A school dropout turned ISF intern – Vatey’s story

Some ISF students don’t stop with formal education after high school. Example: Vatey*, a 23-year-old who entered ISF in 2013. “Now, I’m doing first year of my studies at Human Resource University.”

It hasn’t been easy. Vatey lives in central Phnom Penh with her grandmother and siblings – her parents have died. “My grandmother and older brothers and sisters are sole earners in the family. My grandmother used to sell Khmer cakes but she couldn’t anymore because she broke one of her arms, so the whole family’s living now heavily depends on my siblings, who work as a bus ticket seller and a waiter at a Chinese restaurant.”

Vatey earlier attended a primary school in the capital, but had to drop out because, with a difficult family situation, “I couldn’t keep up with my studies. I was out of school for almost a year until we were told about ISF.” Vatey enrolled in grade 3 with ISF.

What were Vatey’s goal? “I hoped to be able to finish high school, continue onto a university and find a good job.” Has ISF met her expectations? “Yes, ISF has been helping me to achieve my goal by giving me a second chance at education.”

Vatey explains her ambition for university: “I think finding a good job with only high school diploma in today’s highly competitive job market is almost impossible because it requires skills and a university degree. Attending university will allow me to acquire important skills needed to be successful in my future career.” She plans to graduate with a marketing degree and hopes eventually to work for Cambodia’s Ministry of Commerce. She will be working hard to improve her English-language skills to guarantee success.

ISF continues to support Vatey “by providing regular follow-up on progress as well as guidance whenever needed. ISF also offered me an internship opportunity so now I am working as a full-time Administration intern. This job helps me to become familiar with workplace environment and earn income to support my family.”

She understands and appreciates what ISF means in her life. It’s the difference between a low-wage existence – and the promise of a good job and livelihood. “If I had not joined ISF’s Education Programme, I would be working in a garment factory with my older sister.”

*Names have been changed for privacy reasons.