PLF Pride – Ream

By Jacqui Rawson

Ponheary Ly Foundation has so many students to be very proud of. A dedication to learn, the confidence to push themselves and an ongoing drive to succeed is regularly demonstrated by our students.

Ream is a great example of one of these students. Born in Kok Ker village to parent farmers, Ream was lucky enough to be able to attend Koh Ker Primary School and by staying at the PLF Srayang dormitory, continue her studies through secondary school. Ream had no interest in completing high school, but she did have a big interest in learning to be a chef.

PLF helped Ream by finding her a place with Haven, who provide a service and chef apprenticeship-training program and are rated in the top ten of Siem Reap’s best restaurants. Ream left her family and friends to move to Siem Reap, live with the other trainees at the Haven dormitory and undertake both educational and on-the-job training.

The training course of one year, incorporates working in the Haven restaurant and is followed by a three-month internship at another Siem Reap restaurant, which in Ream’s case was, Kaya Restaurant.

The one-year course also involves English and computer lessons and the trainees also attend life skills workshops.  Money management is one of the workshops where trainees learn to manage their monthly trainee allowance and tips, placed in a bank account for them.

Ream had always seemed to PLF staff to be a quiet, fairly reserved girl but we had obviously not seen her in her true element. Haven staff, on providing a progress report during the training, told us of how Ream’s strong and confident personality had started to shine through her shyness. She learnt quickly and impressed both her trainers and the managers of Haven enough for them to offer her a permanent position at the restaurant.

“As Ream was always a good student and a good role model for our new trainees, we decided to offer her a job at our new opened restaurant which she was happy to take.”

Haven has many trainees through its doors and it’s a true credit to Ream’s eagerness to learn and sense of responsibility that earned her her new position.  Awesome job!