- c
- N
Dear friends,
Become part of a fundraiser for Sok Chin - Sok is running an orphanage with ~15 children and currently re-builds a school for ~90 pupils. Sok needs bridge-funding to build and run the school until his income is secured again.
We are Bianca Ebermayer and Benjamin Grosch from Munich. We were introduced to Sok by our dear friend Olga, who volunteered as an English teacher at Sok’s school a couple of years back. This summer we went to Ankor, Cambodia ourselves and met Sok personally. He is an official tourist guide there for the Ankor temples - and has a very big heart.
Sok’s orphanage and school had been sustainable for ~15 years – until COVID came. The number of tourists decreased by >95% (https://www.spiegel.de/ausland/kambodscha-nach-der-pandemie-fast-allein-in-angkor-wat-a-2e7b4206-890a-486d-9ff9-5132405a11b8) and so did Sok’s income. He had to close the school. Together with Olga and friends we supported him so he could keep at least the orphanage open.
Now it is time to re-open the school – it is just needed so much in Sok’s community in Siem Reap. His school provides 4 hours of English language classes per day, thus enabling the kids to jobs that allow a decent way of living in the region.
The results are strong: The first generation of school kids were given opportunities they would have never had – in hotels, banks, restaurants, in few cases enabling further education, such as becoming a lawyer.
We expect the tourists to gradually come back, so we are trying to fund the rebuilding of the school for 90-100 students and 1 year bridge financing.
- Building of the school: ~10,000 €
- Rent and salaries per month: 800 € for 1 year: 9,600 €
- Supply (tables, school equipment): 2,000 €
- Sum: 21,600 €
Can you help us reopen the school? We know Sok, 100% of every donation will be used for the school and the kids, no overhead.
If thats supposed to be a sensible Christmas present to someone: for any value above 50€, we would be happy to print a photo of Sok & family and add the donated value to it. Alternatively, Soks kids are very talented: hey’ll send you a drawing (the latter will not be in time for Christmas). If you want to receive either, please add a comment when you donate incl your address and what you would like to receive.
What we find so convincing:
- It is helping locals to help locally
- it is cost efficient: one student costs around 116€ per year
- Sok already proved his success for many years
- Sok’s system is sustainable as soon as the tourists are back
Below you see fotos: Sok, the orphanage (pictures from our visit in August) – the kids are fun, very curious and very well taken care of by Sok’s team.
You or your families and friends are also welcome to work as teachers at the school – you will learn a lot and teach a lot! Alternatively, visit Sok as a tourist: The old Angkor world is unbelievably fascinating - you will have a great guide – and right now you’ll be almost alone in many temples.
Best Benni and Bianca
Pictures from the building process of the school:
Pictures when we visited Sok and his orphanage in 2023:
Sok as our tourguide in Ankor:
