Meet Vanna, a student in Cambodia whose life has been changed through access to education and essential school supplies.

Vanna is 11 years old and the eldest of five children. She lives with her grandparents while her parents work in Phnom Penh (approx 220 miles away.) Like many children living in rural Cambodia, she carries a lot of responsibility at a young age.

As the eldest daughter, her responsibilities include caring for her younger siblings, cooking meals, washing dishes, and helping to support the family’s small farm. On the farm, they grow rice along with cucumbers, watermelon, pumpkin, and peanuts, all of which help sustain the household and provide food for the family.

Due to the cost of school supplies and the responsibilities she has at home, she would be unable to access education. However, through the support of Edukid, she is able to go to school and access education, and has done so for the past 5 years 🩷

“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