hiyo

CAMBODIA: The Ponheary Ly Foundation

Thanks to Randy for approving this as a FlyerTalk Cares cause! It seems appropriate, as I first heard of Ponheary on FT. Then when I bumped into her in Cambodia, she was with another FlyerTalker ! It was really a moment.

In 2006, while researching a trip to Cambodia in the Asia forum on FlyerTalk, I came across several guide recommendations for Ponheary Ly in Siem Reap. In November 2006, my wife and I were at Beng Melea, 70km from Siem Reap, and met a FlyerTalker (who can identify herself if she wants) and her guide. The guide was Ponheary! They took us under their wing, and so began our association with Ponheary and subsequently with the PLF (Ponheary Ly Foundation). The PLF was started in 2006 to support rural primary and secondary education in Cambodia.

The Ponheary Ly Foundation is a registered 501(c)3 in the US. It was founded in 2006 by Lori Carlson, an American traveler to Cambodia, who met Ponheary Ly and became inspired by her dedication to helping to rebuild her country by sending poor, rural children to primary school. You can read more about Ponheary and the history of the Foundation by clicking here .

Ponheary’s strategy is a simple and effective one. Government schools are in place in the rural communities, but they are not well attended, because children’s families, who live on about a dollar a day, cannot afford the necessary supplies and uniforms to enroll their children. It costs approximately $20 per year to equip each child for school. Ponheary visits these villages, makes rosters of all the children not attending school and sponsors them. There are currently over 2,000 children in 5 schools sponsored in this way.

The Foundation also supports the schools with Breakfast Programs, Teacher Subsidies, Bike to School Program and Wellness Programs to make the educational experience more beneficial to the children, knowing that the majority of these children will find it impossible to continue on past primary school.

One of the schools is located in the jungle and the land surrounding the school is an active land mine field. The children in this school suffer from high rates of Malaria, Dengue Fever and Tuberculosis. The PLF has engaged the services of a doctor who goes to the school each day to treat individual cases and keeps the students and teachers at Koh Ker School well. You can read more about this special school here .

I encourage you to explore the links provided in this post and give consideration to donating to the Ponheary Ly Foundation. It would be hard to find another cause where your contributions would have more effect. I have DVDs and brochures from the Foundation available. They were donated by a supporter, in keeping with the PLFs promise that 100% of donations go to the children. PM me with your address and I will mail them to you.

My wife and I will be in Cambodia this July to visit the Koh Ker school. We will be taking a Polaroid camera and film to give each of the 150 students a photo of themselves. We will also document the trip with photos and video and make a detailed trip report. In conclusion, I will mention that my corporate charity matching plan enables me to effectively double my donations to the Foundation. Most corporations have a similar program. Remember, it is a 501(c)3, and contributions are tax deductible.

===============MOD NOTE============

Ponheary Ly Foundation - youtube video how it works (8')

Visit to Koh Ker School with PLF youtube video <1> and <2>

Ponheary Ly Foundation / Profiles in Courage video on YouTube - part 1

Ponheary Ly Foundation / Profiles in Courage video on YouTube - part 2

Ponheary Ly Foundation / Profiles in Courage video on YouTube - part 3