The Rural Teaching Organisation Cambodia (R.T.O.C) or more affectionately named Poeuy’s Rural School and Kindergarten, run by principal, loving father and friend Poeuy Tith since 2014, is a registered non-profit organisation (NGO) in Thnol Trong village, Siem Reap Province, Cambodia.

In March 2017 I spent a couple of months here teaching English to over two hundred beautiful but sadly impoverished children and young adults. Next month I will return to lend a helping hand and donate some funds to help improve their education system and in turn quality of life.

Many of the village's children have lost one or both of their parents and illness is very prevalent in the community; namely malnutrition, HIV, typhoid and tuberculosis. Rice water and salt supplemented by the collection of frogs and red ants is the staple diet for many. Mothers are often unable to produce milk for their babies and are therefore forced to feed them water produced by boiled rice.

These children do not have a lot but they attend Poeuy's free local school to enhance their quality of life through education, namely by learning English and Chinese. Poeuy's Kindergarten is a place of community spirit, where hundreds of beautiful, smiling souls come together with English and Chinese speaking volunteers every day to live, learn and share in the pursuit of education and happiness.

It is a thriving local community however it lacks the funds required to truly provide these children with a complete education. The buildings are crumbling, the whiteboards are falling down, and up-to-date textbooks, advanced teaching resources and computers are figments of their imagination.

Any donation, big or small, can make a difference to these children's future. Donations will be used to enhance building infrastructure and purchase comprehensive and modern teaching resources for the classroom.

Breaking a cycle of poverty like this is not an easy task but education is a powerful tool in paving the way out, one step at a time.

Myself, Principal Poeuy and the children thank you for your generosity in advance!

About Cambodia

Cambodia is a country largely dependent on tourism and for a career within the tourist industry, English and Chinese is essential. A high-quality education enables children and young adults to develop essential reading, writing and speaking skills needed to make positive changes in their lives and break free from poverty. I asked my students what they want to be when they grow up, and each one wants to pursue careers as tour guides, hotel managers, doctors and politicians. Each one of them has the drive and ambition, they just need a helping hand.