CATALYST Scholars Pay it Forward, Part 1

Did you know that less than 2% of women in Cambodia possess education beyond high school? This is a tragic statistic that must be reversed. Our CATALYST program provides ongoing education for our GATE scholars, helping them to build confidence and bridge gaps in experience and knowledge.

An exciting part of this program is the annual study visits!

For the past three years, CATALYST has taken its students on these visits. Last year the students visited Angkor Wat. This year 44 students will travel with us to Mondulkiri in the remote north east of Cambodia where there is high poverty, particularly within it’s communities of ethnic minorities.

Having been through difficulties in life themselves, our students came up with an initiative to “pay it forward” during this trip. Springing from a shared belief that education is the key to break the cycle of poverty, they have committed to raise $650 to provide study materials to a school in need in Mondolkiri.

The school was a community school that has recently been recognized as a public school. This is good news, however, the school has not been developed and still has many basic needs.

The money our scholars raise will go to provide study materials to each student in the school including: school bag, notebooks, pens, pencils, ruler, pencil sharpener and eraser.

It’s amazing to see the big hearts of our CATALYST students in action as they plan to pay it forward in such an impactful way. They are such an inspiration and a powerful example of how when people feel empowered, they empower others!