Indigenous Children Break Barriers in Cambodia
In the remote O Raing district of Mondulkiri province, Cambodia, Indigenous children — especially girls — encounter significant barriers to higher education.
Geographic isolation, poverty and safety concerns keep many Cambodian children from classrooms and their dreams.
A young woman named Thlet Sroeurb, however, tells us not to give up hope. Barriers can be broken, and transformation can happen.
Thlet is an example of the potential in Indigenous children, particularly in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).
Overcoming Challenges
For Indigenous families in Cambodia, sending their children — especially daughters — away from home to pursue education is a difficult decision. Financial hardship and safety concerns often mean promising students do not attend college or vocational programs. As a result, potential talent is left unrealized, particularly in STEM, where Indigenous girls often go underrepresented and overlooked.
Today, Thlet has the confidence to pursue her dreams. Her exposure to STEM showed her she can excel in areas traditionally considered inaccessible to Indigenous women.
Success in Her Community
Thlet accepted a job as a sports assistant last year, which let her give back to her community and apply the skills she had gained through the SCIP program.
Using Canva, she created interactive lessons to engage students.
“I find this (Canva) useful for my work,” Thlet said. “I am capable of designing my own book cover, developing a monthly quiz and creating a certificate for student achievement.”
What’s more, she also earned the top student ranking in the 2023-2024 academic year.
Future Plans
Thlet plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in finance and become a fintech professional. She is proving the power of education to transform lives and showing how programs such as SCIP help Indigenous children achieve more than they thought possible.
Liming Liv
Marketing and Communications Officer
World Hope International – Cambodia