On behalf of the children under Rainbow Projects and the local villagers, I would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to both individuals and business associates for their generous contributions to our programs. Your support has been invaluable in helping us achieve our mission and make a positive impact on the lives of those we serve. Thank you for your continued commitment and generosity.
Mr. Pean, hailing from a poor family in a rural area, graduated high school in 1996 and subsequently attended a training course at the Siem Reap Provincial Pedagogy. Upon completing his training in 1998, he became a government teacher. However, due to the insufficient salary of a teacher, he sought additional part-time work as a Thai-speaking tour guide in Siem Reap Province. He worked as a tour guide on weekends while continuing to teach during the weekdays. Despite these efforts, his combined incomes were still inadequate to meet his family's needs, as he had to support both his siblings, who were still in school, and his own family.
In 2003, he began working additional part-time hours at a hotel in Siem Reap Town during the evenings. By taking on administrative responsibilities and assisting with tour services, he earned an opportunity to work with a tour company, which sent him to Thailand for training in tour management. Upon his return, he was promoted to manager within the company. Today, Pean is proficient in both Thai and English, which he uses to communicate effectively for WFC's projects.
His experiences from his various jobs were instrumental in launching the charity project "Working for Children." Despite holding a satisfactory position in the travel company, Pean remained deeply committed to his community and the village children. He leveraged his personal experiences to inspire and mobilize the villagers, encouraging them to prioritize education and send their children to school. Pean believed that education was the key to breaking the cycle of poverty in his community. To persuade the villagers, he shared his own achievements as tangible examples of what education could accomplish.
In addition, Pean has initiated numerous projects to seek and gather donations from charitable individuals outside the community to support local development. He began enhancing his village through sustainable farming practices that go beyond relying solely on natural resources. Recently, WFC established an Eco-farm, which is expected to become an Agricultural Training Centre for the community in the future.
Nowadays, in addition to caring for the children at Rainbow Orphanage, Mr. Pean is responsible for over 700 children and 17 teachers at the local government primary school.
Mr. Pean hopes that after these children complete their education, some will return to work with WFC, taking on his role and continuing his efforts to support the community.
- I was born during the civil war which brought me all experiences from Pol Pot Regime, and most of my friends did not attend school, so 80% of the villagers have lived in poverty. The poor and orphans have no chance to pursue the education, even secondary school, and also many of the teachers here are from other village far away from my community.
- As a Cambodian, I can play as an important part of the government policy to develop the human resources in my community through out the donations for children to get education because it can break out the poverty while the poverty happens from non-education.
These projects are started by Cambodians with the cooperation among my friends, retired teachers, and Buddhist monks who share their own sources, powers, and ideas in the purposes to make a better future for children.
The major obstacles to starting the Rainbow are the lack of management, funds, human resources, and the organization procedures that comply with the Cambodian laws.
Our projects are run by Cambodian volunteers who believe in their works that can help the children in our community such as university students and some of undergraduate students.
All Rainbow staff are the volunteers who work part-time after their main careers as civil servants and university students except cleaner and gardener.
The Rainbow projects have no specific sponsor or donors, yet we can still run our projects depending on some charity activities oversea, foreign tourists who visit our activities and donate, especially the profits from volunteers who join our projects, cooking class, village tours, and stay in Rainbow homestay.
I think that the ones who have more budget, skills, time, and knowledge should contribute or share with the poor as they can do in the purposes to develop our society mainly focusing on child education according to their needs.
Due to the poor cooperation by the local authority (Real Help, Real Hope)
I strongly hope that these projects can ensure all children and Rainbow children to become as the pillar of their society and full of virtue and knowledge to be sustainable themselves, family, and the whole community.
Rainbow has its dormitory to provide as accommodation to stay for someone, so he/she can help us by volunteering to teach and work here like our former Rainbow children.
All, both locals and foreigners, are encouraged to join our projects as long as they are interested in the children education.
