In November, our Chbar Ampov staff took 45 state school students on a field trip to Sambo Prei Kuk temple (English translation: temple in the richness of the forest) in Kampong province, located approximately 200km outside of Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh. Sambo Prei Kuk, built in the late 6th and early 7th century was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2017. The site of 150 Hindu temples, which today stand mostly in ruins, is one of the best places accessible from Phnom Penh, for our students to learn about their heritage and Khmer culture.

For Ahn*, a student who participated in the field trip, the excursion was her first visit to a historic site. “It was my first time to see these wonderful temples, I used to dream of a visit like this” she tells us. Through a guided tour of the site, Ahn and her classmates learnt a lot about history of the temples. They also enjoyed the surrounding nature and pitched in helping to pick up litter on the grounds.

“This trip was an unforgettable trip for me” says Ahn who aspires to share her newfound knowledge and experience with her family who have not yet had the chance to visit the temples.

*Names of children under 18 have been changed.