Fixing Cambodian School & Supplies for Sam

Co-organized

Kimberly Argentieri and Alexa Coburn are organizing this fundraiser.

Donation protected

This is Sambath (or Sam as we call him). Sam is a 35 year old Cambodian husband, father, Tuk Tuk driver, and volunteer school teacher. Sam has also been our personal Tuk Tuk driver and tour guide here in Cambodia for the past four days. Yesterday, Sam asked if we would visit his students at school with him where he teaches 85 K-4th Graders, to help them with learning English. Our group (Vinny, Alexa, AJ, and myself) decided to stop at a local Cambodian market and purchase notebooks and pencils for all of the students as they literally have nothing Sam told us. After a 45 minute Tuk Tuk drive out of the city into the rural villages of Siem Reap, Cambodia, we immediately saw the poverty and living conditions of the Cambodian people. When we got to the school, the children were unbelievably happy and full of energy, but we could tell by the lack of clothes on their back, shoes on their feet, and basic hygiene, that they really did come from nothing. Sam and his wife make a combined $300 USD every month. They are both teachers and Sam works 3 jobs and volunteers 3 hours everyday to drive an hour to teach English to the poor. Our group quickly realized that Sam is one of the most kind, unselfish, hardworking, and caring people we have ever met. He built his family’s home with his hands and the help of his brother. He works from 8am to 11pm every day driving tourists around for fare hire rides. He also works with a local AirBnB apartment owner to be a private guide to tourists and this is how we met Sam. For five nights, our AirBnB in total was $260 USD and this includes breakfast and Sam’s entire pay for the full five days of him being our tour guide. As you can tell, he will probably make less than $75 USD for five full days away from his wife and kids. Oh yes, Sam’s kids, Drika and Soma, ages nine and one. Drika goes to a private school which Sam uses more than half of their monthly salary to pay for. Drika is second in her class out of 75 students. We took Drika and Sam on the Angkor Hot Air Balloon ride as neither of them have ridden it before, and Drika has dreamed about going on it. In the little spare time he has, Sam spends it going over math problems and English skills with Drika.

Why such a long message here? Well because when we were at the school, we noticed huge cracks in the walls and floor foundation of the classroom. We noticed a fresh water system which was broken and kids had class in 90°+ heat without water. We saw tin roofs with huge holes and leaking. We saw broken desks and chairs that the student has to use, most of them standing for lack of chairs. We saw Sam, with a heart of gold and very little to show for it. Every trip we select one person and usually ourselves give them a good amount of money to turn even just the next few months a little bit better for them. For Sam, we want to raise $3,000 for him and the school. This man deserves every penny of it and we will be donating ourselves to him as well. Whatever you can help with, would be amazing and your money will go a long way in helping Sam and these kids!