2019 has been a successful and exciting year for all of us here at Indochina Starfish Foundation (ISF). Especially in regards to our Education Programme. We’ve accepted nearly one hundred new students into our Catch-up Education Programme as well as seen many students graduate and progress to state school.

ISF Highlights

• 80 new students have entered our catch-up programme
• 35 new lower primary school graduates

Welcoming Them Back to School

This year, we’ve taken on 80 new students across our Stung Meanchey and Chbar Ampov campuses. They have likely never attended school. In our holistic accelerated Education Programme, these children can now catch up to their correct grade for their age and join public school. This is achieved by teaching them two years’ worth of lessons per school year.

Parents and relatives join our new student orientation meeting

Providing a Holistic Solution

In Cambodia, 68% of students drop out in lower secondary school. Half of these at-risk students, dropouts, and their guardians cited the need to work to earn money. Another half of at-risk students and their guardians along with 33% of dropouts and their guardians cited school-related expenses as a major roadblock to attendance (USAID, 2015).

To combat these issues, we extend support to our students’ families as well. This comes in the form of monthly food parcels that keep children from dropping out to earn money, vocational training for relatives and community libraries that house literacy lessons.  We also provide each student two school meals per day, free healthcare, school materials, access to sport and so much more.

Each year, our social workers scour the neighborhoods that we service in Phnom Penh to locate those in most need of our help.  And they spend a significant amount of time with each child and their family to ensure they meet our strict criteria. ISF’s mission is to help the most disadvantaged and marginalised children, those who would otherwise never get to go to school, achieve education to build a brighter future. Because documentation can be an immense barrier for many families due to full or partial illiteracy, we assist in enrollment.

ISF Education Programme 2019 new students are excited to learn

Looking Forward to 2020

As we bring 2019 to a close, we are extremely satisfied with our achievements in improving the lives of disadvantaged children. And with December fast approaching, we look forward to what 2020 will bring. You can be sure we will continue to broaden educational access to help build a Cambodia where every child has access to education. No matter their background or means.