Stories from Cambodia – Lotus Outreach Australia

The Importance of Education Continuity

As is the case in many countries, Cambodia has now closed its schools and this has implications for our GATE projects and the scholarship recipients. Education continuity during times of emergencies such as we are seeing with the corona virus pandemic should be a fundamental right for children. It not only ensures students’ academic and […]

Girls and their Grandmothers

Raising a child takes a village, but sometimes the only person left in that village is the grandmother. We met with three of our girls who live with their grandmothers, and were touched by the love and care provided by these strong women. Sreyneang (above) has lived with her grandmother since she was 2 years […]

Kim – age 16

Kim is the oldest of 8 siblings, all living with their mum. Her dad is a day labourer, taking work where available and is currently clearing grass from farming land, so living away from the family. Around 10 years ago, the family was living in a small hut on some land in a village. […]

International Day of the Girl Child

Sponsor a girl today to give her a future!

World Tourism Day

On World Tourism Day, it is important to reflect on our impact as tourists in a country like Cambodia. I lived in Cambodia for six years and witnessed the incredible growth of tourism over that time – it went from a relatively unknown “exotic” location, to the next Bali for many Australian tourists. This sounds […]

Exam time in Cambodia

Exam time in Cambodia is riddled with stress. Girls feel the pressure – how they perform in their exams can determine the rest of their life. Will they find meaningful work or will they return to their home, limited to a domestic life with no prospects for breaking their family out of poverty? Our LOA […]

Sreynoi – age 17

Meet Sreynoi – a 17 year old girl in class 10. Sreynoi moved with her family from the countryside to the outskirts of Phnom Penh, in search of work. However hopes for the big city didn’t turn out how they expected. Sreynoi’s dad now collects palm wine – gruelling work climbing to the top of ten different […]

Srey Phen – age 15

My parents have no education so they are very proud that I go to school. Since I received the LOA scholarship I always get good grades. I want to go to university to become a doctor because many Cambodians are sick and I want to cure them. I have a bicycle from LOA to get […]

Putherika – age 23

Thanks to the scholarship from LOA I finished my IT course at the end of 2015 and am working at USAid on the Development Innovations initiative that aims to improve life for Cambodians through technology. I have been mostly working with partners and clients of USAid to help them with web development. I found […]

A Victim’s Story

A number of our sponsored girls have come to us through Cambodian Women’s Crisis Centre as victims of domestic or sexual violence. In order to respect their privacy and to keep them safe, the girls remain anonymous. Here is one story: “When I was seven my mum had to leave me at home every day while […]

Roth – Age 21

We are a poor family from a poor community so when I was young I only went to school when there was money to pay fees. I had no school materials and no bicycle and school was very far. In grade 7 the principal said I was a good student and told me that LOA […]

Srey Theary – age 14

My family came from Kampong Cham province to Phnom Penh to find work and for the children to have an education. In the provinces children cannot study because the are not well paid and they need to find another job to increase their income. (Her father died in an accident. Her mother earns USD130 per […]

Srey Nean – age 15

I could not study if I was not in the GATE program. I would not have materials, books, uniforms or money to pay for school. I would never go to university and I would not get a good job to support my family. When I finish school I will go to university to study to […]