The Cambodia Rural School Project
The World Mate School
Number One
(September, 2001)
Sun Sary is a 15-year-old fourth grade student at the World Mate School No. One. She was ranked second out of 30 students in her class. Her parents are farmers and she is the only member of her family who is presently in school. She lives only 15 meters from the new school.
In Their Own Words. . .
| On the new building: | “I like to come to school because I want to gain knowledge and keep it in my brain. I like the new school building because it is nice and easier to study in than the old building. The old building was very old and crowded, with six or seven students to a desk, so I did not like it. Sometimes I stood during class because the tables shook and there were holes in the roof. Now I don’t have to do that, because the new school building is nice.”
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| On her family: | “I have two older brothers and one older sister. My oldest brother stopped studying after seventh grade to help my parents farm. My other brother also stopped after seventh grade because he became blind. My older sister quit school to help my mother with the cooking and housework.
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| On her hobbies: | “When I have free time, I cook for my parents and run with my friends. Sometimes, we talk about the class and study.”
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| On education: | “If it is possible, I would like to study until I go to university because I want to be smart and I will not be afraid when someone wants to play a trick on me. But I may be unable to continue, because my parents are a bit old and poor and may not be able to support me through school. If I can graduate from high school, I would like to study at an art university and learn how to do Khmer traditional dances so that I can be on television. My parents also want me to graduate because they don’t want me to be an uneducated person like them. I don’t know if either of them went to school, but my father can read. I asked him if he did and he said that he didn’t know. My mother said that she never went to school because at that time women had to help in the home and only men could attend school.”
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| On her future: | “When I was young I hoped to go to study in many countries around the world, but I think that is hopeless because my family is poor. I do not think that I can travel because I am too young.”
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| Message for Mr. Fukami: | “I would like to thank Mr. Toshu Fukami very much for donating a nice school building and computer for us.” |
