Fresh Start for Children in Cambodia

Children’s laughter was not common in the remote farming village school in Cambodia. Parents worked hard but still struggled to make ends meet. Some children rarely saw their mum and dad because they had migrated to neighbouring countries in search of work, leaving the children to be raised by grandparents or other relatives.

Girls and boys in the village were so burdened with survival tasks— like fetching water—that they rarely enjoyed the simple pleasures of childhood, such as playing with friends. And they certainly didn’t have time to dream of a different future.

“They live in very poor conditions,” said Tharvrith, principal of the village school. “In the rainy season, they have to come by boat and walk through water to get to school.” When students did make it to school, they had to deal with dirty drinking water and unsanitary latrines, which often led to sickness and more missed school days.

But recently, Tharvrith has seen a significant change among the students. They laugh and play during recess. They raise their hands during class, eager to engage and answer questions.

The change came after Samaritan’s Purse constructed a new school building and equipped the new construction with clean latrines, handwashing stations, and a water filter. We also taught the students about health and hygiene practices.

The children are healthier now that they have clean water to drink, so their attendance in school is more consistent. “After the school partnered with Samaritan’s Purse, the students are happy and enjoy coming to learn,” Tharvrith said.

In addition to our construction and clean water projects, we also provided teacher training on topics such as literacy and classroom management.

Samaritan’s Purse is working throughout Cambodia in Jesus’ Name to restore health and hope by implementing clean water and education projects in impoverished communities. As we do this, we also partner with local churches that are faithfully sharing the Gospel with our beneficiaries.

“My child started to have headaches. He sometimes missed school for two weeks,” she said. Samot worried that chronic sickness would hinder her son’s development.

But she didn’t know what to do. Bottled water was expensive and they could only occasionally buy it.

Although she works hard teaching sewing classes and her husband is a dedicated schoolteacher, they still struggle to afford basic necessities for their son. Samot was thrilled and relieved when she learned that Samaritan’s Purse was coming to her village and providing household water filters. She said that her family’s health has significantly improved since receiving the filter and that her son is no longer absent from school.