My name is Sophea. Before I lived in Banteay Meanchey Province. After my grandfather passed away, I moved to Siem Reap to study and live with my parents. When I was 12, my father left. During that time one NGO called JWOC came to my village and found out that many houses had caught on fire. JWOC loaned the money to help fix our house.

My mum got a job as a cleaner at JWOC and worked about 7 years. One day she got sick and she needed the surgery, but we didn’t have enough money so JWOC helped us. After the surgery she could not work anymore, so she resigned. When I stopped school in Grade 7 because I wanted to support my family, JWOC came back to my village and helped me prepare the document to start class again.

In Grade 12 in Hunsen Siem Reap High School I failed the final examination. I worked at the Boutique next to JWOC, and my boss sponsored me to study at University, but only for 1 semester. I saved some money and finally passed the exam for my high school and I applied to study at JWOC to continue my education at University. They helped my 2 brothers as well, in the English and Computer Classes. When I come to JWOC I learn so many things. Especially, team work, working with children.

Now I work at the Samsung Service Center in Customer Service. I still volunteer at JWOC because I have to learn more. JWOC helped me so much, and everything that I get I can share to others. I advertise to the village and always tell them about the scholarships. I can say that JWOC is a community of knowledge.