The school was established in the early days of Phuoc Hoa-Kampong Thom Rubber Project (Vietnam), which began in Cambodia in 2013. It has provided access to education for many generations of the children of company workers, staff, and Cambodian locals.
With support from local authorities and the rubber project from Vietnam, Phuoc Hoa-Kampong Thom School has always been a place that fosters knowledge, helping underprivileged students to continue their education at higher-level institutions in the central area of Kampong Thom Province, Cambodia.
To help workers stabilize their production and stay committed to the company, the Vietnam Rubber Group (VRG) has developed essential infrastructure for daily life, such as electricity, roads, and health stations. Among these, schools are vital facilities at each VRG rubber company in Cambodia.
Built since the initial days of the Phuoc Hoa-Kampong Thom Rubber Project in 2013, this school has educated many generations of the children of the company’s staff and workers. Students from the school can then continue their studies at higher levels in central areas.
The School, built by the company for the children of its staff and workers, is staffed by official teachers arranged by the local education department.
Teachers are paid by the Cambodian government, and the rubber company also provides additional support to encourage teachers to stay committed to their educational mission.
Dim Sok Cheat, a 41-year-old teacher, has been attached to this school for over nine years. He began teaching here after meeting his wife, Ret Sok Han, who is 36 years old. The couple has been dedicated to the school since before they were married, and now they have three children. In the photo, teacher Dim Sok Cheat is with his youngest daughter, aged four, while their two older children, aged seven and six, are both studying at the school.
In addition to supporting teachers’ salaries, Phuoc Hoa-Kampong Thom Rubber Company also provides teaching equipment, books, and transportation for the students. The company hires tractors to transport students daily, saving them time and allowing their parents to work with peace of mind.
The children play joyfully on the vehicles that take them to school each day. Here, they are cared for not only in terms of education but also in health and well-being, living close to their parents and families.
Beyond the school, Phuoc Hoa-Kampong Thom Rubber Company has built over 150 kilometers of roads for production and worker travel, along with nearly 100 wells providing water for the community.
Local children attend school in the morning and help their parents with household chores in the worker housing areas in the afternoon. The company has built 114 housing units, including semi-detached and separate rows of houses, to meet the accommodation needs of Cambodian workers.
Phuoc Hoa-Kampong Thom School regularly receives attention from local education officials. In the photo, there is a class observation and training inspection by the Kampong Thom Provincial Department of Education.
After more than ten years of operation, some schools in the Phuoc Hoa-Kampong Thom Rubber area have shown signs of deterioration. Commenting on this, teacher Dim Sok Cheat hopes the company can provide more textbooks for the new curriculum and additional desks and chairs to meet the growing needs of the increasing number of children living in the company’s residential areas.
Currently, Phuoc Hoa-Kampong Thom Rubber Company has two schools equipped with full electrical systems, water supply, toilets, and teaching facilities. Among them is a multi-level school, teaching from grades 1 to 6, with 126 students, all of whom are children of Phuoc Hoa-Kampong Thom staff and workers.
In these remote rubber forests, attending school has opened up knowledge and opportunities for many poor children, helping them to believe in their dreams and aspirations for the future.
The Vietnam Rubber Group (VRG) currently operates 16 rubber companies across seven Provinces in Cambodia, covering about 87,600 hectares. In recent years, the area and output of rubber production in Cambodia have continuously increased. Cambodia is now the second-largest production area of the Group, after Southeast Vietnam.
by Nguyen Quang/VOV-TPHCM
