This year, nine-year-old Tey* started school for the very first time in her life. Tey and her family relocated from Svay Rieng province in south east Cambodia to Phnom Penh three years ago in search of better opportunities and education.

Tey’s parents struggled to provide for their family and were only able to send one of their three children to school. Now, thanks to ISF’s Education Programme, Tey has the opportunity to get an education too.

“I’m very happy to have the chance to study at ISF” she tell us. Unfortunately, there are more applications than places available on ISF’s Education Programme so Tey was surprised and relieved to get in. “When my parents told me that I was selected, I cried because I was so excited – I really wanted to study but my parents couldn’t afford it” Tey explains.

They describes feeling “very nervous as well as happy” on her first day of school. However, after  quickly making new friends and getting to know her teachers Tey’s nerves have subsided and now after just six weeks at ISF, she’s started to feel at home. “I feel that ISF is my home and I want to come to study at ISF every day including on weekend” she beams. “I promised myself, all my teachers and my parents that I will study hard and be a good student.”

*Names of children under 18 have been changed