The toughest woman. l Cambodia

Bopha is carrying a birthday cake for every child.

This is Bopha.

Bopha is carrying a donated birthday cake for every one in the school. "Today is our birthday, let's queue for the cake." she told the kids. Why today, i asked.

"Because today someone donated us cakes and buns," she answered.

Cake was tilted during transportation.

I still remembered people disappointment when seeing the cake ruined during transportation. Nevertheless we ended up happily having different buns and playing hide and seek for cake's icing. A very beautiful afternoon. :)

---

Bopha told me she used to wake up at 4am, walked two hours to attend morning school, walked hours back and start teaching the children in the afternoon. All these started from the living room in her house, then a bigger room. Now with the contribution of parents' land right opposite her house (land can means a lot in rural area, it can be farming or even make the living for a family), she runs Bopha Foundation alongside the help from outside world.

"I attended school, but not every kid in my village has the same opportunity."

Chit-chatting in English, she insisted the importance of education, and knew this may be the only way out for the young children in her village. Children in Kampung Speu, sometimes (even now) still have to give up on classes to help family farming seasonally, especially girls. She had the chance to live outside and earn better living, but she decided to come back, even when it meant that she had to run the tuition center self-funded.

"I faced a lot of difficulties, a lot."

"Parents said those who learn English are crazy because you cannot make money." "They doubted why a girl (Bopha) need so much education. Why the girl don't help the family but caused loss to family wealth. "

"They said I'm using their children to make money." This refers to when the parents see the community center becoming better each day with the help around the world.

"I angry, I upset too."

"But every time i looked into the children eyes, my heart is hurt."

Tears welled up in Bopha's eyes every time she talked about this. My heart was struck seeing Bopha's toughness and softness amidst hardship. So she stayed, teaching the children five days a week after school. The children ranges from four, five years old to early secondary students. Her younger brother (who is attending university majoring in English at the moment) also helps her in teaching the English classes for upper and lower primary classes.

"Women can do anything man can do."

Bopha, a single unmarried woman, just 3 years old elder than me, also adopted three young girls from the mountain area nearby, despite the fact that her family's insufficient income from farming and the extra living expenses (rice, clothes, books..) for the girls. She did so, just to help the girls go to school.

"Poor is not easy, so knowledge is important."

So this is the story of Bopha, the toughest woman I've met.

Here's a really great 1 minute video by Man Ching Chan:

The video is so real than my powerless words, please promise me you watch it!

---

Our team T4D (Technology for development) was there in May 2018 to help Bopha Foundation built solar station to provide sustainable energy to the school (two classrooms, one library and one toilet), and individual solar panels for 11 houses in Bopha's neighborhood.

Facing Bopha Foundation and the solar panel station built by T4D. (View from Bopha's house)

Have I ever imagined what does no lights at night means? It means total darkness after sunset. There's nothing you can do at night but to go to bed. It means that you have to find the torch just for a night-pee, and the battery costs a fortune too. It means classes have to be conducted outdoor if the weather is gloomy and cancelled if it is worse. "Now I'm really happy thinking that our children can study at night, or play, or even do handicraft to help with family income. Many people who work in the morning can now join class at night," said Bopha.

(From left: starting solar station from scratch; while wiring lights for nanny's house; last classroom done on the last night)

The T4D also organized workshop for villagers because we believed true help achieved through community capacity building. This gonna be another story. Here with another video by Man Ching you can understand how T4D thinks might help the local:

To know how T4D continue the project: https://www.facebook.com/SLTech4D/

We were helped local Cambodia NGO Young People Do (YPD): https://www.facebook.com/Young-People-Do-431965433659961/