“I grew up in a rural village and experienced poverty from a young age. My father didn’t have a stable job or much income, and he was responsible for raising three sons. Because of our financial situation, he couldn’t afford to send us to school, as the costs were very high.

Edukid has supported me since I was a child, helping me attend primary school, secondary school, and now university. I also received help with food, school materials, and shelter. Thanks to this support, I am now studying Food Science and Technology. I chose this degree because I want to help improve health and nutrition in Cambodia.

Soon, I will begin a three-month internship as a dietitian at the Royal Phnom Penh Hospital, where I will work alongside medical professionals. I will learn how to assess patients’ nutritional needs, support meal planning, and ensure hospital food meets health standards. Thank you Edukid”

“I am the youngest of three sisters and the only one in my family to reach university. I grew up in a small rural village where a lack of money made it very difficult to access education. I was not able to go to school because my parents could not afford school materials for me and my sisters. Instead, we stayed at home, missing out on opportunities to learn.

With EduKid’s support, I was able to attend school from primary level, through secondary school, and all the way to university. Their support provided school bags, learning materials, and a safe learning environment. Without EduKid, I would not have had the chance to receive an education.

I am now in my first year at university, studying for a degree in Finance and Banking. In my spare time, I volunteer with children at one of Edukid’s city projects. I help teach and support the students, which is my way of giving back to the community and helping children access education, something I believe is incredibly important”.

Ridel lives with his sister and her three young daughters in Imacita. Before the feeding programme began, he often went hungry, sometimes eating only three meals in an entire week, many of which only include potatoes or rice. The lack of regular food left him tired, distracted, and struggling to keep up at school. To help his family, Ridel would spend his afternoons unloading trucks and boats, earning what little he could to buy food for them all.

Now, thanks to the daily school meals provided through the school feeding programme in Peru, Ridel no longer worries about going hungry. He enjoys a large, nutritious meal every day at school, giving him the energy and focus he needs to learn and play. His teacher, knowing the challenges his family faces, often sends him home with leftover food to share with his sister and nieces, ensuring that the programme’s impact reaches the whole household.

Srey Da grew up in Cambodia and was one of the very first students enrolled on the Edukid programme. When she was young, she lived in a slum, where life was extremely difficult. The environment was dirty, schools were far away, and everyday life was a struggle just to survive.

In 2000, a fire destroyed all the houses in the slum, and Srey Da and her family were relocated to SenSok Village. This new village had no school, no hospital, and very few opportunities for children. When she was 14, Srey Da noticed that many children in the village were not attending school because their parents wanted them to work and earn money instead. She felt this was deeply unfair and knew she had to do something to help.

Determined to make a difference, Srey Da began talking to the children and offering lessons from her home. She taught them, guided them, and provided care and support, giving them hope and opportunities they otherwise would not have had.

Today, Srey Da works as an employee of our country team and continues her mission by supporting 1,500 children every year, helping them access education and a better future—just as she once dreamed!

Nancy was raised by a single mother who worked tirelessly to provide for her family. Life was not easy for them, as they had very little money and often struggled to meet their basic needs. Despite being of school-going age, Nancy could not attend school because her mother simply could not afford the fees, uniforms, and supplies required. While other children went to class each day, Nancy stayed at home.

Everything began to change when Edukid heard about Nancy’s situation. Moved by her story and determined to give her a chance at a better future, they stepped in to support her education. From that moment on, Nancy’s life took a new direction. Reflecting on that turning point, she said, “Once you helped me with my education, my life completely changed.”

With Edukid’s support, Nancy enrolled in primary school and worked hard to catch up on the years she had missed. She was determined not to waste the opportunity she had been given. Her hard work paid off as she successfully completed her primary education and progressed to secondary school. Throughout those years, she remained focused and motivated, knowing that education was her pathway to breaking the cycle of poverty for herself and her family.

After completing secondary school, Nancy pursued teacher training, inspired by her own journey and the support she had received. Today, she is a qualified teacher, shaping the lives of young learners and giving them the encouragement she once needed herself. She is now moving forward in her career and working toward becoming a headteacher within the city.

Nancy’s ambition does not stop there. She is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree to further her education.

Nancy’s story is a powerful reminder that education changes lives. With the right support at the right time, a child who once could not attend school can grow into a leader who inspires the next generation.

Beatrice lives just across the road from one of the schools we support in Uganda. Every day, she would watch children going to school wishing for the same opportunity. Following her parents’ recent divorce, Beatrice’s family moved back to their grandparents’ home opposite Wilacic School. With nine children to care for, her mother simply could not afford school fees, meaning none of the children were able to access education.

Despite not being formally enrolled, Beatrice still tried to attend lessons whenever she could. During the July 2025 visit to Uganda, Beatrice’s vulnerability became clear to our in-country team, and she was welcomed into the programme. Tabatha Parry supported Beatrice with school supplies so she could begin learning as soon as possible.

During the February home visit, the group visited Beatrice’s family and witnessed first-hand the challenges they were facing. The poverty of the household was stark — there were no beds, holes in the roof, and food supplies that would last only one more day. The grandmother were suffering from malaria, highlighting the severe vulnerability and hardship the family was living through.

💛 We are incredibly happy to share that following this visit, Beatrice and all of her siblings of school-going age are now supported in their education and attending school. What began as one child’s determination to learn has become an opportunity for an entire family to access education and hope for the future.

Bonnie grew up in the slums of Phnom Pehn city. Her home was basic, with palm leaves for a roof and corrugated iron walls, there was no electricity and because it was built so close to the river it had been built on stilts. During rainy season the river would flood the family home with raw sewage and plastic waste. Bonnie would have to swim through the water to get in and out of their home which often resulted in Bonnie and her family falling sick. They would all sleep on shelves to avoid getting wet at night.

Being a part of a poor family meant that Bonnie had more responsibility in contrast to the average child. She would have to contribute to the family income in some way each day and so would wake up at 4am to bake 200 cakes to sell throughout the morning in the markets. After this bonnie would go with her father into the city to collect plastic bottles and cans from the streets. She would fill many bags to earn a very little wage. Often Bonnie would be out until 11pm collecting rubbish and as a young girl being out at this time, was very vulnerable.

Bonnie dreamt of becoming a doctor, a dream that seemed far out of reach for a girl from the slums. One day Bonnie got some amazing news, she was going to be sponsored by Edukid to go to school!

Bonnie has graduated her degree in medicine! She continues to live in the slum, opening up her home to the community as a medical centre. Before the people there had very limited access to healthcare and now can This demonstrates the ripple effect that education can have within a community. By Bonnie having the opportunity to study and go on to be a doctor, she has been able to impact thousands of people, who otherwise couldn’t afford treatment.

Every day Bonnie is curing illness and saving lives. Without education she wouldn’t be in a position to do this.

Please visit our website and watch Bonnies video in which she tells her story in more detail: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfyeF_34Beg

Thank you so much to Book Relief UK for your support in 2025 to Edukid’s educational projects!

In 2025, Book Relief UK supported our projects in both Cambodia and Peru. Although schooling in both countries is officially free, many families cannot afford the materials required for children to participate in lessons. Without these essential items, attendance and learning become extremely difficult.

To address this issue, Edukid equips each child with a set of educational resources designed to support effective learning throughout the school year. Each child receives textbooks, exercise books and writing pads for classwork and homework, as well as pens, pencils, and other basic stationery items. Where needed, we also provide school uniforms to meet attendance requirements, along with backpacks to carry their materials to and from school. These resources ensure that children are not only able to attend school but can participate fully in classroom activities, complete assignments, and stay engaged in their education.

Book Relief UK kindly donated during our 2025 Big Give Christmas Campaign, making a total donation to £3,425!

We are delighted this partnership will continue into 2026, and are looking forward to supporting more children to access their right to an education.

We wanted to follow up and share a few updates after our Big Give donation week during December 2025, and the impacts we are already seeing on the ground.

Thank you to our wonderful Edukid family. Your support helped us raised £14,735 to help girls access and stay in education across Uganda, Cambodia and Peru.

The impact we are seeing right now:

Uganda: This month, girls are returning to school for the new term. Your donations, along with the Big Give Match Funding is helping cover school fees, uniforms, basic learning materials and sanitary supplies, removing the barriers that prevent girls from accessing education.

Peru: The girls at Imacita Primary School, Peru have just won their latest volleyball game in the local school league! Headteacher Ermalinda says it’s because they’re in school and getting healthy, nutritious meals everyday, keeping them strong and ready to play.

Uganda: The construction of the first part of the Bonga building is currently taking place, creating the girls a safe learning environment. The girls are getting hands-on experience as part of the process, learning about construction and gaining skills that are helping those interested in becoming architects, engineers, or construction workers.

This February on our trip to Uganda, the Edukid team met Franka, a student who graduated from the Edukid programme.

At a young age, Franka’s mother passed away, leaving Franka’s father to look after her and her 14 siblings. She describes her childhood as difficult, explaining that as a girl, a pressure fell on her to work hard in order to support the family income, offering ‘odd jobs’ to neighbours such as digging land and fetching water, rather than being able to go to school.

Edukid supported Franka through her education, and she is now a qualified teacher teaching 130 students! She also pays for her three younger sisters to go to school and refuses to marry until they graduate.

Franka said to us “Some families see girls’ education as pointless because when they reach 15 or 16, they will just become somebody’s wife. I am happy to always be campaigning for girls’ rights and education, because I am only where I am because of education”.

Seeing Franka advocate for education was an incredibly emotional moment for the Edukid team. We are so grateful to her UK sponsors whose support made her journey possible. You have helped create one massive legacy, THANK YOU!