The Ponheary Ly Foundation is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization in the USA. Our goal is to locate and serve the many children in Cambodia who live in the poorest rural villages and do not attend school. School in Cambodia is "free" during primary school, in hopes that children will at least learn basic reading and writing and the literacy rate will be improved. The problem is that most impoverished children do not have the approximately $20 a year it costs to procure uniforms, shoes and their school supplies.
Our organization provides these "$20 bundles" so that the maximum number of children can attend primary and lower secondary school. These are already established government schools with Khmer teachers. We are not reinventing the wheel with our own schools, simply providing an opportunity for all children to attend.
The Foundation also supplies a nutritious breakfast and pays monthly stipends to teachers who only earn $20-40 a month from the government. We supply bicycles to students who live long distances from the schools and medical help when required. Your donations also supply the teachers with the supplies they need to properly teach and to special projects like gardens and clean drinking water.
Your donation dollars go directly into procurement. The Foundation members do not draw salaries, and we enjoy very little overhead because of the kind assistance of volunteers both on the ground in Cambodia and from international visitors.
We hope you enjoy your visit, Be sure to come back often and check the "News from the Field" page for reports on recent events.
Photo of children and Ponheary by Jeff Speigner
Nations will march towards their greatness in the direction given by its education. Nations will soar if its education soars; will regress if it regresses. Nations will fall and sink in darkness if education is corrupted or completely abandoned. Simón Bolívar
