While we were at the Open House party, one of our graduate students, Sreyneang, approached me about 2 more students that she wanted to recommend to CLEW.
Sreyneang is an indigenous woman from the Bunong tribe in Mondulkiri province who just graduated from RULE this past year. Sreyneang was originally brought to Phnom Penh by the United Nations with a scholarship to attend RULE. When she started, she did not know what the United Nations was nor did she know what the law is. However, they only supported her for one year and didn’t provide accommodations so she stayed in our dorm. When we learned about her situation, we took over and supported her for the last 3 years of her Law degree. Her favourite subject at law school was Public International Law.
Sreyneang maintained her relationship with the UN and has become the representative for Cambodian indigenous women at numerous UN conferences. In the past few years, Sreyneang has travelled to Thailand, Panama, Peru, Geneva, Malaysia and the Philippines with her costs covered by the UN. She has become proficient at PowerPoint presentations and is helping other indigenous students with their skills.
Sreyneang is an indigenous woman from the Bunong tribe in Mondulkiri province who just graduated from RULE this past year. Sreyneang was originally brought to Phnom Penh by the United Nations with a scholarship to attend RULE. When she started, she did not know what the United Nations was nor did she know what the law is. However, they only supported her for one year and didn’t provide accommodations so she stayed in our dorm. When we learned about her situation, we took over and supported her for the last 3 years of her Law degree. Her favourite subject at law school was Public International Law.
Sreyneang maintained her relationship with the UN and has become the representative for Cambodian indigenous women at numerous UN conferences. In the past few years, Sreyneang has travelled to Thailand, Panama, Peru, Geneva, Malaysia and the Philippines with her costs covered by the UN. She has become proficient at PowerPoint presentations and is helping other indigenous students with their skills.
When Sreyneang approached me about two more indigenous students, my mind began to race about how we could support them. The biggest roadblock was going to be admission to RULE. I knew that admission was to be cut-off in mid-December and it was December 13th when I first heard about them.
On Sunday December 14th, I received an email from Sreyneang with these details:
“The girls that I introduced to you are:
1. Prak Phuong ,was born in 16-09-1993 in Puchar village, Busra commune, Pichchetda district, Mondulkiri province. She has 7 siblings and she is the 6th child of her family.
Phuong's score of the high school is 77,92 Grade E, first examination in 2014 and she from Methodist school of Cambodia high school which supported by NgOs.
2. Srey Monyroth, was born in 25-05-1993 in Chrob village Kbal R Meas commune, Sesan district, StungTreng province.
SreyRoth's score of the high school is 74,71 grade D in 2013 and she has 5 siblings and she from Pres ReachjorneyKoech high school in Stung Treng province..
I have asked them some of my own questions and they really want to study law at Rule, the most my appreciate answer of the question is they want to work for their community who had land dispute in each of their provinces.
I used to visit their house during my work at field. I observed that their parents don't have money to support their child to school same as my parent. They are the first lady of their village that achieved high school certificate which other girls just get married at the young age and stay at home. I imagine that they will become a representative of law student who get well educated in the future as well as representing for the indigenous peoples of the Northern of Cambodia.”
CLEW has a number of indigenous students in our program and the thought of two students who were the first from their groups to graduate high school was thrilling for us.
On Sunday December 14th, I received an email from Sreyneang with these details:
“The girls that I introduced to you are:
1. Prak Phuong ,was born in 16-09-1993 in Puchar village, Busra commune, Pichchetda district, Mondulkiri province. She has 7 siblings and she is the 6th child of her family.
Phuong's score of the high school is 77,92 Grade E, first examination in 2014 and she from Methodist school of Cambodia high school which supported by NgOs.
2. Srey Monyroth, was born in 25-05-1993 in Chrob village Kbal R Meas commune, Sesan district, StungTreng province.
SreyRoth's score of the high school is 74,71 grade D in 2013 and she has 5 siblings and she from Pres ReachjorneyKoech high school in Stung Treng province..
I have asked them some of my own questions and they really want to study law at Rule, the most my appreciate answer of the question is they want to work for their community who had land dispute in each of their provinces.
I used to visit their house during my work at field. I observed that their parents don't have money to support their child to school same as my parent. They are the first lady of their village that achieved high school certificate which other girls just get married at the young age and stay at home. I imagine that they will become a representative of law student who get well educated in the future as well as representing for the indigenous peoples of the Northern of Cambodia.”
CLEW has a number of indigenous students in our program and the thought of two students who were the first from their groups to graduate high school was thrilling for us.
We checked and confirmed that we had until the end of day December 15th to have them enrolled at RULE. I confirmed with the CLEW Board that we would accept them on the condition that RULE would admit them.
So, on Monday December 15th, I met the two new students, Phuong and SreyRoth, at RULE at 10 a.m. to see if we could get them admitted. Sure enough, we got them in just in the nick of time!! They were enrolled in the morning and started classes in the afternoon!
After they enrolled, they went to get their things to move to the dorm. When I realized they would need bicycles to get to school, Pagna offered to take me to buy them. One thing I really like about Phnom Penh is that similar stores tend to be grouped together so if you’re looking for something you can comparison shop usually on the same street. Bicycles were the same so we went to a street that had about six stores selling new and used bicycles. We picked out two nice used bikes then called my tuk tuk driver to pick them up and take them to the dorm.
So, on Monday December 15th, I met the two new students, Phuong and SreyRoth, at RULE at 10 a.m. to see if we could get them admitted. Sure enough, we got them in just in the nick of time!! They were enrolled in the morning and started classes in the afternoon!
After they enrolled, they went to get their things to move to the dorm. When I realized they would need bicycles to get to school, Pagna offered to take me to buy them. One thing I really like about Phnom Penh is that similar stores tend to be grouped together so if you’re looking for something you can comparison shop usually on the same street. Bicycles were the same so we went to a street that had about six stores selling new and used bicycles. We picked out two nice used bikes then called my tuk tuk driver to pick them up and take them to the dorm.
When Pagna and I arrived at the dorm, Phuong and SreyRoth were there and getting ready to start school. They had been moved into their rooms and I gave them their monthly allowance of $50 each plus $40 each to buy their required books.
Pagna had to go back to RULE to teach that afternoon so Bandol picked me up and we went to buy two more sets of bedding & pillows. We dropped them off to the girls that evening so they would be able to get to sleep in their new bedrooms. They were very happy to receive them. The students were in the middle of an English class when we arrived. CLEW pays for a teacher to teach them English every evening from 6 – 8 p.m. I was happy to see that they were using the cushions we bought them. They told me earlier that they prefer the little desks on their laps and cushions to sit on than a full sized desk and chair.
Pagna had to go back to RULE to teach that afternoon so Bandol picked me up and we went to buy two more sets of bedding & pillows. We dropped them off to the girls that evening so they would be able to get to sleep in their new bedrooms. They were very happy to receive them. The students were in the middle of an English class when we arrived. CLEW pays for a teacher to teach them English every evening from 6 – 8 p.m. I was happy to see that they were using the cushions we bought them. They told me earlier that they prefer the little desks on their laps and cushions to sit on than a full sized desk and chair.
Another amazing day and 2 more lives changed!! J The Magic of CLEW!!!