileged students from slum areas as well as countryside to be able to have a place to stay, to attend university and especially to facilitate personal growth in youth. As a result, after I filled out the form and answered the four questions which basically related to my Background, Attitude and my Vision, it took me almost four months later to hear exciting news from ACE! However I didn’t mind those months I had to wait for the result of my application, as it was one of those contented news which you wouldn’t mind waiting for!

Staying at ACE has given me so many prospects in life. I have learnt so many things from other scholarship students; we have shared various ideas with each other. We have made good memories together. We help each other, cook and have meals together; all the 15 of us. ACE is much better than other places which I have been. It empowers us to be able to join in various trainings which are conducted by Mr. Sokchea, to have fate in ourselves, to look up high and reach our goals, to become brilliant potential leaders and most prominently the provision of opportunities for us to contribute in helping developing our community and overall Cambodia!

In conclusion, I would like to express my gratitude to all the members of Cambodian Kids Foundation who continue spending your precious time and energy in supporting all the underprivileged students in Cambodia thus for us to be educated and have a bright and the best future! Your support means so much for us! Also I would like to thank teacher Sokchea who has given me the best opportunity to stay at ACE, without you I probably wouldn’t have met more good people and wouldn’t believe that our DREAMS do exist if we are strongly committed! Finally I’m very appreciative for everybody in ACE who has welcomed me with full compassion and has volunteered to assist and has shown so much support to me. THANK YOU ALL!!

Best regards



Sotheara Suon

Dearest Lovely Parent

Kampong Thom, 10th July 2010,


How are you both? Firstly, I would like to acknowledge your kindness having given me the chance to attend school since I was young. Especially, mom works extremely hard and would never take any days off, having the cheapest food, saving every penny so that I could afford sending me to school. I would never disregard your generosity. I sincerely ‘Thank You’ for everything you’ve done for me! I totally understand that, you have been working so hard. However I honestly have no choice, I must continue on my studying, I couldn’t give it up for a job since primary school like others to feed their parents. I really don’t want the kind of jobs which you both have been having. But I have committed to study hard, putting all my heart and soul into my studies in an expectation that I will be offered a very good job upon my completion of studies. I hope to help our whole family with a much better living style than what we’re having nowadays.

Even though I am looked down by other people on my capacity due to my appearance, nevertheless I will never alter my goal and even work harder to reach my dreams. Although, they are keeping their eyes on my ability and mock back at me when I couldn’t make it through the national examination, I am determined to even trying harder to turn all my dreams to fruition. Every morning I would hear the sarcasms from others: “….you, don’t study hard, your parents work too hard for you why don’t you give up your studies and help them, your parents can’t support you for the rest of your life. You are a girl, what’s the point of you to have a higher education. How can you study far away from home? Where will you live in the city, living in pagoda like boys would be impossible..Girls can never have a good job, just get married and look after the kids. Beside you are too poor, too short and unattractive so who would offer you a job?...”

All of these ironic words have kept inside my mind, penetrated into my heart and soul for the last few years. And in the worst case I was hopeless and helpless, I used to hate people, always wanted to be left alone. I had always have negative thoughts regarding my appearance, I was hesitated of whether continuing on my studies, I couldn’t find out the way to achieve my dreams, there was no improvement at all in my daily performance as days passed by, and as the result I couldn’t pass my national exam. Mother and father, I would like to apologies that you have been disappointed because of me. I am so sorry.

Parents, please don’t wait for me at this weekend as I am taking a two days short course ‘Attitude Forum’ that is exceptionally important for the improvement of my life. It’s like I’m awaken from the negative thoughts that I used to have. I’ve learnt the way of becoming a successful person. I am now an open minded and optimistic person, happily accepted communication from others, and wouldn’t want to be left alone like I used to. I value myself, and of everything else I possess. I am now determined to make my dreams happen, enter and join a new world which I had never knew before. I want to live as a bird where they can fly to wherever they wish and understanding everything in the society.

I would like to acknowledge Mr. Sokchea SAING and all its members for having built this school. Without the school I can never become who I am today.

I wish you all the best.

Moly

My Life is Hopfulness !!

Everybody and every student always have their own dreams and want the dream to come to fruition one day, especially long for a bright future and have a very good job in the future. My name is Men Vantha and I come from a small village of Svay Rieng province. Currently, I am studying in the second year of Management at Build Bright University and also a scholarship student of Attitude Center for Education.

I have 2 sisters and one brother. My two sisters had given up school since they were studying in high school, grade 8 due to the financial difficulties in my family and my brother is presently studying in primary school, grade 6.
I had graduated from high school in 2008 and kept on my studying in Phnom Penh. Living in Phnom Penh was a very difficult experience for me as I have no relative and then I decided to rent a house with my friend. The renting cost was $60 per month. All my expenses on; tuition, study materials, English language and renting cost were all paid by my mum. I spent $80 monthly and it was really a huge amount for my whole family. My mum worked extremely hard while she was ill to afford sending me and my brother to school.

One day, I was told by Mr. Put Set to study free English at Aziza school which is an American-based organization. There I had a chance to improve my English. 6 months after I had been studying at Aziza school, I heard excellent news for my life that, Attitude Center for Education (ACE) was recruiting for underprivileged students who are from all the provinces in Cambodia to offer the scholarships. After hearing this information, I rushed to apply and then I had joined “Attitude Forum” Training that provided by Mr. Sokchea SAING. The training has transformed me into a new person, by changing my attitude toward my future and reminds me of who I really am, opening mind, forgiving, problem solving, self-controlling, and especially the definition of LIFE. A few weeks after the training, I heard the exciting and incredible news that I had been offered the Scholarship!

While staying in ACE I am offered a chance to join the Youth Development Leadership Program with other scholarship students. The training has influenced me and taught me about leading’s operation such as: what is leading? How to become an effective potential leader, have a self-confident and self-motivated.

After my mum passed away in November 2009 I became a hopeless, helpless and stressfulness person but the Leadership Program made me understand clearly the meaning of life and I always encourage myself and tried harder to make my dream come true. Although sometime I feel so lonely but I would always think about my future and my goal. I would always remind myself that life is hopefulness so that I can encourage myself every time I feel tired or upset.

Currently I have been given a brilliant opportunity to be a project manager at Rudi Boa Centre while I am only 20 years old. I could not have achieved this much without the support of ACE & Cambodian Kids Foundation!

I have three fundamental dreams in my life. First dream is to be able to help other people and especially vulnerable children in the slum area. Second dream is to open a school in my homeland for all the children and youth. The final dream is to train myself to become a professional trainer of “Attitude Forum” and “Leadership Program”.

In conclusion my special thanks are due to Cooper’s family and all the CKF heroes in Australia for your generosity and supports in establishing CKF. Without all of your help I would not be standing where I am right now! I would also like to thank teacher, Saing Sokchea who is the one that I have been inspired by because of your good role model, constant support and encouragement. Who has taught me a good attitude, strong leadership and who would always remind me of a concept of helping and sharing with others. Thanks also to my other ACE scholarship friends for your valuable suggestions and who would always give me a new hope.

Best Wishes

Men Vantha