Through funding from our longstanding collaboration partner SE Asia Foundation, we first launched this project at Ta Ei Primary School, where it received overwhelmingly positive feedback from students, teachers, and, most importantly, the community surrounding the school. With a generous donation of the Singanayagam Family Trust, we expanded the initiative to Kna Por High School in Sonikum District, about 80 km from Siem Reap, with 90 students from grades 11 and 12 participating—both female and male. We believe both genders play different but equally important roles in addressing early marriage, so the project engages them equally.
The program tackles the root causes and consequences of early marriage. Students learn about the benefits of delaying marriage and the risks of marrying young, with experienced speakers sharing real-life stories for deeper understanding. In the final stage, students run their own community awareness campaign, spreading the message about the importance of education and the dangers of early marriage.
We hope this project will inspire these 90 students to continue their education beyond Grade 12 and build brighter futures. The campaign will also give community members valuable insight into why education matters and how early marriage can hold young people back. We are now gathering information from other schools to expand this vital program where it is most needed.
Thank you to both SE Asia Foundation and Singanayagam Family Trust for being a true changemaker in supporting this important work.
