Eleven-year-old Soden* had already missed several years of school before she had the opportunity to enter a classroom. Much of her childhood had instead been spent helping at home and selling snacks at the brick-making factory where her parents work. She was eager to learn, but education had remained out of reach.
Soden moved with her family from Kandal Province to Neak Loeung in 2017. Her family faces many of the challenges experienced by migrant and low-income families and life near the brick kiln can be difficult. The heat from the kiln can be intense, the roof of their home leaks when it rains, and the family’s income is limited.
A chance to enter the classroom
Soden’s opportunity to learn finally came in January 2024, when she joined Damnok Toek’s Non-Formal Education (NFE) programme.
She learned about the NFE centre through neighbours whose children were already studying with Damnok Toek. Soden remembers feeling nervous when she first joined the class, but she was determined to make the most of the opportunity “I must study hard,” she told herself.
The classroom soon became a place for Soden to learn, meet teachers, and spend time with other children. Damnok Toek also provides transportation for her and her classmates so they can attend classes regularly.
Her teacher, Nuon Sopheap, who has worked with the NFE programme for nine years, remembers Soden as an eager student who took pride in attending school and was keen to make the most of the opportunity.
“She was happy to learn,” Sopheap recalls. “Her school supplies were neatly organised, and she kept herself clean and neat.” Soden’s enthusiasm was also reflected in her attendance. She came to class regularly, with only occasional absences when she travelled back to her hometown.
Learning skills that changed her everyday life
Soden could not read, write or calculate when she first entered the NFE programme. Over time, she began developing these skills.
She can now read and write, perform basic calculations, and understand important topics such as children’s rights and school regulations. What she learns in the classroom is also helping her in everyday life.
Soden now uses her new skills while helping her family sell snacks. “I can write down lists of items for sale, and I can add, subtract, multiply and divide numbers,” she explains.
Her teacher has also noticed her progress. Sopheap says Soden has become more focused on her studies and is increasingly willing to help others. She often takes the time to explain lessons to classmates when they are struggling to understand. Her progress goes beyond learning to read, write, and work with numbers. Soden has become more confident in the classroom and is taking an active role in her own education.
Why Non-Formal Education matters for children like Soden
Soden’s story reflects some of the barriers that can prevent vulnerable children from accessing education. Damnok Toek’s NFE team leader, Pheng Sokha, identified poverty and frequent family migration as two of the main reasons Soden has never enrolled in formal education.
The NFE programme in Neak Loeung works with children who might otherwise miss out on education, including those from poor and migrant families and children facing other difficult circumstances. Families may move from one place to another in search of work, making it difficult for children to enrol or remain in school. Poverty limited parental support, domestic violence, and other forms of vulnerability can create additional barriers. Soden is one of 101 children, including 43 girls, currently participating in Damnok Toek’s NFE programme in Neak Loeung. For many children, NFE can provide a pathway into the formal education system. This year, 44 children, including 21 girls, have successfully transitioned from the programme into public school. Soden hopes she will eventually be one of them.
Soden also has a clear idea of where she hopes her education will take her. “When I grow up, I want to be a teacher, because I want to teach children,” she says. Her goal is to keep working hard and eventually continue her education in public school. Education has already given Soden skills she can use at home and in her everyday life, greater confidence in the classroom, and the opportunity to imagine a different future for herself.
Soden’s journey has taken her from a child growing up around a brick kiln without ever attending school to sitting in a classroom and dreaming of one day standing at the front of one herself. Her story shows how access to education can create possibilities that once seemed out of reach.
Soden also has a message to other children who have not yet had the opportunity to attend school: “Please ask your parents to register to study with me, because Damnok Toek helps vulnerable children go to school.”
*The name has been changed to protect her identity.
