Education Cambodia Project #28483

College Scholarships for Young Women in Cambodia

by The Chelly Foundation Inc.

Project Report | Oct 11, 2021
Fall 2021 Update

By Jason R. Baron | Founder & President, The Chelly Foundation

Srey Nich

I wish to thank all of our donors for their continued support. Cambodia is having some success now in vaccinating individuals, and I can report that conditions are improving in both the local villages we work in as well as in Phnom Penh where our Chelly Scholars are hoping to return to in-person classes at area universities soon. School is not back to normal yet, but there is hope on the horizon. In particular, in and around Chum Kiri primary school and high school children have returned to classes. And some of our university scholars who were in Chum Kiri have returned to Phnom Penh to resume their studies.

Last Fall, thanks to our donors including those at GlobalGiving, eight Chelly Scholars obtained degrees at local universities, seven of whom were young women. Two additional students are expected to graduate by the end of this year, and after that there are a remaining thirteen Chelly Scholars (twelve young women) currently in our program. We will certainly be inviting other young women to receive scholarships in the future, providing that we receive the donations to do so.

I wish to take a moment here to have everyone read letters recently received from two of our recent graduating scholars, Srey Pich and Srey Nich (family names withheld). The letters show the kind of remarkable success we have achieved in transforming the lives of young women from a very poor part of Cambodia. It is a testament to your generosity on the GlobalGiving platform and elsewhere that we have been able to change the lives of these women for the better.

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Letter from Srey Pich:

Dear The Chelly Foundation board of directors and donors,

My name is Srey Pich. I am from Kampot Province. I am from a poor family, and there are four members in my family. My mother is a farmer. I received the Chelly Scholarship in 2016. I was very happy that I got this scholarship. This program provided me 4-year scholarship at a university in Phnom Penh. I studied for a bachelor degree at Asia Euro university. My major was Finance and Banking. I graduated in 2020.

I would like to tell you how The Chelly Foundation helps to success in my life. First of all,when I finish my bachelor degree I got a good job at a company in Phnom Penh. I can help my Family. I am really so happy that I can help my family.

Now I am working at Pheng Huoth construction. My position is Cost Accounting. I like my job because in my job I can get a decent salary. I can meet other people and I can work with them to get new ideas.

My Mom is very happy to see my life has been changed and that I can look forward to a bright future.

Finally, I would like to say thank you so much to The Chelly Foundation board of directors and all donors for providing me this scholarship. Especially thank you to Mr. Jason, teacher Ess, teacher Samorn, and sister Nan. They are always pay attention to my studies and give good advice to me. I wish all good health. Thanks for reading.

Letter from Srey Nich:

Dear Chelly Foundation,

My name is Srey Nich, I was born in Chres village, Chres commune, Chumkiri district, Kampot province. Today, I work at AEON bank in Phnom Penh. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in banking and finance from Asia Europe university in 2020. I received a scholarship from The Chelly Foundation. The Chelly Foundation changed my life. I have come from having a poor family life to becoming a socially recognized child who had a good job and was able to earn on her own. I was a person who was afraid of not daring to face many people, but after I came to study in Phnom Penh, I dared to confront with many people, and dared to apply for jobs interview on my own. You have changed my life from a little girl in a poor family to becoming what I am today.

Finally, I would like to say thank you so much to The Chelly Foundation for providing me with this scholarship. I wish you all the best in your future endeavors.

Thanks and have a great day.

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Again, thanks to all who have contribued to our continuing scholarship program aimed at providing a select number of graduating seniors from Chum Kiri high school with the chance to receive a university degree, leading to a better life for them and for their families.

Srey Pich

Srey Nich

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Jun 13, 2021
Summer 2021 Update

By Jason R. Baron | Founder & President

Jakkrya & Rina delivering food to poor families

As everyone knows, COVID-19 is a worldwide phenomenon. As I write this, in Cambodia currently there are restrictions on travel in-country, and many schools at all levels are intermittently closed. Universities are conducting online learning where they can, but are otherwise closed to face to face classroom teaching. Accordingly, there have been disruptions in the lives of our Chelly Scholars. Some have been staying in Phnom Penh with friends and family. Others are back in Chum Kiri District, where they grew up and went to school. Our students are doing the best they can to cope in continuing their education in difficult circumstances. These circumstances have been made more difficult by the loss in some cases of part-time jobs due to economic conditions caused by the pandemic. These jobs helped supplement student income as well as providing extra funds for their families back home. In cases of hardship while in school, The Chelly Foundation is assisting with providing additional school supplies and other needed items.

Despite all of the hardships, I can report that our students still very much care about their home community. For example, two of our Chelly Scholars who reside at the Harpswell Foundation spent time in faciitating the delivery of food to over a dozen of the poorer families in the local area these students came from.

The Chelly Foundation is committed to making sure that all of the young women in our scholarship program have what they need to continue their university education through to graduation, even during a pandemic. Let's all hope that conditions improve in Cambodia and elsewhere.

In the meantime, we remain so grateful for all the wonderful support we continue to receive from our donors. We cannot thank you enough.

Food & supplies in truck

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Feb 17, 2021
Our Chelly Scholars at the Harpswell Foundation

By Jason R. Baron | Founder & President

Rina with creative writing certificate

To all Chelly Foundation Friends and Donors:

It is with a great deal of pride and joy that I provide this update. As remarkable as it is, we now have two of our Chelly Scholars being admitted into The Harpswell Foundation, a leadership academy for the best and brightest young women in all of Cambodia. The mission of the Harpswell Foundation is to equip young women with the leadership skills in order to create and inspire positive social change. Here is how a US former Ambassador described Harpswell when it was founded in 2003:

Harpswell Foundation is a U.S.-based NGO that offers talented young women from the provinces an opportunity to help themselves and their community by assisting them with education, housing, and leadership training. The women of Harpswell are studying at some of Cambodia’s best universities, and the first graduates of the program are already going on to do amazing things in Cambodia and beyond.” – William Todd, Former US Ambassador to Cambodia.

Harpswell students live together while going to universities in Phnom Penh, where they are provided with an immersive program giving them every opportunity to learn about the greater world, through expert speakers and a wide range of extra-curricular programs.

Harpswell only admits 20 or so young women each year from all of Cambodia, after interviewing potential admittees from high schools around the country. The fact that two young women from the villages we work in have been admitted to Harpswell is nothing short of extraordinary.

Two years ago, one of our Chelly Scholars, Jakkrya, was admitted into Harpswell -- the first girl graduating Chum Kiri high school (where the Chelly Library is situated) ever given the opportunity to attend Harpswell. She was admitted after the Chelly Foundation sought out senior staff at Harpswell to consider inviting for the first time the principal at the Chum Kiri High School to submit names and applications from students in the villages we work in.

Jakkrya has gone on to distinguish herself at Harpswell, including by participating and winning awards in debate tournaments, as well as spending substantial time engaged in humanitarian activities and programs. Jakkrya is now a sophomore at the University of Cambodia.

Our latest Chelly Scholar is Rina, who just graduated from Chumkiri High School this past Fall. She received a creative writing certificate after participating in a week-long program by the Writing Through nonprofit organization, and sponsored by our charity at the local high school. She will have similar opportunities to shine while at Harpswell and while she pursues her studies on a full-ride scholarship from the Chelly Foundation.

I should add that Harpswell requires that each of its admitted students receive scholarships from other organizations to have students stay enrolled at universities.

All of our Chelly Scholars, both those who have graduated (8 so far), and all of the students still in college, have had their lives transformed by having scholarships given to them by our charity. Because of you, these young women will continue their journeys to obtaining a university degree and a better life.

Thank you.

Jakkrya with debating awards

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