Plas Prai New Students 2019

Boneit is the youngest of 7 children. His older sister is graduating from Plas Prai this year. All the other siblings, along with his parents, are farmers. He’d like to be a teacher and is currently 15 years old. He is from Chey Sein.

Chanpea’s father died and she is the youngest of 8 children. Her mother is a farmer. She is a good student and scored well on our math entrance assessment. She’d like to be a teacher in the future in order to help her community to develop. She is from Rovieng.

Kimhuwa is the niece of our house parent, Sokhuen. Sokhuen’s sister, works in a factory and her daughter, Kimhuwa lives with the grandparents. She is number 9 in her class and would like to be an English translator one day. We spoke English with her a bit during the interview and she certainly is strong compared to most students who come to Plas Prai initially. She comes from Kampong Spue province.

Mony’s parents are farmers and his father has a chronic illness. He is 14 years old has three siblings and enjoys English. He’d like to be at teacher one day in order to help other students grow in their knowledge of the world. He is 8th in his class and comes from Chey Sein district which is one of the most remote in Preah Vihear.

Narin’s mother died 3 years ago and his father is a farmer.  He is in the middle of a family of 9 children.  All Narin’s older siblings stopped studying at the 9th grade, but Narin aspires to continue his studies and become a teacher in one of the remote areas where they are needed.  He appears to be a serious student and is 6th in his class.

Savieng’s parents work in a factory in Phnom Penh while she lives with her Aunt and Uncle in Chey Sein district. They are hired hands as they do not have their own farm. She is 16 years old and second oldest of 5 children. Her older sibling dropped out of school to go work in a factory, also. When asked how she would manage being away from her family while studying at the Plas Prai, she said she has a strong commitment to her studies which will help carry her through.

This young lady’s name is Soksan, which means “Peace” in Khmer. She was very sick as a baby and almost died. When she recovered her parents gave her the name ‘peace’. Her parents are farmers and she is pictured here with two of her siblings and a cousin. She is 15 years old, enjoys biology and rides her bike to school each day as their family has no moto.

She went to a church a few times because she heard that Jesus helps the poor. She’d like to be a teacher one day. She is from Chey Sein district.

Somang’s mother passed away and she lives with her aunt who is a farmer. Her father has seizures and so the family situation is very difficult. She’d like to be a teacher one day. She likes to play ball and she scored highest in our entry math assessment. She is 14 years old and has a younger sister. She is also from Chey Sein district.

Somean is 16 years old and the oldest of 3 children. She likes science and math and her parents, who are farmers, are pictured here with her. She would like to be a doctor one day to help her family and the community. She’d like to work near her family in the future. She was chatty and a very lively interviewee! She is from Rovieng district.

Sonat is the youngest of 8 children and her parents are farmers. She likes math and science. All of her older siblings are farmers and did not graduate from high school. She’d like to be a teacher one day. She is from Rovieng district.

Sothea is the brother of one of our students who graduated last year. His sister and others from Plas Prai started a children’s outreach in their home last year. Sothea’s parents are farmers. His is the third of 4 children and 17 years old. He’d like to join the police force once he graduates. He is from Bakam village, about a 25 minute drive from the province capitol.

Tien in Khmer means candle. Tien is the 5th of 6 children. She likes history. All her older siblings stopped studying in order to farm. Their family has no moto, so she told us she would ride her bike (maybe 45 min to an hour) each day to the high school in order to continue if she could not study at the Plas Prai center. Her parents want her to continue studying since she will be the only one in their family to finish. She has a vision to be a teacher one day. She is not a believer, but has visited a church. She is from Chey Sein district.

Diro is 18 years old and entering 11th grade. He was referred to us by World Vision staff in his remote area of Chey Sein because he rides his bike to and from school twice daily – a 40 minute ride one way. He’d like to be a high school teacher in his remote area one day. He is the youngest of 8 children.